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    Prisoner

     of the

    Daleks

    TREVOR BAXENDALE

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Recent titles in the Doctor Who series:

GHOSTS OF INDIA

Mark Morris

THE DOCTOR TRAP

Simon Messingham

SHINING DARKNESS

Mark Michalowski

THE STORY OF MARTHA

Dan Abnett

BEAUTIFUL CHAOS

Gary Russell

THE EYELESS

Lance Parkin

JUDGEMENT OF THE JUDOON

Colin Brake

THE SLITHEEN EXCURSION

Simon Guerrier

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2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

Published in 2009 by BBC Books, an imprint of Ebury Publishing.

Ebury Publishing is a division of the Random House Group Ltd.

© Trevor Baxendale, 2009

Trevor Baxendale has asserted his right to be identified as the author of thisWork in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

Doctor Who is a BBC Wales production for BBC One

Executive Producers: Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner

Original series broadcast on BBC Television. Format © BBC 1963.

`Doctor Who', `TARDIS' and the Doctor Who logo are trademarks of theBritish Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence.

Daleks created by Terry Nation.

This electronic book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way oftrade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without thepublisher's prior consent in any form other than that in which it is publishedand without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on thesubsequent purchaser

The Random House Group Ltd Reg. No. 954009.

Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at

www.randomhouse.co.uk.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 9781409070191

Version 1.0

Series Consultant: Justin Richards

Project Editor: Steve Tribe

Cover design by Lee Binding © BBC 2009

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For Martine, Luke and Konnie for ever

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It was a forgotten world.

   On the very edge of explored space, the planetresembled little more than a speck of dirt floating betweenthe stars. From the surface of this world, the nearest sunwas visible only as a distant blue glow on the horizon. Theplanet existed in perpetual dusk.

   It had once been inhabited by men intent on pushingback the dark boundaries of the universe. The planet hadbeen a useful staging post between the old worlds and thedistant, uncharted stars beyond.

   The debris of men impatient to be gone littered thedusty surface: empty, prefabricated buildings, corrodedmachinery, plastic components brittle with neglect. Thecomputers lay dormant, their purpose lost in shadowy,offline sleep.

   But even a remote and unremembered place canbecome important if only to those who visit.

   There was no wind to trouble the dust that had settledover the ages, but, at a secluded point in the middle of theabandoned central structure, a breeze appeared fromnowhere. Scrubby little weeds, struggling through the

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cracks in the paving stones, shivered and withdrew. Asudden, wild noise reverberated from the walls of thesurrounding buildings, reaching a crescendo of wheezingand groaning as a tall blue box surged into existence fromnowhere.

   The TARDIS doors sprang open and the Doctor leaptout, thoroughly annoyed.

   `All right! That's it!' he yelled. `I've had enough.What's got into you?'

   The TARDIS made no reply.

   The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets andthrust out his bottom lip. `You've been acting all funnysince we left Earth. What's the matter? Bit of grit in theold dimensional stabilisers? Broken sprocket on therelative time filter?'

   Still no reply.

   The Doctor sighed. `You're costing me a fortune inrepairs, you are. How can I be expected to run a classicTARDIS if it keeps jumping time tracks every time itlands?'

   Gradually, the Doctor seemed to become aware of hissurroundings, as if the silence had politely, andimpossibly, cleared its throat.

   He turned on his heel. His canvas trainers were alreadycovered in dust. He let his gaze wander around the emptybuildings and crumbling machinery and then sniffed. `Sowhere are we?' he wondered aloud. `And is there reallyany point in talking to myself?'

   He shot a black look at the TARDIS and then closedand locked the door. `You can't even bring me anywhere

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interesting any more,' he grumbled. Then he relaxed alittle and smiled, giving the police box an affectionate pat.`Who am I trying to kid? There's always somethinginteresting...'

    He wandered down a path between two prefabs andcalled out `Hello!' a few times. `Anyone home?'

    There was no reply.

    `Hello!' he called again. His voice came back to him ina mocking echo. Above him, beyond a thin grey mist, wasnothing but deep space and a distant neutron star.

    `Brrr,' he said, wishing he had stopped to collect hiscoat before leaving the TARDIS. He trudged on until hefound a steel podium, pitted with corrosion, supporting anold, scratched monitor screen. He pressed a few buttonson the keyboard but nothing happened. He tried giving it awhack with the flat of his hand, but it still wouldn'trespond.

    The sonic screwdriver broke through the computerterminal's dormant status in seconds. A minute later, theDoctor's face was bathed in a cool light as the screenactivated. A rather fuzzy graphic swirled into focus:

    WELCOME TO LODESTAR STATION 479.

    `Well, thank you very much,' replied the Doctor.`Lovely to be here. Not.'

    He put on his glasses and started scrolling through thedata.

    `Ah, now that's interesting,' he said, smiling andnodding. `No wonder this place is deserted. No one's beenhere for, ooh, absolutely yonks. No need for a refuellingstation in this part of space any more, is there? And here's

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poor little you, the computer interface, all forgotten andalone.'

   He used the sonic screwdriver to delve a little deeperinto the computer's databanks. `Blimey, what's been goingon in here, then? Your independent sub-routines have beenmessed around a bit, haven't they?'

   Frowning, the Doctor glanced around for the nearestdoorway. `I'd better check your operational hard drive'snot corrupted,' he muttered. `Wouldn't do for a place likethis to go haywire. You'd have the Health and Safetydepartment of the Shadow Proclamation down on you likea ton of bricks.'

   The screwdriver made short work of the door and theDoctor went inside. It was cold and smelled of metal andoil. He was reminded of old, forgotten refineries on Earth;places full of the hard edges and unforgiving angles ofbrutal practicality. He found a stairwell and trotted downthe steps, the metalwork rattling under his plimsolls.

   He hooked out a pencil torch from his pocket andswitched it on. The beam found walls studded with rivetsand disused electrical cable. It was colder down here andthere were cobwebs hanging thickly in the shadows. TheDoctor brushed some aside, surprising a number ofarachnid life forms that immediately ran for cover, theirspindly legs skittering across the ceiling. He avoided someof the larger webs; he'd got on the wrong side of enoughspiders in his life to know when to keep clear.

   Further down, he reached a bare corridor with aconcrete floor covered in debris and grime. His torchlightroved the area until it found a sign saying:

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    COMPUTER DATA CORE NO UNAUTHORISEDACCESS

    The access door was locked but it didn't take long topick it. The sonic screwdriver proved to be all theauthorisation he needed.

    `That's odd,' the Doctor said aloud. His voice soundedflat in the confined space beyond. There didn't appear tobe any computer terminals in here, and certainly no signof any data core.

    Something lying on the floor caught his attention. Itwas white and smooth; half-hidden in what looked like apile of laundry. The torchlight gleamed on bone and inthat instant the Doctor recognised the shape as a humanbody, curled up against the opposite wall. It was acomplete skeleton, held together by the last remnants ofdried skin. It was wearing the remains of a one-pieceoverall, the decaying fabric tucked into cracked plasticboots.

    The Doctor knelt down and inspected the body butthere was no way of identifying it. `What were you doinghere, then?' he wondered grimly. `Same as me, probably.Sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong...'

    The door shut behind him with a loud clang.

    The Doctor jumped up and tried to open it, but it waslocked. He tried the sonic screwdriver again but it was nouse. `Deadlock sealed and rusted,' he muttered ruefully.`It's just not my lucky day, is it?'

    He stepped away from the door and checked the cell because that's what it had suddenly become for anyother way out. Of course there was none. He was trapped

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in here, alone but for the emaciated corpse on the floor.No way out and no one to know, or care, that he was here.

   `Nice one, Doctor,' he congratulated himself. `Now allyou can do is sit and wait. Someone must haveprogrammed the door to shut like that. They'll have tocome and inspect their trap sometime, see if they'vecaught anything.'

   He stared mournfully at the skeleton. `Any timesoon...'

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    `Don't be such a baby,' said Stella. Scrum tried to pull

    his arm away, but Stella had a good grip on it.

       `Ow! I'm not a baby! Ow! Ow! Ow!'

       She dabbed the antiseptic wipe against the wound and

    then smiled brightly at him. `There you are all done.'

       Scrum withdrew his hand slowly, almost disbelievingly.

    The gash on his forearm looked sore but clean. `Isn't there

    anything else you can do?'

       `Amputation?' Stella suggested archly.

       `I mean really. It hurts, you know...'

       Stella rolled her eyes.

       `How about a cryo-charge?'

       `What does that do?'

       `Lowers your body temperature to absolute zero in

    about half a second. Literally freezes you on the spot. We

    take you back to a planet where there are proper hospital

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facilities and they thaw you out and treat you.' She smiled.`Don't look so worried, Scrum, I'm only kidding. Iwouldn't waste a cryo-charge on a great oaf like you.They're for emergencies only.'

    `OK. You win.'

    `Here.' Stella tossed a plastic-wrapped bandage at himand it bounced off his head. `Last of the field dressings.All yours, big boy.'

    `Don't make fun of me,' Scrum said. `I'm not combattrained. I don't even like fighting. I'm a computertechnician, not a soldier.'

