Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks Read online

  The Doctor's long legs disappeared into the duct and Ronson slammed the hatch-cover closed behind them. He turned and hurried back down the tunnel. At the point where the tunnel joined the main corridor, he ran straight into a patrolling guard. The guard was surprised to see an eminent scientist leaving what was essentially a maintenance area, but Ronson looked haughtily at him, and the man went on his way. Concealing a sigh of relief, Ronson headed back to his laboratory.

  In the ventilation duct, Harry and the Doctor edged their way through total darkness. Harry didn't know which to worry about most, the perils behind them or the dangers ahead.

  A yelling crowd of prisoners burst out of the cell and milled round the base of the giant rocket. Some began running blindly toward the exits, only to encounter Thal guards running out from their command posts. The guards started shooting wildly into the crowd.

  Sarah saw the young Kaled soldier fall early in the mêlée, but the giant form of Sevrin was still at her side. Together they pushed their way to the scaffolding and began climbing. Up and up they climbed, hand over hand until Sarahs arms were aching and the sounds of shooting and yelling seemed faint and distant. Gasping for breath, Sarah made the mistake of looking down. She hadn't realized how far they'd come, and the dizzying drop below her made everything spin round. Luckily Sevrin was close enough to lean across and grab her arm. 'Don't look down, Sarah. And keep climbing.'

  Something bounced off the metal scaffolding near Sarah's head and whined away into space. She looked down and caught a brief glimpse of a Thal guard, his rifle pointing upward. 'They're shooting at us,' she gasped. 'Come on.'

  By now other prisoners were following their example, swarming up the scaffolding like monkeys. Many were picked off by the rifles of the Thal guards and crashed to the ground at the base of the rocket. Others were luckier, and the Thal Guard Captain soon realized there was real danger that many of his prisoners might get away. As more reinforcements arrived to deal with the prisoners, he slung his rifle over his shoulder and assembled a small group of reluctant soldiers. 'Come on-we're going up after them.' The soldiers began to climb.

  High on the scaffolding, the nose-cone very close now, Sarah hung gasping. 'It's no good. I can't climb any more.'

  Sevrin was close behind her. There seemed to be enormous strength in the great twisted body, and he could swing apelike along the scaffolding with no sign of fatigue. 'You must go on, Sarah. See, they are coming after us.'

  Sarah glanced down to see Thal soldiers swarming up the scaffolding in pursuit. Stronger and better fed than their escaping prisoners, they were catching up rapidly. Sarah started to climb again, but her tired sweating hands slipped on the scaffolding. She felt herself dropping. A sudden jerk arrested her fall. Sevrin had caught her arm, taking her whole weight with one hand while he clung to the scaffolding with his other. Sarah swung back close to the scaffolding and managed to find a fresh hold. She glanced down again. Because of the delay, the pursuing Thals were now much closer. Yet the narrow escape had stiffened Sarah's determination not to be recaptured; she began climbing even higher. There wasn't far to go.

  At the top of the scaffolding, Sevrin was waiting for her. They were right by the nose-cone of the rocket, and the roof of the dome was only a few feet away. 'Look, Sarah. There's a section of the dome that slides away. We could reach it from the tip of the nose-cone and get out!'

  'How do we get onto the nose-cone?'

  "We'll have to jump for it—I'll go first, then I can catch you.'

  Sevrin poised himself for a moment, then leaped like a giant spider across the gap between the scaffolding and the nose-cone. He landed spread-eagled on the very tip of the rocket, hands scrabbling for a hold on the smoothly polished metal. When he felt secure he yelled, 'It's all right, Sarah. jump and I'll catch you.'

  Sarah looked across. The gap seemed enormous, and stretching down below her was the entire length of the huge rocket. The figures round its base seemed like tiny moving dots. She clung to the scaffolding, shivering with fear.

  'You've got to do it,' called Sevrin. 'Jump!'

