Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks Read online

Just outside the city, the girl Bettan and a ragged group of Thals crouched in a trench, watching the City burn. Bettan tensed,'Quiet, there's something moving out there.'

  The giant cloaked shape of a muto appeared over the edge of the trench. Bettan raised her rifle but a deep voice rumbled. 'No, do not shoot. I am a friend.'

  The muto jumped into the trench, hands stretched out appealingly. 'You are the Thal girl called Bettan?'

  'That's right. How did you know?'

  'My name is Sevrin. The Doctor sent me to find you. He asked me to raise a band of my people to help you.'

  'Well—where are they?'

  Sevrin bowed his head. 'My people will not fight. The old hatreds are too deep.'

  Bettan nodded, unsurprised. 'Then we'll have to manage alone.'

  Sevrin looked at the tattered little group. They were a mixture of soldiers and civilians,clutching a motley assortment of weapons. 'This is all of you?'

  'All I could find alive,' Bettan said simply. 'I covered most of the city. We managed to raid the armory, though. We've got plenty of arms and ammunition. Explosives too.' Sevrin saw that some of the Thals were clutching bombs and packs of explosives.

  'You plan to attack the Bunker, with so few?' he asked doubtfully.

  'Why not? At least we can die fighting.'

  'Then I will help you,' Sevrin said determinedly. 'I am not afraid to fight.'

  'Well, there's no point in delay.' Bettan began rousing her small group. 'Come on—it's time to move out!'

  Nyder half-dragged, half-carried the semiconscious Doctor toward the detention cell. He was pleased to see that the guard on the cell was alert. As soon as the guard saw Nyder approaching with his prisoner he turned to unlock the cell door. The door swung open and the guard turned around. Only then did Nyder realize that the guard was Harry Sullivan.

  Immediately Nyder threw the sagging Doctor at Harry and sprinted off down the corridor. Harry caught the Doctor, who was rapidly coming to, and led him into the cell. 'Things didn't go quite as planned,' he said apologetically.

  Shaking his head to clear it, the Doctor saw that the cell held Sarah and two members of Davros's scientific Elite. On the bunk was a guard, stripped of his uniform and bound and gagged with torn-up blankets.

  Sarah helped the Doctor to sit down. 'He's still a bit groggy,' Harry said.

  Sarah saw the Doctor looking at the two scientists. 'They're called Kavell and Gharman,' she explained. 'Kavell helped us escape. He and Gharman are leading the opposition to Davros.'

  Gharman started to leave the cell. 'Come on, Kavell, weve a lot to do. We must act quickly...'

  'Wait,' said the Doctor. 'I think Davros knows about you. Just as I was coming to, I heard him talking to Nyder.'

  'Then why hasn't he taken more action against us?'

  'Perhaps he doesn't care?' suggested Kavell. Knocking out the guard had given him new confidence. 'Davros knows we are too many for him.'

  The Doctor shook his head, then winced as a stab of pain shot through him 'I think he has some trap ready for you. Be careful.'

  Gharman too seemed to be filled with confidence. 'Thanks for the warning, Doctor, I think we can take care of Davros.'

  'That's right,' agreed Kavell. 'We're too many for him now.'

  Eagerly the two scientists bustled out of the cell hurrying off to rally their fellow conspirators.

  The Doctor sat for a moment, head in his hands. He was summoning all the powers of his resilient Time Lord body to overcome the effects of his recent blow. Suddenly he rose and stretched, apparently as good as new. Sarah looked dubiously at him. 'I suppose it's no good telling you to rest for a while?'

  'No, it isn't. For one thing this place isn't safe. For another, there's too much to be done. First,we've got to recover that Time ring. Remember, we'll never get off this planet without it.Second, I must find and destroy that tape Davros made. The knowledge it holds could make the Daleks totally invincible.'

  Full of his old determination, the Doctor led Harry and Sarah from the cell.

  Outside the Bunker armory, two of Nyder's security Elite stood on watch, immaculate in their black uniforms. A head popped around the corner of a nearby corridor, and then popped back. It was Gharman, three more scientists behind him. 'Now remember,' he whispered, 'we resort to violence only if there is no other way.'