    They were sitting in the tiny medical compartment ofthe ship it was too small to call it a sickbay. It was justbig enough to hold a narrow bunk, some computers,stores, and a swivel chair for Stella. She spun round andpicked up her bottle of water. `You were lucky not to loseyour arm,' she told him, taking a drink. `A couple ofcentimetres either way and you'd be doing your computerprogramming one handed.'

    Scrum looked forlornly at his arm and then tore openthe field dressing with his teeth. He seemed to haveshrunk even more than usual. He was short, a bitoverweight, with sad eyes and lank, prematurely grey hairtied back in a stubby ponytail. The tip was dyed green, theonly remnant of an effort, long ago, to make himself lookmore `interesting' to women.

    Stella put her water down. `What's up? C'mon, you cantell me.'

    `I nearly got us all killed back there,' he said quietly.He looked up at her. `It wasn't even a proper mission. It

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was just a stupid bandit trap and I nearly got us all killed.'

    `Forget it. You're alive and we're alive and that's allthat counts. Like I said, you were lucky. We're alwayslucky.'

    He sighed. `Some day our luck will run out.'

    `We can make our own luck. Come on, let's getsomething to eat.'

    She led the way down the narrow passageway to thegalley. Scrum followed, pressing the bandage intoposition. `Bowman doesn't believe in luck. He won't seeit that way.'

    `Leave Bowman to me,' Stella advised.

    A tall, dark, muscular man in combat fatigues wasdoing pull-ups in the galley, hanging from a duct runningacross the ceiling that bent and creaked under his weight.He broke into a wide grin when he saw Stella and Scrum.

    `Hey! How goes it, my friends? How's the walkin'wounded?'

    `I'll live,' said Scrum, forcing a smile. `Apparently.'

    Stella slumped into another chair and scooped herblack hair up into a scruffy topknot, tying it off with arubber band. `We're seriously low on stores, Cuttin' Edge.I'm down to using some old antiseptic wipes because Ihaven't even got any bactoray. We're going to have to stopsoon and pick up some provisions.'

    Cuttin' Edge dropped lightly to the deck. `Man, thatain't gonna be easy. We're in deep space, right near theborder.'

    `I'm going to have to put it to the captain.'

    Cuttin' Edge wiped his neck with a towel and grinned.

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`Hey, rather you than me, babe.'

Stella paused outside the entrance to Bowman's cabin. Itwasn't very often the crew called on the captain. She tooka deep breath and opened the door. `Sorry to disturb you,skipper...'

   Jon Bowman dismissed the apology with a singlemovement of one finger. He was a big man in every senseof the word: tall, broad shouldered, a body toned andhardened by decades of combat. His face looked as thoughit had been hewn from a single piece of granite, deep-seteyes burning beneath a jutting brow, a slightly brokennose above thin, straight lips. His dark hair was unkempt,streaked with grey now, tied back with an old, blood-redbandana.

   `Ship's damaged,' he said without preamble. His voicewas a deep, masculine growl. He never had to raise it tobe heard and he never wasted a word. `Pirates blew a holein one of the aft fuel tanks. We're going to have to stop forrepairs.'

   Stella breathed a quiet sigh of relief. What was it shehad told Scrum about being lucky? `Any suggestions onwhere?' she asked.

   Bowman sat forward in his chair. He had a small desk,cluttered with old pieces of equipment, weapons,monitors, charts. There was a small 3D holopicture of ayoung man and a woman, grinning at the camera, theirarms wrapped around a lanky, dark-haired teenager with abroken nose. He was smiling too. Stella liked to think thiswas the young Jon Bowman, a lifetime ago, with his

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parents. But had he ever smiled? Stella never dared to ask.

   Bowman tapped one of the chart screens on his desk.He moved the holopicture aside to give him more room.`We're in the Kappa Galanga sector. There's nothing here except pirates and the very edge of Earth space. We'retwenty light years from the nearest habitable star system,forty from what you might call civilisation. We don't haveenough fuel left for either.'

   Stella frowned, peering at the charts. `So...?'

   Bowman pointed to a single point of light on the mapwith one thick finger. `There's only one option. Thisplace. Small, forgotten, not even listed on some recentcharts, but it's within range. Used to be a frontier stagingworld, so it's probably got what we need.'

   `It's right on the border,' noted Stella cautiously.

   Bowman looked up at her. His grey eyes were as coldas steel. `I didn't say it wasn't risky.'

   `But you did say it's our only option.'

   `That's right.'

   Stella looked closer, reading the name attached to thetiny planet. `Hurala. Sounds lovely.'

   `It won't be.'

The Wayfarer was a converted naval patrol ship that hadbeen rescued from scrap twenty years before Bowman gothold of it. It had been refitted more times than any one ofits current crew could guess, and certainly more timesthan the entries in its log book showed. The interior of theship had evolved in accordance with the needs of itsvarious crews over the years, but it remained cramped and

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claustrophobic. As the Wayfarer came in to land on theplanet Hurala, Stella grew ever more desperate to get outand get some fresh air. She was starting to feel trapped.She leant over the back of the pilot's seat, peering overCuttin' Edge's shoulder at the craggy, brown surface ofthe planet as it sped beneath.

    `Spaceport,' said Scrum, tapping one of the displays onthe flight console. `Twenty kliks north-west.'

    Cuttin' Edge brought the ship down on one of the smalllanding pads situated on the perimeter. The buildings werelittle more than rusting hulks, and there were no otherships in sight.

    `It's actually an old refuelling station,' Scrumexplained. `This kind of place was fully automatedanyway. As long as there's still some juice in the tanks wecan fill up and be on our way.'

    `OK,' said Bowman. His voice rumbled quietly fromthe rear of the flight cabin. `Let's get this done. I don'thave to remind you guys that we're right on the edge ofhuman space. There's nothing and no one here, but I don'twant to hang around and risk attracting any unnecessaryattention. One hour's shore leave and then we go.'

They filed out of the ship, stretching and yawning.

   Scrum was holding a portable scanner. `Let's see if thisthing can find the nearest astronic fuel terminal.'

   `Oh, man,' said Cuttin' Edge. `It feels good to justwalk.' He strode purposefully to the rim of the landingpad. `Reckon we can get anything to eat around here?'

   `Depends on whether they left food behind when they

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abandoned the place,' said Scrum, concentrating on hisscanner. `And whether they left it in a stasis field. Theyprobably switched them all off, and that accounts for thepong.'

   `Nuts,' said Cuttin' Edge. `I'm gonna take a look.Comin', bro?'

   Scrum nodded, still looking down at the scannerdisplay, and set off after his friend.

   Stella watched them go with a smile. They made anunusual pair, complete opposites but the best of mates.Stella wondered what it must be like to have a goodfriend, someone you could rely on, share secrets with,even share a life with. The crew of the Wayfarer were herfriends, but they were also colleagues. Something insideher longed for more, for a better life. She just didn't knowhow to find it.

   `Doesn't do to think,' growled Bowman.

   `It's this place,' Stella said. `So silent and forgotten. Itreeks of death.'

   `What put you in such a good mood?'

   She sighed. `Maybe I need a break.'

   `You sure that's all you need?' Bowman asked. `I knowyou only joined up short term. If you want to go, then go.'

   `Why, captain, I do believe you have a heart after all.'

   `Who, me? Forget it.'

   Someone moved into view behind Bowman, stalkingacross the concrete from the Wayfarer like a panther.Koral was tall, tawny like a lioness with bright, burningeyes. She wore supple, natural buckskins and leatherboots. She was humanoid, but sometimes seemed more

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like an animal powerful, predatory, slightly aloof. Stellastill wasn't certain exactly what Koral's relationship waswith Bowman, but she seemed to act like some sort ofpersonal bodyguard.

    Koral whispered something to Bowman. When shespoke, Stella glimpsed sharp, white fangs.

    `It's OK,' Bowman said quietly. He always spoke softlyto Koral. `We're only staying for a short time.'

    Koral nodded and moved away, as indifferent to Stellaand the rest of her surroundings as a cat.

    `What's up with her?' Stella asked.

    `She wants to know why everyone's so nervous,'Bowman said. `Says she can smell the sweat.'

    `It's the life we lead, I suppose.'

    `That, and the fact that this place is so ... wrong.'

    `Wrong?'

    Bowman nodded. `It's empty. Abandoned. A corpse ofa world. Like you said, it reeks of death.'

    Stella shivered. And then they both heard a cry Cuttin' Edge's voice, calling them from some way off.`Hey! Dudes, over here. You gotta see this!'

They found Cuttin' Edge at a small intersection betweenthe old prefab buildings. Scrum was standing to one side,busy taking readings with his scanner, moving the devicearound for a better signal. Koral paced the area, lookingthis way and that for any sign of danger.

   Cuttin' Edge was excited. `Well? What do ya think?'

   He gestured theatrically at a tall blue box with panelledsides and small, frosted windows set high up on a pair of

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double doors. A sign across the top read:

   POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX

   `What is it?' asked Stella, unimpressed. It was odd, butnot spectacular.

   `My guess is it's a police public call box,' said Scrumdrily.

   `Police?' echoed Cuttin' Edge. `What the hell is"police"?'

   `Old-fashioned word for law enforcement,' saidBowman.

   `Then what's it doin' out here?' Cuttin' Edge wondered.`Ain't no law around these parts, and that's for sure.'