  Sarah looked down again. The pursuing Thal soldiers were very close. She jumped. She hit the nose-cone with a thump, and immediately started sliding off, but one of Sevrins huge hands caught her and dragged her to safety on its rounded tip. A narrow ledge gave a foothold. 'We're nearly there,' he muttered reassuringly. 'Just a bit more and we'll be on the dome surface. We'll be safe.' Slowly Sevrin climbed to his feet. Balancing precariously on the very tip of the rocket's nose-cone he slid back the panel in the dome. Sarah felt a rush of cold air and saw the night sky through the gap. Sevrin had one hand on the edge of the gap, and was reaching down to pull Sarah through when a voice called out, 'That's far enough.'

  The Thal soldiers had caught up with them. The Guard Captain was clinging to the scaffolding with one hand, leveling his rifle at them with the other. Close to him, the rest of his men were doing the same. 'Right,' he ordered. 'Back on the scaffolding.'

  Sevrin sighed. Releasing his grip on the opening he took a flying leap and landed back on thescaffolding. Immediately a Thal soldier jammed a rifle in his ribs. 'Start climbing. No tricks,or you'll go down the quick way.' Obediently Sevrin started to descend.

  The Guard Captain turned to Sarah. 'Now you.'

  Hanging grimly on to the nose-cone, Sarah didn't dare move.

  'All right,' said the Captain softly, 'I'll come and get you.' He leaped confidently across the gap and landed on the rounded tip of the rocket where Sevrin had stood a moment earlier. 'Take my hand,' he ordered. Sarah reached up and he grasped her wrist. Suddenly he jerked. Sarah's feet slid from her precarious foothold. She was dangling over empty space supported by the Captain's hand.

  The Guard Captain knew he would be punished because of the prisoners' revolt, and the knowledge made him cruel. He grinned down at Sarah. 'All I have to do is slacken my grip... They say people who fall from great heights are dead before they hit the ground. I don't believe that, do you?' He pretended to let Sarah go and she moaned in fear. Tiring of his game the Captain pulled her back to safety. "Don't worry, you're going back to work, Before longyou'll wish I had let you drop.' He called across to one of the soldiers. 'Better throw a ropeover, or this one will never make it down.' As the rope was lashed round her Sarah felt onlyrelief. The escape had failed-but she was still alive.

  Harry felt the journey through the cramped dark tunnel was never going to end. Maybe they were lost, he thought, maybe they'd die here in these tunnels. Suddenly he felt cold, damp air,and saw a dim glow of light. 'I think we're nearly there, Doctor,' he called behind him. The tunnel widened a little toward its end, which was blocked by heavy wire mesh.

  The Doctor squeezed up beside Harry. 'That must be the entrance to the cave. So all we've got to do is..." A snuffling grunt came out of the darkness.

  'Must be one of Davros's little pets,' Harry whispered nervously. They waited in silence. Something big and shapeless brushed past the other side of the grille, and they heard it shamble away into the darkness. They waited a moment longer.

  'Well, whatever it was, it's gone,' the Doctor said cheerfully. 'Give me a hand, Harry.' Using their combined strength, they managed to prize off the grille.

  'After you, Doctor,' said Harry politely.

  The Doctor grinned and slipped into the cave. Harry followed him. The cave was very dark, and he was aware of little more than a dank rock wall close beside him. But there did seem to be a lighter patch somewhere in the distance. The Doctor tapped his shoulder. 'Keep close to the wall, Harry, and make for the light.'

  As they shuffled along, Harry was almost grateful for the darkness. Whatever was in the cave, he thought he'd be a lot happier if he didn't see it. They reached the light source without incident. It proved to be a very small barred window looking out onto the Wastelands.

  'We've made it,' said Harry exultantly. 'Come on, Doctor.' He hurried towards the window. The Doctor was peering cautiously at the ground just
beneath the window. A giant round shape was half-buried in the ground.

  'Harry, be careful—' the Doctor called. But he was too late. The hump seemed to split into two separate halves. They widened like gaping jaws and clashed down on Harry's leg. Harry let out a howl of pain and the Doctor ran to his side.

  Harry's leg was gripped tight by what appeared to be a kind of giant clam, several feet across. Hissing fiercely the creature was trying to drag Harry into the darkness of the cave, no doubt hoping to digest him at leisure. The Doctor grabbed a chunk of rock and hammered at the shell, but it was iron-hard. Remorselessly the sliding horror dragged Harry further away. The Doctor glanced round for a weapon. He saw a jagged spear-like piece of rock projecting from one wall. Using his rock as a hammer he broke it away, ran back to Harry and jammed the improvised spear into the gap in the giant shell. He rammed the sharp stone deep inside the clam, using all his strength. With a hiss of pain, the jaws sprang open. Harry fell backward, free, and the creature slithered away in the darkness.