  Chatting idly among themselves, the scientists strolled round the corner. The guards paid noparticular attention as they drew level. Suddenly Gharman drew a hidden pistol and jammed itinto the nearest guard's ribs. The second guard reacted instantly. Grabbing the nearest scientistas a shield, he hurled him into Gharman, who was knocked to the floor. Raising his rifle, the guard shot down another scientist, then crumpled and fell himself as Gharman fired from the floor. By now the third scientist had produced a gun, and disarmed the remaining guard. Gharman got to his feet looking at the two bodies. 'A stupid waste of life,' he said sadly. 'Our intention is to make a bloodless revolution.' He waved toward the captured guard. 'Take him away and lock him up with the others. Get his keys first.'

  Gharman unlocked the armory door and they went inside. The plain metal room was lined with racks of weapons, and shelves holding detonators and explosives. Gharman turned to the scientist. 'Take as many weapons as you can carry and pass them out to our people.' At that moment Kavell hurried into the armory.

  'Well done, Gharman!' Before Gharman could reply the little man went on excitedly. 'They're coming over to our side in droves. Security Guards too. We have the backing of at least eighty percent of those in the Bunker. We're winning, Gharman, we're winning...'

  Gharman took a rifle from the rack and passed it to Kavell. He took another for himself. Holding the unaccustomed weapon awkwardly, he made for the door. 'Very well,' he said. 'Let's finish it off...'

  In the huge emptiness of the main laboratory, Davros sat alone in his chair. From the corridors all round, he heard the sounds of shooting, the bustle of running feet even the occasional burst of cheering. Davros showed no reaction. He just sat there, silently, waiting, a faint smile on the thin, lipless mouth. Slowly the fingers of his one withered hand began drumming on the arm of the chair.

  10 DECISION FOR THE DOCTOR

  Nyder ran into the laboratory, blaster in hand. His uniform was disheveled, and his usual cold manner replaced by an air of terror. 'Davros, they're taking over. Soon they'll be in total control. Everyone's turned against us, even men I thought I could trust...'

  Davros didn't answer. The only sound was the drumming of his fingers.

  Nyder's voice rose in panic. 'Listen, I've got a squad of men in section nine. If I order them into action now, they might stay loyal. Davros...'

  The metallic voice was so quiet as to be almost inaudible. 'I hear you, Nyder.'

  'Then tell me what to do!' Nyder had grown so used to the support of Davros that without it he felt lost and abandoned.

  'Find their leaders. Hand over your weapons to them. Order all members of your security guard to do the same. Tell the rebel leaders that I havegiven these orders to avoid bloodshed. Tell them I will submit to their demands.'

  Nyder shook his head incredulously. 'We admit we're beaten? We simply surrender?'

  "That is what they will believe.'

  The evasiveness of this answer gave Nyder new hope. 'You mean to—'

  Davros interrupted him. 'Nyder! You—and the rebels—will find out what I mean in good time. Now—carry out my orders.'

  The route followed by the Doctor and his friends took them past the armory. The doors gaped open, and Harry couldn't resist taking a look inside. 'Hang on, Doctor. This might come in handy.'

  They followed him into the armory. There were still plenty of weapons on the shelves. Harry grabbed a rifle for himself and offered one to the Doctor. The Doctor shook his head absentmindedly and began hunting around the wall cupboards. Sarah saw that he was filling his pockets with small waxed cartons, spools of wire, and a variety of other objects. 'That's explosive, is
n't it, Doctor?' she asked.

  'Explosives and detonators,' agreed the Doctor. 'Seems almost providential.'

  'What are you going to use it for?'

  The Doctor sighed. 'The Time Lords gave me three options. Discover the Daleks' weakness—if they have one. Alter their genetic development, so they become less evil. Or destroy them entirely. Now only the last option is still open.' As the Doctor looked down at her, Sarah was surprised to see the sadness in his eyes. 'I'm going to kill everything in that incubator room. I'm going to destroy the Daleks forever.'

  Davros sat silently in the empty laboratory. Nyder entered, still under strain, but calmer now. 'Everything has been done as you ordered. They are on their way.'

  Davros nodded, but said nothing. Nyder took up his usual position behind Davros's chair. A few minutes later Kavell and Gharman entered. They made a strangely incongruous picture,one short and plump, the other tall and thin. Davros spoke, 'You have something to say to me?'