   `Maybe it was put here years ago,' suggested Stella.

   `And they left the lights on?' Cuttin' Edge rested thepalm of one hand against the side of the object. `Hey it'shummin'.'

   Stella had walked right around the box. She tried thedoor but it was locked.

   `Well, it's weird,' said Bowman, `but it isn't what we'rehere for. Scrum, have you found anything we can use yet?There must be some fuel left in the tanks somewhere.'

   `Oh, there is,' Scrum confirmed. `But I'm picking upother readings too. The scanner shows that the automatedcomputer system is still running. Refuelling shouldn't be aproblem. But the computers are using a strange signalcode, one I can't properly identify.'

   `Does it matter?'

   `Well, no, not really. Except for one thing: I'm pickingup another, equally unusual signal from deepunderground. Almost directly beneath us, in fact...'

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    Bowman frowned. `What kind of signal?'

    `It's some kind of reverberation. A knock, or a tap, onlyit isn't mechanical. We can't hear it, of course, but if Iisolate the vibrations and enhance the audio signal...'Scrum fiddled with the controls on his scanner, andsuddenly the air was full of a hiss of white noise and astrange, rhythmic tap of metal on metal. And it keptrepeating itself:

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap-tap-tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    `Unbelievable,' whispered Scrum after they had alllistened to it several times. `It can't be...'

    `Can't be what?' asked Bowman.

    Scrum seemed awestruck. `Well, it barely seemspossible...'

    `Spit it out, dude,' said Cuttin' Edge.

    Scrum licked his dry lips. `Thousands of years ago,way back on Earth, long before there was any spacetravel, a man called Morse invented a code that could besignalled by short and long sounds dots and dashes torepresent every letter of the alphabet. Three dots and threedashes, followed by another three dots, spells SOS.'

    `It's a cry for help,' said Stella.

They traced the signal quickly enough. Koral was leftguarding the entrance while the others descended severallevels beneath the spaceport via a series of rattling metalstaircases.

   `This whole complex extends far underground,'explained Scrum as they went. `The refuelling silos musthave been huge.'

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    `They needed them in those days,' said Bowman.

    Eventually they reached a small corridor lined withdoors and a number of computer terminals. Scrum tracedthe SOS signal to a heavy-looking door marked withwarning signs.

    `Shh,' ordered Bowman. `Listen.'

    They could all hear the tapping now faint but distinct through the metal door.

    `I wonder how long they've been stuck down here?'Stella said.

    `Wait a sec,' said Cuttin' Edge. He had stepped back alittle, to give him room to unsling his gun. All of themwere armed, but only Cuttin' Edge had brought an assaultrifle.

    `Do you think that's necessary?' asked Stella.

    `Hell, we don't know anythin'. We don't know what'sbehind that door. But we do know this is pirate country.'

    `You think it's a pirate in there?'

    `Or something worse. A mutant, maybe. Or a plaguevictim. Could be the "police" locked up whatever it is inthere for a good reason.'

    `And it knows Morse code?' queried Stella.

    The tapping had continued all the while, completelyoblivious to the discussion.

    `Could be a trick.' Cuttin' Edge cocked his gun andtook aim at the door. `We just gotta be careful, that's allI'm sayin'.'

    Bowman drew his own blaster pistol. `Only one way tofind out. Get that door open, Scrum.'

    Scrum started work on the small control panel next to

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the door.

   `Here's that other strange signal again,' he said,frowning. `Like the computer's working on a differentsystem to the original design. The door's been deadlocksealed. But I should be able to override it... aha!'

   The control panel bleeped and, somewhere deep insidethe door, heavy metal bolts slowly withdrew.

   They all moved back to allow a clear field of fire as thedoor slid open.

   Sitting on the opposite side of the tiny cell behind wasa man in a brown pinstriped suit. He was holding ateaspoon.

   He looked up at the people gathered in the doorway,and, despite the guns trained directly on him, broke into ahuge grin that lit up his face.

   `Hello!' he said cheerfully.

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    `Who the hell are you?' Bowman's voice sounded like

    the distant thunder of an approaching storm, but the man

    in the cell didn't seem bothered.

       `I'm the Doctor!' he announced, standing up. He was

    remarkably tall and thin, with dark, spiky hair and darting

    eyes.

       There was a loud click as Bowman cocked his blaster

    pistol. The muzzle was trained on a spot right between the

    Doctor's eyes. `What are you doing in here?'

       The Doctor looked quickly around the bare cell, almost

    as if he was a child caught pilfering from the larder.

    `Nothing!' he said. `Well, I say nothing. I've been sitting

    on my backside tapping out an SOS and waiting for

    someone to turn up. But apart from that, nothing.'

       `How long have you been here?' asked Stella.

       `Oh, ages. Absolutely ages. Well, five days, fourteen

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hours and twenty-seven minutes, actually, but who'scounting?'

   Stella gazed around the cell, utterly confused. `Fivedays...?'

   `Yeah, I'm starving. You haven't got anything to eat,have you? And a cup of tea would go down an absolutetreat.' He beamed and winked at her.

   `Stop talking!' ordered Bowman. `Cuttin' Edge search him.'

   Cuttin' Edge slung his rifle and moved in, knocking theDoctor's arms up out of the way and expertly friskinghim. His suit was pretty tight fitting, Stella couldn't helpbut notice, and it would be difficult to conceal any fancyweaponry. In fact, he didn't seem to have anything on himexcept the teaspoon, a pencil torch, a pair of old-fashionedthick-rimmed spectacles, a wallet and some kind ofcylindrical device with a blue light at one end.

   `What's this?' asked Bowman, holding up the device.

   `Sonic screwdriver.'

   `Huh.' Bowman tossed the screwdriver back and theDoctor returned it to his pockets, along with all the otheritems except for the wallet.

   `Here's his ID,' said Cuttin' Edge, flicking open thewallet. He paused and frowned. `Says he's a pirate.'

   `What? Give me that,' said Bowman, taking the wallet.He flipped it open and looked. `Don't be an idiot. It sayshe's a...' The captain hesitated, squinting, turning thewallet around so that he could hold it up the light better.`He's a... What does it say? I can't make it out.'

   He gave the wallet to Stella. She opened it, looked up

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at the Doctor, then looked at the wallet again. `It doesn'tsay anything. It's blank.'

    The Doctor gently took the wallet from her and slippedit into a pocket. He was smiling at her, almost admiringly.Stella felt herself start to redden and said, `You can't havebeen down here that long. You're still clean shaven.'

    The Doctor rubbed his chin experimentally. `Well,yeah... but you wouldn't believe the concentration it takesnot to grow a beard for that long. It's going to itch likemad later on.'

    `OK, that's enough,' said Bowman. `I don't know whatthe hell you're doing here, Doctor whoever you are, but Ican't afford to hang around on this dump any longer.' Heturned away, losing interest, and spoke to Scrum. `Getback to the ship and start refuelling. I want us off this rockPDQ.'

    Scrum nodded and turned to leave. Then he said, `Whatabout the signal, skipper?'

    `What signal?'

    `The extra signal the computer's using.'

    `Not interested. It's nothing to do with us. Now getgoing.'

    Scrum left, and Stella saw the Doctor watch him gowith a sharply quizzical look in his eyes. Bowman orderedCuttin' Edge to check the area for provisions and, glaringsullenly at the Doctor, he left as well.

    `Scrum has a point, you know,' Stella said to Bowman.`None of this makes sense. Why's this guy been locked updown here? Who locked him up?'

    `You know, that's the first intelligent question anyone

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has asked,' said the Doctor brightly. `What's your name?'

     `Stella.'

     `Well, you know what, Stella? I'd quite like to knowwho locked me up as well. Because until you lot arrived, Ithought I was the only person on this planet.'

     `What brought you here?' asked Bowman. He waswatching the Doctor suspiciously all the time.

     `I'm not sure. My ship got dragged off course.' TheDoctor's cheery demeanour had suddenly been replacedby a thoughtful frown. `There's something going on herethat really isn't right.'

     `Could it be something to do with that rogue computersignal Scrum was talking about?' wondered Stella.

     `Let's have a look, shall we?' The Doctor stepped pasther to get to the computer terminal, pulling out hisspectacles. He switched the machine on and the displayscreen lit up:

     WELCOME TO LODESTAR STATION 479

     `Yeah, yeah, done all that.' He flicked through toanother screen:

     HURALA GATEWAY TO THE STARS

     `What does that mean?' Stella asked.

     The Doctor pulled a face. `Not much. These placeswere just stopping-off points for people on their way tomore interesting places. Look, here's a list of the nearestplanets: Klechton pretty dull, that one, to be honest.Jalian 17 all right for a party if that's your thing. Tenten10 the Decimal Planet. Blenhorm Ogin never heard ofit...'

     `Oh!' exclaimed Stella, pointing. `Look! Arkheon! I've

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heard of that! They used to call it the Planet of Ghosts.'

    `Oh yeah,' said the Doctor, nodding enthusiastically.`Always wanted to go there, never did get round to it.Think I did the London Dungeon instead. Or was itMadame Tussauds?'

    `Can we get a move on?' snapped Bowman impatiently.