  The Doctor knelt beside Harry who was moaning and clutching his leg. He made a brief examination. 'Nasty bruise there, but nothing seems to be broken,' he said briskly. 'You had a lucky escape, Harry. That must have been one of Davros's nastier experiments.'

  Harry rubbed his leg tenderly. 'Why is it always me who puts his foot in it?' he grumbled.

  The Doctor slapped him on the back. 'You'll be all right, Harry. Can you walk yet?'

  'Just about.' Harry hobbled a few steps.

  'Then we'd better get out of here. It's not a place to hang about.'

  As they wrenched at the rusting bars in the window Harry said, 'When we're out in theWastelands, Doctor, can't we have a look for Sarah?'

  The Doctor shook his head. 'At the moment we're just a couple of fugitives. We'd be shot or imprisoned in no time. There's still a war going on, remember. But if we warn the Kaled government about Davros—well, they'll owe us a favor, won't they? We can ask for an official search.'

  Harry looked worried and the Doctor gave him a reassuring grin.

  'Don't worry, Harry, we'll find her, I promise you. But one problem at a time. And our problem now is to get past these bars.'

  In the Bunker's main laboratory, Davros was holding a demonstration. This time two Daleks were gliding backward and forward along the laboratory. They completed a complicatedsequence of evolutions, then came to a halt before Davros's chair. The grating voice of thenearer one said, 'We await your commands.'

  Chillingly like that of his creation, the voice of Davros spoke, 'No further command. Disengage automotive circuits.' The lights on the Daleks' heads went out, their guns and sucker-arms drooped. 'Excellent,' said Davros in a satisfied voice.

  One of his retinue of scientists, a plump, smooth little man called Kavell, leaned forward obsequiously. 'They are perfect, Davros. A truly brilliant creation.'

  The rasping voice corrected him. 'A brilliant creation, yes. But not perfect. Scientist. Technicians!' Davros raised his hand and a group of younger men hurried forward. 'Improvements must be made in the optical systems and the sensory circuits. Their instincts must be as accurate as any scientific instrument. Working will begin at once. You will carry out the following adjustments...'

  As Davros's voice droned on, Kavell slipped away from the group and moved across to the corner desk where Ronson sat working. He peered over Ronson's shoulders as if checking his results, and said quietly, 'Does Davros know that your two alien prisoners have escaped?'

  Ronson glanced up quickly, then went on with his work 'As far as I know the prisoners are in their cell.'

  'Don't worry, Ronson, I won't betray you. You're not the only one worried about Davros's plans. Now answer me. Does Davros know?'

  'The prisoners are in their cell repeated Ronson. He didn't trust Kavell enough to make any damaging admissions.

  The plump little man chuckled. 'I have some news for you, Ronson. Your two prisoners have managed to cross the Wastelands and make contact with certain members of the government.'

  'How do you know that?'

  Kavell smiled complacently. 'There are still some advantages to being in charge of the communications system.' He looked across the laboratory to where Davros sat surrounded by his admiring assistants. 'All we can do now is hope that your friends manage to convince our leaders that Davros's work must be ended.'

  Kavell walked away, and Ronson buried his head in his hands. 'They must succeed,' he muttered to himself. 'They must!'

  In the Kaled City, Harry Sullivan sat in a luxurious underground conference room, scarcely able to believe what was happening. Only the Doctor could possibly have managed it, thought Harry. No one else would have the cheek!

  When the window bars had finally given way, the Doctor had led Harry across the Wastelands to one of the main entrances to the Kaled City. Marching straight up to an astonished sentry, the Doctor had demanded to see his superior officer. Then he had bullied his way up the chain of command, intimidating a captain, a colonel and finally a full-blown general, with impressive but vague talk of a vitally important top-secret mission, and repeated demands to be put in touch with certain important members of the Kaled government, dropping their names freely, as if they were old friends. Several times Harry felt that various officers had been on the point of having them shot, but the Doctor's bare-faced audacity had at last succeeded. They had been granted an interview with Mogran, one of the names on Ronson's list.