  Hesitantly Gharman stepped forward. He knew that he had won, that Davros was in his power, yet the habit of years made his voice respectful. 'Davros, no one questions that under yourguidance we have made incredible progress ...'

  Ruthlessly Davros interrupted. 'You did not come here to flatter me. You came to deliver an ultimatum. Do so.'

  'Very well. Initially the Dalek was intended as a life-support system for the creature into which we Kaleds must ultimately evolve. However we feel the concept has been perverted.You have tampered with the genetic structure of your forced mutations to create a ruthless power for evil. This must not continue.'

  'What do you suggest?'

  'All work on the Daleks will cease immediately. Those created so far will be destroyed. If you agree to these terms we shall be proud to work under your guidance on the rebuilding of our society.'

  'And if I refuse?'

  Gharmans voice hardened. 'The Daleks will still be destroyed. You will be imprisoned, and we shall continue under a democratically elected leader.' Davros was silent. After a moment Gharman said nervously, 'Well?"

  'At least do me the courtesy of allowing me time to consider.' Davros spun his chair and wheeled it to the other end of the laboratory. Gharman and Kavell looked nervously at each other, wondering how they had lost the initiative. After a long and agonizing pause, Davros wheeled his chair back to them. 'I have made my decision. I will accept your ultimatum—on condition that I am first allowed to speak to a full meeting of the Elite, both scientific and security. When I have finished, a vote will be taken. I will abide by the decision of the majority.' Taken aback, the two delegates said nothing. 'Well?' snapped Davros. 'Do you agree? You wish to be "democratic," do you not?'

  Gharman looked at Kavell, who shrugged. Both knew that ninety percent of those in the Bunker were now against Davros. What harm could it do to let a once-honored leader save his face? 'Very well,' Gharman said. 'It is agreed.'

  Davros retained control till the last. 'The meeting will take place immediately. Arrange it. You may go now.' Dismissed, Gharman and Kavell turned and left. Once they were out of the room, Davros spun his chair to face Nyder. There was a fierce exultation in the metallic voice. 'Victory is ours, Nyder. Democracy, freedom, fairness...' Davros spat out the words like oaths. 'Achievement comes through power, and power through strength. They have lost!'

  Concealed in a trench near to the Bunker, Bettan and her small force crouched in hiding. Outside the trench a long line of Daleks was sweeping past. Bettan looked up as they disappeared from sight. 'The blockhouse is just over the next rise. That's where they must be heading.'

  Sevrin tapped her on the shoulder. 'Keep down. There are more coming.'

  Another line of Daleks glided by. When they were gone Sevrin said, 'Will you still attack the Bunker now the Daleks are back?'

  Bettan nodded slowly. 'Why not? Davros and his Daleks will soon be inside the Bunker together. We're going to make sure they stay there—forever!'

  The Doctor, Harry and Sarah stood outside the heavy door with its glass-viewing panel—thedoor to which Ronson had earlier brought the Doctor. The Doctor slid back the panel coverand a greenish light spilled over his face. 'Are there really Daleks in there?' asked Sarah.

  'The flesh and blood part of them—if indeed it is still flesh and blood after Davros's genetic tampering.' He began busying himself with detonators, explosives and coils of wire. Harry plucked up courage and looked through the panel.

  Morbid curiosity made Sarah ask, 'What do they look like?'

  Harry peered into the dim light. 'They seem to be in different stages of development. Some are in jars and tanks... others seem to be able to move around. Maybe they're fully grown ones...'

  The Doctor, his preparations completed, passed Harry a large spool of wire. 'Uncoil this out to me slowly, will you?' He put his hand on the door.

  'You're not going in there, Doctor?' asked Sarah.

  'Only for a moment—the creatures are harmless—I think. Just rather unpleasant ...'

  Harry braced himself. 'Do you want me to come in with you?'

  To his relief the Doctor said, 'No need, Harry. It's just a matter of setting the charges where they'll do most damage. Shouldn't take long.' Unwinding wire from Harry's spool as he went along, the Doctor disappeared inside the incubator room.

  After a time the tugging on the spool stopped. Evidently the Doctor had all the wire he needed. Nothing happened for quite a while. All they could do was wait.