    `Nearly there,' said the Doctor. Soon the little screenwas filling up with more technical information. `Nowthen... This is the baseline program for the refuellingstation. It's fairly standard, but it's been dormant for years.It's activated again now, though, has been since I arrived.And that seems to have kicked off another program,something buried deep in the main server. Let's see if Ican drill down...' He took out his sonic screwdriver andaimed it at the computer. `Bingo!' he suddenly yelled,making Stella jump and Bowman glare murderously athim.

    `What is it?' asked Stella.

    The Doctor tapped the screen. `Oh, that's good, that is.Look an override system. It's a new program, bolted on.When it's activated like now it assumes total controlof the entire base. No one locked me in that cell. It did itautomatically. The base sensed I was in there and sprungthe trap. Bang! Clever!'

    Stella frowned. `But why? What for?'

    The Doctor grinned. `Aww, you ask all the rightquestions, don't you?'

    `Well, here's another good question for you,' growledBowman. `What about that other poor guy in the cell?'

    The Doctor looked sadly at the skeleton lying on the

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floor. `I'm not sure. Possibly the same thing happened tohim, but he wasn't as lucky as me.'

   `You can say that again.'

   `Or,' suggested Stella, `perhaps he was one of thepeople who installed the override system. Well, someonemust have done it. Maybe he got caught in his own trap.'

   The Doctor's face darkened. `Or maybe he wasexpendable.'

   `Dead men tell no tales,' said Bowman grimly.

   `Exactly.'

   Stella shivered. `But why? What's it for?'

   `There you go again,' said the Doctor. `Asking all theright questions at all the right times. Keep `em coming.'

   `You like questions?'

   `Love `em! But you know what I like more than a goodquestion? A good answer.' The Doctor looked expectantlyat her and Bowman. `Got any?'

   They both shook their heads.

   `Ah well, can't have everything I s'pose.' The Doctorturned back to the computer terminal and went to workagain. `Maybe I can isolate the new program from here.'

   `Do you need to?' asked Bowman.

   `The trap was sprung when I went in that cell, and thecomputer's sending a signal to alert someone. Your palScrum found it but I wonder who it's meant for?'

   `You mean whoever set the trap?' asked Stella.

   `Got it in one.' The Doctor adjusted a control and theyheard a strange, crackling signal repeating over and over.

   `Not Morse code again,' said Bowman.

   `No, far too complex.' The Doctor screwed up his face

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in concentration, as if trying to decipher the strange noise.`It does sound familiar, though...'

    `The thing is,' said Stella, `that must have beentransmitting ever since you arrived here. Five days,fourteen hours...'

    `And... oh, thirty-one minutes, now. Yes. Good point.Whoever's supposed to receive that signal will havealready done so.' The Doctor's face dropped. `Whichmeans they could be here any minute to collect theirprize.'

    Bowman grabbed his communicator. `Scrum get thatship ready to go double quick. We're expecting company.'

    There was no reply.

    `Scrum? Do you copy?'

    A loud squawk of static burst from the communicator.They could hear Scrum's voice saying something but itwas impossible to tell what.

    `Something's interfering with the communicationsfield,' realised the Doctor. Suddenly he was very serious.`Whoever they are, they're already here.'

    Stella swallowed. There was a rising tension in the air,as if everything around them was becoming charged withstatic electricity.

    The Doctor was working at the computer again, rattlingthe keys with frantic speed. `If I can isolate the signal andjam it from here...' Suddenly he stopped dead, fingerscurved over the keyboard. `Oh no. No no no. Listen tothat.'

    Stella and Bowman listened to the sound emanatingfrom the computer speakers. It was a slow, heavy throb,

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like an electronic heartbeat.

   The Doctor's face was ashen. `It can't be...' he said. `Itjust can't be.'

   Bowman had drawn his blaster again. `You'd betterbelieve it,' he said.

   And then, with a terrible screech of rending metal, thedoorway at the end of the corridor exploded open.Shrapnel sliced through the air and the three of them werealready crouching, turning away, as something large andmetallic swept through the wreckage.

   Stella gaped in shock. There were three of them, filingthrough the remains of the door, their burnished bronzearmour glinting dully, weapons swivelling in their sockets,eyestalks turning to stare at them with glowing bluelenses.

   `Daleks!' said the Doctor, horrified.

   `EXTERMINATE!                         EXTERMINATE!EXTERMINATE!'

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    Stella      cringed as the first Dalek screamed

    `EXTERMINATE`, knowing the end was about to come.

       But just as the Dalek's gun blazed, a hail of automatic

    gunfire crashed into its head and neck section. The bullets

    had little effect, intercepted by the Dalek's protective

    force field before they could strike home, but it was just

    enough of a distraction to allow the Doctor to shove Stella

    and Bowman out of the way.

       The Dalek blaster beam illuminated the corridor with a

    terrible blue glare. `ACQUIRING SECONDARY

    TARGET!' grated the Dalek, its eyestalk swivelling.

    `EXTERMINATE!'

       On the stairs above them, Cuttin' Edge was taking aim

    with his assault rifle. He squeezed off another shot, the

    gun recoiling heavily, and this time the effect was rather

    different. The force field sizzled and there was a brilliant

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explosion.

   When the smoke cleared, the Dalek was relativelyunharmed, apart from a burning dent in its armour, buteven the slightest delay was just enough for the humans toescape, running for their lives up the stairs. Fear is a greatmotivator.

   Cuttin' Edge sprayed the corridor with bullets and thensprinted after his friends. Directly in front of him was theDoctor, urging them all to greater speed as they clatteredup the stairs.

   `How did you do that?' he demanded. `Guns don'twork on Daleks.'

   `This one does,' said Cuttin' Edge with a savage grin.`We're Dalek bounty hunters.'

   Stella caught a sudden glimmer of hope in the Doctor'swide-eyed stare. `Is that right?'

   `ELEVATE!' They all heard the harsh commandechoing up from below. They didn't need to look down toknow that the Daleks were rising up the stairwell behindthem.

   `Hurry up!' yelled the Doctor, pushing them allforward. Stella stumbled and he caught her, lifting her,propelling her up the last few steps with remarkablestrength. Bowman kicked open the door and they piled outinto the dusty street outside. Cuttin' Edge slammed thedoor shut and spun the lock. Then he aimed his rifle at themechanism and blasted it into molten slag.

   `That won't stop them,' said the Doctor.

   `I know, but it makes me feel better.'

   `Stop talking and move,' ordered Bowman, leading the

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way along the passageway at a run. He already had hiscommunicator out again and was calling for Scrum to getthe Wayfarer ready to leave.

   Stella saw the Doctor turn back as the Daleks blastedtheir way out of the stairwell building. The first Dalekemerged, the glowing blue eye roving around until it fixedon them. Its body swivelled around and it started to glideafter them.

   And then stopped.

   `WARNING!' grated the Dalek. `WARNING! OUTERCASING UNDER ATTACK!'

   A patch of black was spreading over the bronze domeof the Dalek's head section. Where Cuttin' Edge's last shothad struck, the metal was beginning to dissolve.

   `EMERGENCY!' cried the Dalek. `PROTECTIVEARMOUR COMPROMISED!'

   The other two Daleks examined the damage.`MOLECULAR DISSOLUTION VIRUS. RETURN TOTHE SHIP FOR REPAIRS!'

   `I OBEY!' The Dalek rose into the air, its dome fizzingas the virus spread remorselessly, and flew away.

   The remaining Daleks turned and glided after theirprey.

Stella, Bowman, Cuttin' Edge and the Doctor haredthrough the base, dodging from building to building andalley to alley.

   The Doctor skidded to a halt at one junction, grabbingStella by the arm. `This way! I've got my own transport.'

   `Where?'

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   `Follow me! Come on, you lot allons-y!'

   `Let him go, Stella,' said Bowman. `We're heading forthe Wayfarer.'

   Stella hesitated. Behind her, Bowman and Cuttin' Edgewere glaring at her, urging her to follow them.

   `We don't have much time,' Bowman insisted. `What'sthe problem?'

   The Doctor had stopped and was looking back at her.And there was something in his eyes, a kind of longing, ora bitter hope. He held out his hand. `You'll be safe in theTARDIS. Come with me!'

   In the end the decision was made for her. A Dalek slidinto view at the end of the passageway, blocking off theDoctor's retreat.

   `HALT OR YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!'

   Cuttin' Edge opened up with his rifle. Gunfire filled thealley with crackling thunder.

   The Dalek blasted at them, but the shots went wild andsuddenly they were all running again, tripping over eachother, yelling at each other to move faster.

   They reached the edge of the spaceport landing bays.And there, right in front of them, was the Wayfarer. Stellahad never been so glad to see the old crate.

   `That's your ship?' asked the Doctor, surprised.

   `Yeah,' growled Bowman. `Why? Don't you like it?'

   `I know it doesn't look like much--' began Stella.

   `But it's got it where it counts,' finished the Doctor.`Don't worry, my ship's just the same.'

   Scrum was unhooking a series of heavy cables from thespacecraft's underside. They were connected to a number

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of squat machines placed around the perimeter of thelanding pad.

   `She's not full yet, but we're good to go,' he called.`Koral's already onboard.'

   `Get her started!' roared Bowman.