  Mogran had listened sceptically at first, then with increasing concern. He had studied the letter and the details of Davros's experiments in Ronson's notebook. Finally he had summoned a secret meeting in this hidden conference room. Now Mogran was addressing his fellow councilors, while the Doctor waited beside him. Harry was amused to see that Ravon, the young General from whom they'd first escaped, was also at the meeting, puzzled to find his former prisoners being treated as honored guests.

  Mogran, an impressively robed figure with silver hair, was concluding his speech, '...and it is only because I am personally convinced of both the accuracy and importance of the Doctor's information that I ask you to listen to him now. Doctor?'

  The Doctor stepped forward, as relaxed and authoritative as the guest-of-honor on some state occasion. 'Some of what I am about to tell you concerns events in the future. Events not only on this planet, but on other planets whose existence is not even known to you...'

  A murmur of surprise went up from the audience. The Doctor raised his hand. 'I realize that may be hard to accept, but my knowledge is based firmly on scientific fact. I know that Davros is creating a machine creature, a monster that will terrorize and destroy millions. He has given this vile creature a name—a name that is a distortion of that of your own race—DALEK! The word is new to you, but for a thousand generations it will bring fear and terror.' The Doctor paused impressively. 'Davros has one of the finest scientific minds in existence. But he has a fanatical desire to perpetuate himself in his creation. He is without conscience, without soul and without pity, and his creations are equally devoid of these qualities..."

  As the Doctor went on with his speech, Harry slumped down in his seat. Would the Doctor be able to convince them? The fate of this world, and of many more, depended on his success...

  6 BETRAYAL

  Davros watched with satisfaction as a team of scientists and technicians toiled to make the improvements he had demanded for his Daleks. Through the vision lens that provided him with sight, he saw Security Commander Nyder enter the laboratory and come toward him. Davros wheeled his chair to a secluded corner and Nyder joined him. He leaned forward urgently, keeping his voice low. 'Davros, I've just had word from one of our supporters in the government. Your old enemy Councilor Mogran has called a meeting. Only known opponents of your scientific Elite have been invited to attend.'

  Davros clenched and unclenched his withered hand. 'I want a full report of everything that's discussed. I don't care how you get the information... just get it!' After a moment he
went on more calmly. 'I don't think we need be too concerned. Many times in the past fifty years opponents in the government have tried to interfere with my research. They have always failed—they will fail again.'

  'There's something else,' Nyder said. 'The two alien prisoners left in Ronson's charge. They are attending the meeting.'

  Davros turned his chair so that he could see Ronson working in the corner. Nyder followed the direction of his gaze. 'What action shall I take concerning the traitor Ronson?' The lipless mouth of Davros twitched in what might have been a smile.

  'For the moment, none. I shall deal with him in my own way.'

  The meeting was drawing to its close. The Kaled politicians were talking among themselves, occasionally glancing across to the Doctor and Harry. General Ravon, who seemed to take no part in the deliberations, was standing nearby. Harry wondered if he was guarding them. The suspense was getting on his nerves. 'Do you think you convinced them, Doctor?' he whispered.

  'I'm not sure, Harry. I tried, but sometimes words just aren't enough.'

  Harry saw a bustle of movement on the other side of the conference room. 'Looks as if they've reached a decision.' With muttered farewells the other councilors were hurrying away, leaving Mogran behind. He came over to the Doctor, who jumped eagerly to his feet. 'Well, what have you decided?'

  'It has been agreed that an independent tribunal will investigate the work being carried out at the Bunker.'

  'That could take months,' protested the Doctor. 'Davros has prototype Daleks ready for action now!'

  Mogran held up his hand. 'It has also been agreed that pending the result of the investigation, Davros's Dalek experiments will be suspended.'

  The Doctor brightened. 'Now that's more like it—though mind you, its less than I'd hoped for...'

  Mogran gave him the reassuring smile of a politician. 'I assure you, Doctor, if your allegations are borne out the Bunker will be closed down, and Davros dismissed. Meanwhile, you are welcome to remain here as our guests.'