  Inside the incubator room, the Doctor bent his head over his work, paying no attention to the horrors all around him. Greenish light from the tanks filled the room. Inside those tanks ghastly shaped creatures twisted and writhed in agitation, while in the darker corners of the room other monstrosities cowered away timidly. The Doctor moved from place to place, planting packets of explosives, connecting his central wire to the terminal on each packet. He didn't notice that out of the darkness something shapeless was oozing across the floor toward him...

  In the corridor Sarah looked worriedly at Harry. 'What's taking him so long?'

  'It's a pretty delicate job, planting explosives.'

  "Well he should be finished by now. I'm going to take a look.' A choking cry from inside the room sent them running through the door. In the dim green light, they could see the Doctor swaying wildly. Something like a coating of live black tar was covering his legs, flowing steadily upward as if to engulf him...

  'Harry, help me,' yelled Sarah. She dashed into the room and grabbed one of the Doctor's arms. Harry grabbed the other, and they heaved him free of the pool of black liquid, which let go its grip with an ugly squelching sound. All three stumbled out of the room, and Harry slammed the door behind them.

  Sarah shuddered. 'What was that awful stuff?'

  'Some kind of nutrient, I think. Seemed almost alive, didn't it?' The Doctor had held on to thewire which was now running under the door. For want of a knife, he bit through the wire with his teeth and began peeling back the protective plastic coating, revealing the gleaming metal underneath. Then he peeled off another length of wire, bared both ends and looked round for a power source. A wall light glowed dimly nearby. In a moment the Doctor had dismantled it, and fixed one end of his wire to its inner workings, sucking his fingers as blue sparks shot out. Holding the wire from the light in one hand, the wire from under the door in the other, the Doctor said, 'All I have to do is touch this wire to this one, and the explosives will go off.'

  Sarah spoke impatiently, 'Then what are you waiting for?'

  'Do I have the right?' said the Doctor simply.

  Sarah was astonished. 'To destroy the Daleks? How can you possibly doubt it? You know what they'll become.'

  In an agonized voice the Doctor tried to explain, 'It isn't so simple, Sarah. The evil of the Daleks produced counter reactions of good. Many future worlds will stop warring among themselves, join in alliance to fight the Daleks.' Sarah looked at him, unable to believe that the Doctor was held up by ethical scruples at a time lik
e this. But the Doctor was perfectly serious. To him the moral issue was real and vital. 'Suppose somebody who knew the future told you a certain child would grow up to be an evil dictator—could you then destroy that child?'

  Sarah made a last attempt to talk sense into him. 'We're not talking about some imaginary child, Doctor, we're talking about the Daleks. The most evil creatures ever created. Complete your mission and destroy them. You must!'

  The Doctor stared at the gleaming wires as though mesmerised. 'I simply have to touch this to this and generations of people might live without fear, never even hearing the word "Dalek."'

  'Then do it,' urged Sarah. 'Suppose it was a question of wiping out the bacteria that caused some terrible disease. You wouldn't hesitate then, would you?'

  The Doctor looked at her solemnly. 'But if I wipe out a whole intelligent life form, I'll be no better than the Daleks myself.' In an agony of indecision, the Doctor repeated his question. 'I could destroy the Daleks, here and now. But do I have the right?'

  11 TRIUMPH OF THE DALEKS

  They were never to know how the Doctor would have resolved his moral dilemma. A shout from the other end of the corridor interrupted them. They turned to see Gharman running toward them his face alight with triumph. 'Doctor, I've been looking for you. We've won! Davros has submitted to all our terms!'

  'Davros surrendered? just like that?'

  Gharman waved a dismissive hand. 'He is trying to save face, of course. He asked to be allowed to speak to a full meeting of the Elite. But that's no more than a formality. The voting will be a landslide against him.'

  The Doctor took the wire projecting beneath the door and gave a sudden heave. Somewhere inside the room the wire snapped. The Doctor reeled it in until the broken end came from under the door. 'Gharman, I'm more grateful than you'll ever know. You've saved me from the most terrible decision of my life.'

  Gharman was too excited to listen to him. 'The meeting is just about to begin, Doctor. I wanted you to be there. Will you come?' Taking the Doctor's assent for granted, he led the way back down the corridor.