   Daleks were gliding into view from the edge of thespaceport. The blue lights of their eyes all turned to facethe Wayfarer crew as they ran the last few metres to theship.

   `HALT!'

   None of them did. Scrum was already inside the shipand the engines were whining into life, the whole vesselshuddering with compressed power.

   Bowman sprinted to the foot of the ramp and turned togive the Doctor and Cuttin' Edge covering fire as theyhelped Stella onboard. The smell of energy-weapondischarges filled the air.

   And then suddenly the ship began to lift off, thelanding ramp still extended. Bowman grabbed hold of oneof the hydraulic supports, raising a leg to plant his footfirmly on the Doctor's backside, propelling him into theship. Dalek gunfire screamed all around them, lighting theramp with electric blue flashes.

   The Doctor scrambled to his feet. Ahead of him, Cuttin'Edge was helping Stella as the ship swayed. She wasgrinning, overjoyed to have made it, giving the Doctor ahappy and relieved thumbs up as he came towards her.

   `Scrum!' yelled Bowman. `Get us the hell out of here!'

   `Aye aye, captain!' Scrum called back from the flightcabin. `We're on our way...'

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   Something exploded behind them, outside the ship,probably one of the refuelling pumps at the side of thelanding apron caught in a Dalek blast. The fireball rippedthrough the air, causing the Wayfarer to stagger slightly,and debris filled the open landing ramp area just beforethe interior hatch finally hissed shut. The shockwave hadalready blown Stella backwards and sent the Doctor,Bowman and Cuttin' Edge sprawling.

   `Stella!' The Doctor saw immediately that she wasinjured. There was a lump of metal, part of a fuel tank,sticking out of her thigh.

   The Doctor crawled towards her. She was leaningagainst the bulkhead wall, her face pale, staring at him.The leg wound was deep and serious, with dark arterialblood spreading across her trousers.

   `Oh, but that hurts,' she croaked.

   `It's all right,' he said hurriedly. `It's just a flesh wound.

   You'll be OK.'

   `Hey,' she said, smiling weakly. `I cross-trained as amedic, y'know. I can tell how bad it is.'

   The Doctor squeezed her hand. `You'll be fine.'

   `We've got no more medical supplies onboard. Usedthe last of them on Scrum.'

   Bowman stepped forward. `Stop talking. You need toget into the med room.'

   `Yeah,' agreed Cuttin' Edge. `Man, that was close, butwe're OK. Everything's gonna be fine, babe. We're outtahere.'

   The Wayfarer had swung away from the spaceport andwas climbing, Scrum easing the ship up through the

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atmosphere as quickly as he could.

   Bowman said, `I'll get the medical computers fired up.Bring her through.'

   `Don't waste your time,' said Stella as he left. She waspale and clearly in pain, but she kept on smiling. `You'llbe putting me back together with packing tape.'

   `Try not to talk,' advised the Doctor.

   `Hey, give a girl a break, I'm pleading for my lifehere...' Stella smiled grimly, tears filling her eyes. `Anddon't let Cuttin' Edge operate, do you hear? He can't evenuse a knife and fork properly.'

   `Are you kidding?' said Cuttin' Edge. `I ain't goin' nearthat medical stuff. Never do. Anyway, he's the only doctoraround here.' He jerked a thumb at the Doctor.

   `I thought you said he was a pirate.' Stella laughed andturned to the Doctor. `Want my advice? Try one of thoseemergency cryo-charges. Freeze me and get mesomewhere they can operate properly.'

   `Good idea,' said the Doctor. `You keep on coming upwith them.'

   There was a loud screech of metal from behind them.The interior airlock door buckled and then jerked in itshousing, sliding away with a grinding protest. Beyond thedoor was the studded shape of a Dalek.

   `What the hell!' yelled Cuttin' Edge, diving for his rifle.

   The Dalek's sucker arm pushed the remains of theairlock door to one side, the metal and plastic crumplingin its grip. Its single blue eye blazed at them and its headlights flashed.

   `EXTERMINATE!'

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   The Doctor had tried to pull Stella away, but it was toolate.

   The extermination beam struck her full in the small ofthe back, illuminating her with such powerful radiancethat her skeleton and internal organs were clearly visible.The beam was kept trained on her, pinning her against thewall, its shrill whine merging with the horrendous screamof agony that seemed to fill the ship.

   Eventually, after what seemed like an age, the beamceased and her corpse slid to the floor.

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    Cuttin' Edge opened fire at the Dalek with a scream of

    rage. The shots ricocheted around the airlock passage,

    sparking off the force field, filling the air with a storm of

    ammunition. The Dalek's eye turned implacably towards

    Cuttin' Edge as he stepped forward, rifle jammed against

    his shoulder, emptying the magazine into its head and

    neck. The Dalek remained impervious. It waited a second

    for the rifle to empty and then brought its own gun to bear

    on the human.

        The Doctor lunged forward, hurling something at the

    Dalek. For the briefest of moments there was a clang as it

    struck the metal casing and a brilliant blue-white glare

    filled the airlock. Cuttin' Edge staggered backwards,

    caught in a sudden blast of incredibly cold air that took his

    breath away. He fell on top of the Doctor and they

    collapsed together in a heap of arms and legs.

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  Silence.

  Cautiously, they sat up on the floor and looked at theDalek.

It was frozen literally. A chill white mist floated aroundthe familiar domed shape, and the metal casing wascovered from top to bottom in a thick white frost. Behindthe lens of its eye, the blue light slowly faded, replaced byan icy darkness.

    `What...what was that?' gasped Cuttin' Edge. `Whatdid you do?'

    `I used one of the emergency cryo-charges.' The Doctorgot up and looked around the airlock, where the Dalekstood in a small blast area covered with ice.

    Cuttin' Edge, satisfied that the Dalek was immobilised,ran over to where Stella lay. At that moment Bowmancame running too, his boots pounding on the metal floor.He glanced uncertainly at the frozen Dalek and then kneltdown by Stella. `What happened?'

    `Dalek chased us, must've got inside the airlocksomehow,' Cuttin' Edge said quietly. He didn't need to sayany more.

    Bowman stared in disbelief at Stella's smoking body,his lips tightening and a muscle trembling in his jaw.

    `I'm sorry,' said the Doctor behind him. `I'm so sorry.'

    Bowman took a long, shuddering breath, and thenstood up. He straightened his shoulders and lifted hishead. His face was an expressionless mask, but the deep-set eyes were smouldering with fury as he turned to lookat the Doctor. `Get that thing off my ship.'

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   He didn't need to point at the Dalek. Everyone knewwhat he meant.

   `I'm sorry, I can't,' said the Doctor. His voice wasbarely a whisper. `The outer airlock door's been damaged probably in the explosion as we took off. It's jammed.We might be able to--'

   Bowman ignored him, turning back to Cuttin' Edge.`Get it fixed. Get rid of it.'

   `Yes, sir.'

   The Doctor said nothing. Bowman looked back at theimmobile Dalek for a second and then asked, `Is it dead?'

   The Doctor approached the Dalek cautiously. He waveda hand in front of the frost-covered eyestalk, but there wasno response. Very carefully, he walked right around theDalek, inspecting it from every angle. Finally he pokedthe gun-stick. There was no reaction. `No vision, nomotive power, weaponry offline. I'd say it's as good asdead.'

   `As good as?'

   `You never can tell with a Dalek. But it's cryogenicallyfrozen they are sometimes susceptible to a suddenreduction in temperature, particularly if caught off guard.Cuttin' Edge was shooting at it from close range, so therewould have been quite a bit of power diverted to thedefensive force field. Enough to allow the cryo-charge todo its stuff, at least.'

   `That was quick thinking.'

   The Doctor shook his head. `Not quick enough. Andanyway, it was Stella's idea.'

   They should have been celebrating, thrilled and excited

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by the fact that they had defeated an unstoppable foe butinstead, all they felt was a sense of utter failure. None ofthem could bear to look at Stella's body.

   `I should have acted faster,' insisted the Doctor. `Shedidn't deserve to die like that. No one does.'

   `I don't know what the hell you were doing on thatplanet,' Bowman growled, `but everything went wrong themoment we found you.'

   `It's not my fault,' said the Doctor.

   `Just keep telling yourself that.'

   Cuttin' Edge stepped up. `Easy, skip. We need to moveStella.'

   `Looks like we're stuck with you,' grumbled Bowmanmenacingly at the Doctor. `At least until we get thatairlock fixed. Until then, keep out of my way.'

Once the Wayfarer was in deep space and travelling at topspeed, Bowman went to his cabin and ordered that no oneshould disturb him. Scrum was left at the helm whileCuttin' Edge, having helped move Stella's body, went tofix the airlock.

   He found the Doctor there, examining the Dalek withhis sonic screwdriver. `The cryo-charge worked betterthan I thought,' he said. `This thing seems to becompletely defunct. It acts as a life-support system for thecreature inside, so I imagine it's dead.'

   `You know a bit about the Daleks, then?' asked Cuttin'Edge warily.

   `A bit.'

   Cuttin' Edge peered at the Dalek, which was still

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wreathed in a freezing mist and caked with frost. `Man,we were lucky. I really thought my time was up.'

    `It wouldn't have worked if you hadn't been shooting atit.' The Doctor glanced at the rifle slung over Cuttin'Edge's shoulder. `What kind of ammunition does thatthing take? You damaged that Dalek on Hurala I'venever seen that done before with a conventional firearm.Lucky shot at the eye, maybe, but that was somethingspecial.'

    `MDV,' said Cuttin' Edge. `Molecular DissolutionVirus. It's something Scrum developed. Bastic-headedbullet to penetrate the force field. Then it infects thearmour plating and just eats its way through.'

    The Doctor raised his eyebrows. `Ingenious. It'd haveto act fast, though. It would take an extremely aggressiveMDV to beat the automatic self-repair molecules thatmake up the bonded polycarbide.'

    Cuttin' Edge was peering carefully at the head and necksection of the Dalek. `What I don't understand is why thething didn't work this time. I had it point-blank. Should'verusted its damn head clean off.'

    `Well, your weapons are smart all right,' said theDoctor, `but the Daleks are smarter. Their armour learnsand adapts. By the time your metal-eating virus waschewing its way through that first Dalek, it was alreadyanalysing the damage and transmitting emergency defenceprotocols so its mates wouldn't get caught out in the sameway.'

    `Now you're sounding just like Scrum,' Cuttin' Edgemuttered. `He's usually the brains of this operation.'

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   `Operation?'

   `We're bounty hunters employed by Earth Command tokill Daleks. We get a fixed bonus for every eyestalk wecollect. Which reminds me...' Cuttin' Edge reached forhis belt, unhooking a laser tool.

   He moved to grab the Dalek's eyestalk but the Doctorbatted his hand away. `Don't touch it! These things canabsorb genetic data from your DNA all it takes is onetouch, and it might be enough for it to start regenerating.'

   `I thought you said it was dead.'

   `You can never be too careful where Daleks areconcerned, believe me.'

   Slowly, reluctantly, Cuttin' Edge returned the laser tohis belt. `So what's your story? How come you know somuch about the Daleks? You don't look like a soldier.'

   `Nor did Stella.'

   Cuttin' Edge stiffened. `She was different.'

   `So am I.'

   `If you say so.' Cuttin' Edge didn't sound convinced.`Just what were you doin' on Hurala, anyway?'

   The Doctor sighed and scratched the back of his neck.`I'm not sure, to be honest. My ship was acting up a bit guidance systems all gone to pot.'

   `You're a long way lost to be out here, dude.'

   The Doctor looked up with a smile. `You know, I thinkthat's the first time anyone's ever called me "dude".'

   `Don't get carried away. Captain Bowman wants youoff the ship, an' I ain't arguin' with him. And besides, itdon't alter what I said: your ship must be way off coursefor you to end up this far from Earth space.'

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   `Oh, it's not space I'm worried about,' said the Doctor,lost in thought. `The TARDIS seems to have slipped atime track... I've travelled back in the Daleks' own timeline to way back when.'

   `I thought Scrum talked funny, but you beat him handsdown, dude.'

   `I really shouldn't be here,' said the Doctor seriously.He almost seemed to be talking to himself. `I mean, this iswrong in so many ways. I've gone back to a point beforethe Time War even started, and that's impossible. Well, Isay impossible. Clearly it's not impossible. I'm here andso are the Daleks, right in the middle of the great conflictwith Earth's first Empire.'

   `You ain't making any sense at all.'

   `What year is it, Cuttin' Edge?'

   `You were only in that cell for five days. Get a grip.'

   `Just answer the question.'

   Such was the severity in the Doctor's voice that Cuttin'Edge answered automatically.

   `Ahh,' said the Doctor, nodding slowly as realisationdawned. `Let me guess: the Daleks are rampaging throughthe galaxy. The Earth Empire is resisting them in everyway it can, but the battles rage on year after year across allthe solar systems. Some humans have never known a timewhen they've not been at war with the Daleks.'

   `Guess so.'

   `The Dalek Generation. But you've reached the tippingpoint, haven't you? Two mighty galactic powers, facingoff across the stars. Two giant superpowers vying forsupremacy, slugging it out planet by planet. It could go

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either way.'

   `That's about the size of it. We're doin' what we canout here on the edge, raiding Dalek space, messin' withtheir supply lines. Earning a living.'

   `You've chosen a harsh life.'

   `Never known any other kind. I was brought up onGauda Prime and we're born fightin' there. Regular armycouldn't stomach me said I was too much of a loosecannon, an' I wouldn't let them recondition me.'

   `Good for you. It's always best to just say no.'

   `Ended up on the Wayfarer with Captain Bowman.There ain't nothin' he don't know about killin' Daleks.'

   `Then we've more in common than I thought,' theDoctor commented drily.

   `Hey, Bowman's all right. He's a soldier's soldier, ifyou know what I mean. They don't come any tougher thanJon Bowman. He was a trooper in Earth Force One, backin the day. A veteran of the Draconian Conflicts too. Theysay he was on the front line at Tartarus. He's an expert inweapons an' tactics and he was stickin' it to Skaro's finestbefore I was out of short pants.'

   `I'm glad to hear it. Don't think he likes me much.'

   Cuttin' Edge looked away. `We all liked Stella. She wasone of the good guys. Captain Bowman was like a fatherto her.'

   `I'm sorry.'

   The door hissed open and Scrum came in. He nodded atCuttin' Edge but avoided looking at the Doctor. `Skippersays we're going back to Auros.'

   `Auros?' repeated the Doctor.

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   `Stella's planet,' explained Scrum bleakly. `We'retaking her home.'

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    Auros was one of the colony worlds that formed the

    backbone of the Human Empire. Even at the Wayfarer`s

    top speed, it would take the best part of a day to get there.

    Bowman remained in his cabin, while Stella's body was

    stowed in the medical bay, cryogenically frozen in the

    same way as the Dalek. No one appreciated the irony,

    least of all the Doctor.

       He paid his respects. She was lying peacefully on the

    narrow examination couch, arms folded across her chest,

    looking like a marble effigy on a tomb. Her skin was as

    white and perfect as alabaster, covered by a thin veil of

    freezing mist.

       He wanted to say he was sorry, but what would be the

    point? She was gone. Whatever had made Stella unique

    was no longer here. Her body remained, but the person

    the intelligence, the good humour, the courage that he had

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glimpsed so briefly they were gone from the universefor ever. It was something the Doctor would never trulyunderstand.

   `You really liked her, didn't you?' Scrum asked fromthe passageway. There wasn't room for more than twopeople at a time in the medical cabin.

   `Yes,' replied the Doctor. `I did. She reminded me ofsomeone... something... I miss.'

   `She was good company.'

   The Doctor bit his lip and nodded. `Yeah, I bet shewas.'

   `Doesn't do to dwell,' Scrum said. `She's going home,that's all we need to know.'

   `Does she have any family?'

   `No, I don't think so.'

   `That's good.'

   Scrum shrugged. `Never really thought about it. Somany people are orphans now.'

   `Because of the Daleks?'

   `Yes. They call it the Dalek Generation.'

   `I know.'

   Scrum cleared his throat, clearly wishing to change thesubject.

   The Doctor looked up and forced a smile. `Has Cuttin'Edge managed to fix that airlock door yet?'

   `He's working on it.'

   `Not too hard I hope.'

   `He'll have it fixed in time for us to land on Auros. Youcan get off there.'

   The Doctor nodded. `I'll need to get back to Hurala.

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My ship is still there.'

    `Hurala will be crawling with Daleks.'

    `That's what worries me.'

    The Doctor followed Scrum down the narrowpassageway to the galley area. He could hear the sound ofCuttin' Edge's tools further down the corridor by theairlock. Glancing along the passage, the Doctor wassurprised to see that the Dalek had gone.

    `We had to move it,' Scrum explained. `Cuttin' Edgedidn't have any room to work.'

    `That was risky,' said the Doctor. `Even a dead Dalek isdangerous. They've got a hundred different automaticdefences.'

    `It's all right, we didn't even touch it. I used a couple ofcargo grapplers to shift it down to the hold. Besides whichI think that cryo-charge has completely disabled the thing.It didn't even twitch when Cuttin' Edge took its eyestalkoff.'

    The Doctor stopped in his tracks. `He did what?'

    `Cut off the eyestalk. You know, for the bounty.'

    `I told him not to do that.'

    Scrum looked at the Doctor, a little bemused. `Doctor,he doesn't take his orders from you. Captain Bowman isin charge here, in case you hadn't noticed. And the bountyon those things is what keeps us alive. It's a confirmedkill, and that's what Earth Command pays us for. Wedeliver that eyestalk to the authorities on Auros and wecan afford to eat again.'

    The Doctor said nothing. He sat down in the galley,tight-lipped.

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   Scrum sat down opposite him. `I've been thinkingabout that Dalek, actually. It's not often I get the chance tolook at one up close at least, not for long. There must bea lot of stuff I could learn from it, if I could take it apart.'

   `Don't even think about it,' warned the Doctor darkly.

   `It's dead. I could crack it open with the right tools.'

   The Doctor stared at him. `Believe me, you really don'twant to do that. Every Dalek has defences against that sortof thing. It would be like playing with a live handgrenade. The creature inside may be dead, but that casingis chock full of anti-handling devices and booby traps thatwould make your hair curl. There are enough self-destructmechanisms packed inside one of those things to keep ateam of bomb-disposal experts happy for a month.'

   `But while it's here--'

   `Forget it. As soon as that airlock door is fixed, dump itin deep space and forget it about. Consider yourselveslucky that we didn't all end up like Stella.'

   The Doctor regretted the outburst straightaway, but itwas too late. Scrum stared coldly at him for a minute ortwo and then got up to leave.

   `If Bowman has his way, you'll follow that Dalekstraight out of the airlock.'

   The Doctor raised an eyebrow. `I thought only piratesmade people walk the plank.'

   `Just remember, Doctor Stella was our mate. She wasone of us. You aren't.'

   Scrum went out, leaving the Doctor sitting in the galleyalone.

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Cuttin' Edge was working on the door. The outer bulkheadhad been slightly distorted, causing the running tracks forthe main airlock to jam. He had the tools to fix it, but thetruth was, he just couldn't concentrate.

    All he could think about was Stella. All he could hearwas the shrill scream of the Dalek's death ray, and theequally shrill scream of his friend as she died, spread-eagled against the wall by the sheer force of the energyblast. All he could see when he closed his eyes was thebrilliant blue flare, and Stella's skull, thrown back with itsjaws wide open.

    His hand slipped and he barked his knuckles on themetal grating of the deck. He swore and then threw thegravity spanner across the passageway, where it hit thefloor with a heavy clang.

    `You'll get me next time,' said Scrum. The spanner hadjust missed his foot as he came round the corner.

    Cuttin' Edge shook his head. `I can't do this.'

    `Course you can. You've been taking this old crateapart and putting it back together for years. We bothhave.'

    `I don't mean that. I can fix this thing in my sleep.'Cuttin' Edge heaved a sigh and sat back on his haunches,resting his muscular arms on his knees. `I mean... Hell, Idon't know what I mean.'

    `We fight Daleks for a living,' said Scrum quietly. `Wecould be killed any day, any one of us. You know that. Weall know that Stella did too.'

    `That don't make it any easier. She never wanted to bepart of this, not like us. Her dyin' like that it just feels

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wrong, bro.'

   `I know what you mean.' Scrum sat down on the deckopposite him and reached into a belt pouch. He produceda small metal flask, unscrewed the lid, and took a sip.`Here.' He passed it to Cuttin' Edge.

   `What is it?'

   `It's an old Earth drink. Very old. It's expensive,because it's so rare.'

   Cuttin' Edge raised the flask, swallowed, and almostchoked. `Hey what the hell is that stuff? Damn' nearkilled me!'

   `Consider it medicinal.'

   Cuttin' Edge took another sip and then gagged andblinked. `What's it called?'

   `Ginger beer.'

   `Sure has a kick.'

   `I only use it for special occasions.' Scrum took theflask back and drank again. `To Stella one of the goodguys.'

   `Amen to that.'

   They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes,passing the flask back and forth. Eventually Scrum put thelid back on and stowed it away. `What do you make ofthat Doctor?' he asked.

   `Well, he sure ain't no pirate,' said Cuttin' Edge. `Butother than that I don't know. I don't understand half ofwhat he says. He's a bit like you, in that respect, onlybetter lookin'.'

   Scrum sniffed. `He knows things.'

   `Like what?'

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   `About the Daleks stuff he isn't telling us.'

   `Maybe. It don't really matter, though either way,Bowman's gonna kick his bony butt off the ship as soonas, and a good thing too.'

   `Why do you say that?'

   Cuttin' Edge leant forward. `Because whatever, orwhoever, he is he's brought us nothin' but bad luck.'

The Doctor had decided that there was no point in sittingin the galley doing nothing but look morose. He was stuckon the Wayfarer at least until it reached Auros, and so hemight as well get his bearings. Besides, he couldn't resisthaving a little look around. Which, he reflected, is whathad got him into this mess in the first place.

   The first thing he decided to do was check out theengine room. It was a small ship, but powerful, and hewondered what kind of propulsion system it used. Notmany spacecraft of this era relied on antiquated fuelsystems like astronic recharge.

   On the way to the engine room he passed by the hold,and the Doctor couldn't help but pause to look in throughthe plastic window in the door.

   There was the Dalek, like some terrifying ice sculpture,glistening in the cargo bay lights. Where the eyestalkshould have been attached to the dome, there was only thestub of the pivot nestling in its metal cowl. A couple ofwires and fibre-optic filaments dangled from the hole.

   Even robbed of its eye, the Dalek looked dangerous.The very shape of it chilled the Doctor to the bone. Hehad too many bad memories, too many nightmares, to feel

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anything but revulsion.

   And fear.

   He took a deep breath and the little window cloudedover slightly, obscuring the frost-whitened demon within.It was only that which prevented the Doctor from spottingthe single drop of water that fell from the rim of theDalek's sucker arm.

The engine room was a little further on, to the rear, or aft,section of the vessel. The closer the Doctor got to theheavy astronic motors, the more he could feel thevibration through the soles of his trainers. The noise levelincreased too. He thought he could detect a slightlyirregular beat coming from the coolant pumps, and felt aflicker of interest it almost certainly meant a problemwith the regulator valves, and perhaps he could fix them,or improve them, and thus gain some points with the restof the Wayfarer crew.

    But something caught his eye as he approached theengine room. Further down the corridor, there was amovement in the shadows.

    `Hello?' he said, trying to see what it was. It was darkdown here, the passageways lit only by a series of smallamber lights running at shoulder height along the walls.Thick cables and pipes ran the length of the ceiling andsteam from the coolant pumps floated up through the deckplates, a sure sign that the regulator valves were worn.

    `Anyone there?'

    The Doctor caught a brief glimpse of something litheand dark, with bared fangs glinting in the lights and then

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it was on top of him, bearing him to the ground with anangry snarl.

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    `Captain wants to see you,' it said in a sibilant whisper,

    completely at odds with the ferocious beast the Doctor

    had been expecting.

        He frowned. `What?'

        `I said, the captain wants to see you,' repeated the alien

    sitting on his chest.

        He lay there for another moment, unable to think of a

    suitable reply.

        `What?` he said again, eventually.

        She jumped off his chest. When the steam from the

    coolant pumps had drifted away, the Doctor saw a tawny,

    humanoid figure with a pair of luminous eyes. He

    scrambled to his feet, straightening his jacket in an

    attempt to regain some of his dignity, and peered at the

    strange, leonine face.

        `Do you attack all your guests like that?'

        `It depends.' Again, the reply was barely more than a

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whisper.

    `Depends on what?'

    `On whether I like them or not.'

    `I see,' said the Doctor, rubbing his throat. Onlyseconds before, he'd been convinced this creature wasgoing to rip it out with her bare teeth. `I take it you don'tlike me much, then.'

    `If I didn't like you, you'd be dead already.'

    She turned and led the way down the passageway,disappearing into the shadows.

    `Right,' said the Doctor. `That's that clear, then.'

    Bowman was sitting at his desk, cleaning a largeautomatic blaster. He didn't look up at the Doctor until thedoor hissed shut behind him.

    `Doctor,' said Bowman eventually. He said the word asif it tasted bad.

    `Captain.'

    `It's been a long time since I was entitled to any kind ofrank,' he said. `I'm captain here only because theWayfarer`s my ship and this is my crew. Officially, wedon't exist.'

    `You're mercenaries.'

    `Bounty hunters.' Bowman sat back and folded hisarms, the muscles rippling beneath skin tanned by the sunsof a hundred different worlds. There were signs of manyold wounds, and one livid white scar on his forearm.`Mercenaries will work for whoever pays them the most.We hunt Daleks, and Earth rewards us for every kill.There's a difference.'

    `If you say so.'

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   `I do. We work for Earth Command and no one else.'

   `I know Earth Command. They're running scared. TheDaleks are engaging them on every front, pushing backthe boundaries of Earth control. And now Earth's preparedto use any and every method to stop the Daleks in theirtracks even mercenaries. Or bounty hunters.'

   `You say that like it's a bad thing.'

   `The problem is escalation. Tit-for-tat raids in theborder regions, no one really cares. But then a planet getswiped out and suddenly it's all over the news. But it's nouse trying to hold back the Daleks with a bunch of willingcut-throats on the front line. Earth will have to send introops thousands of `em. Half of them will be no morethan kids themselves, joining up because they think it'sthe right thing to do.'

   `And you don't think it is?'

   `I don't believe in innocent people getting slaughtered.'

   `The Daleks want to conquer our entire galaxy. Wehave to fight them.'

   `Of course you do. But it's the way you fight them thatmatters. They want to drag you into a long, drawn-out warbecause that's what they like. Destruction, killing,slaughter extermination. It's what they do. You'replaying right into their hands. Suckers. Whatever.'

   `You seem to know a lot about them.'

   `Enough to know that, eventually, if you're not careful,the Daleks will drag you all down fighting. Every singlehuman being. It's what they want.'

   Bowman watched the Doctor carefully, as if weighingup his words and trying to decide whether to question him

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further or just shoot him on the spot. There was anunreadable, stony look in the captain's eyes that told theDoctor it could easily go either way. But at that momentthere was a distinct change in the background rumble ofthe Wayfarer`s engines as the ship altered course. Theintercom on Bowman's desk bleeped and Scrum's voicesaid, `Just entering the Auros system, skipper.'

   `OK,' Bowman replied. `Let me know when we'recoming into orbit.' Then he turned back to the Doctor andsaid, `Sit down.'

   There was a seat in front of Bowman's desk and theDoctor sat, lifting his feet and resting his trainers casuallyon the edge of the desk. Something caught his eyeimmediately, and he reached out to pick up theholopicture. `Aww, is this your mum and dad? That's sosweet! You've got your mum's eyes, you know. Only shedoesn't seem to be frowning so much in that picture. Betshe doesn't even know what you do for a living. Bountyhunter, eh?'

   `Put that down,' growled Bowman.

   The Doctor tossed the holopicture across the desk andBowman caught it with a snap of his hand. `Now whatdid you want to see me about? And who's that charmingcreature who fetched me here your bodyguard? Hiredmuscle? Ship's cat? You don't look like you need any ofthem, to be honest.'

   `I don't. But Koral is unique. She is fast, strong andvery loyal. She also has claws that can rip through sheetmetal.'

   `Really? I don't think I've seen her kind before.'

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   `Her planet was destroyed by the Daleks she's the lastof her kind.'

   `I know the feeling.'

   `I saved her life,' Bowman said simply. `She was dying,suffocating in the smoking ruins of her own world. I tookher onboard the Wayfarer and nursed her back to life. Nowshe believes she owes me that life, quite literally. She hassworn to protect me.'

   `It's an old story,' the Doctor remarked, `but I still don'tthink you need it.' He nodded at the heavy blaster pistolresting on the desk.

   `True, but what else is there for her to do? Life with megives her the one thing she craves the chance to destroyDaleks. Something I have seen her do with her bare hands,incidentally. In a recent encounter with some spacepirates, one of my crew was slightly injured in thealtercation. Koral leapt on the bandit who fired the shotand ripped his head clean off with one stroke of her claws.Her loyalty extends through me to the rest of the crew.'

   The Doctor whistled. `And the rest of your crew...what kind of tricks can they do?'

   `Scrum is a brilliant computer technician andtheoretical scientist or so he tells me. He's also a wantedcriminal throughout Earth space, so it's difficult tosubstantiate his claims. But as he invented most of ouranti-Dalek weaponry and defence systems, I'm willing togive him the benefit of the doubt.'

   `And what about Cuttin' Edge?'

   `Used to be a Space Marine, one of the best exceptthat he couldn't handle military discipline and ended up

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on the wrong end of a dishonourable discharge.Something to do with murdering his commanding officer,I believe.'

   `And what about Stella?' The Doctor spoke softly,cautiously, but he had to ask. `She didn't exactly fit inwith you lot criminals, killers, people who can tearthrough sheet metal.'

   Bowman stared at the Doctor. `Stella was a good kid.That's all you need to know.'

   The Doctor nodded. `I liked her.'

   `You hardly knew her.'

   `I'm a good judge of character.'

   `Is that so?'

   `Yeah, so look: I really don't want to hang around hereany longer than I have to, and I know you certainly don'twant me here, so how about we forget all this chit-chatand go our separate ways? You needn't bother throwingme overboard, either. Just drop me off when we get toAuros and we'll call it quits.'

   Bowman didn't reply straight away. He simplycontinued to work on the blaster pistol, clicking eachcomponent into place without even looking.

   Eventually, he said, `Not so fast, Doctor.'

   The Doctor watched as Bowman finished reassemblingthe gun.

   `You see,' Bowman said, `I've been thinking about you,Doctor. It's been preying on my mind ever since we leftHurala. That planet's nothing but a forgotten piece of griton the edge of space. So what were you really doingthere? And, more importantly, what were the Daleks doing

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there? They don't do anything or go anywhere withouta reason.'

   `I've no idea,' replied the Doctor. `I shouldn't reallyhave been there myself. I can hardly speak for theDaleks.'

   `Is that so?' Bowman made no attempt to hide hisscepticism. `Come on, Doctor. I know you're a spook.'

   `Spook?'

   `Earth agent. Military intelligence. Why else would yoube stuck on Hurala just when the Daleks turn up? Youcouldn't even provide any proper ID. You've got "secrets"written all over you. There wasn't any other spacecraftthere when the Wayfarer touched down. I bet if I askedyou straight how you got to Hurala you wouldn't be ableto answer.'

   `It's difficult to explain, it really is.'

   Bowman curled his lip. `Let me guess if you told me,you'd have to kill me?'

   `I'd probably have to stop you laughing first.'

   `Want to bet?' Bowman aimed the blaster casually atthe Doctor's head. `Let's get one thing straight. I don'tlike spooks and I don't like you. But one way or anotherI'm going to find out what you were doing on Hurala, andwhy the Daleks were there.'

   The intercom on Bowman's desk bleeped again andScrum's voice crackled through: `Skipper! We're justcoming into orbit around Auros...'

   Both Bowman and the Doctor heard the strange,anxious tone. `What's up?' asked Bowman.

   `Something's wrong,' Scrum replied, his voice

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trembling. `Badly wrong. You'd better come and take alook, skip. Auros is burning.'

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    The planet was on fire. From the large portside viewing

    window, the crew of the Wayfarer looked down in

    disbelieving horror as the surface of the planet churned

    and broke apart, molten lava erupting from beneath the

    shattered crust, incinerating everything in its path and

    filling the atmosphere with toxic gas.

        Auros had been a typical human colony world

    naturally located in a temperate biosphere around its

    parent sun, with one small moon. It was a beautiful planet,

    with equatorial rainforests, mountains, deserts, grassland

    and oceans, and men had come here in their droves, keen

    to escape the overcrowded Earth.

        The Doctor looked up from the unfolding devastation.

    Scrum was white-faced, and there were tears running

    down his cheeks. `Any communications?'

        Scrum shook his head. `We didn't establish contact

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beforehand. We're not always welcome.'

   `There were some ships flying away when we got here,'said Cuttin' Edge slowly. `Looks like they wereevacuatin'. A couple of them said we should clear out too.Auros is goin' down.'

   `The last ship to leave told us to cut and run,' Scrumadded quietly. `They said the Daleks were coming.'

   A chill spread through the Wayfarer, and even Koral watching from the shadows through narrowed,smouldering eyes moved closer to the others.

   Jon Bowman stood behind all of them, like the statue ofan ancient god overlooking Hell. His hard, rock-like facereflected the orange and red glow of the dying planet.`I've seen this before,' he growled. `It's the OsterhagenPrinciple.'

   `They've scuttled the planet,' explained the Doctor inresponse to Scrum's questioning look. `There's a networkof nuclear devices across the planet, buried deep belowground. It's a self-destruct mechanism.'

   `It's designed to prevent the enemy getting hold of theplanet,' said Bowman. `When all else fails.'

   `I know what it's for,' said the Doctor bleakly. `It wasinvented on Earth over five hundred years ago. It was abad idea then and it's a bad idea now.'

   Cuttin' Edge stepped back from the window, rubbing ahand over his shaven head in confusion. At first heseemed almost lost for words, but then he said, `Hey, theymust have done it for a reason, man.'

   `You heard what they said,' Scrum argued. `The Daleksare coming. Maybe this way the population will have time

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to escape.'

    `Yeah,' Cuttin' Edge nodded. `Yeah. At least this waythe Daleks don't get the planet.'

    Cuttin' Edge was desperate to make sense of what hewas seeing, to find a way to come to terms with theterrible destruction consuming the charred surface of theworld below. But all the Doctor could feel was the bilerising in his throat, a stark revulsion that he couldn'tcontain. `It's a stupid, stupid waste,' he said. `All they'vedone is save the Daleks a job. They'd have destroyed aplanet like that anyway. Now they don't even have tobother.'

    Scrum glared at the Doctor, and there was hate in histearful eyes now. `Don't say that,' he moaned.

    `I'm sorry,' said the Doctor quietly. `But it's what theDaleks do.'

    `I can't watch it any more,' said Scrum. He turnedaway from the window and leant his head against the wall.His whole body was shaking.

    `Take it easy, bro,' said Cuttin' Edge. He rested a handon his friend's shoulder and shot the Doctor a venomouslook.

    `Satisfied?' Bowman growled at the Doctor. `FirstStella, now her homeworld. What's going on?'

    `I don't know,' the Doctor said. He looked out of thewindow again, keen to avoid their accusing stares. On thesurface of the planet below, vast chunks of charred landbroke away into seas of boiling lava. `But it wasn't theDaleks who did that.'

    `What do you mean?'

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    `Human beings did that,' the Doctor said in a funerealtone. His big, dark eyes never left the planet. `All thosecities and homes and farms and fields... the sum of humanendeavour on a beautiful new world. All gone deliberately wrecked. A self-inflicted wound.'

    Bowman's temper flared. `What choice did they have?Auros is too far from Earth Command for them to protectit against a fleet of Dalek destructor ships. This was theonly way to protect them. The only way. Don't you seethat?'

    `All I see is a planet in flames and not a Dalek in sight.'

    `Then the survivors should count themselves lucky.'

    The Doctor tore his gaze from the planet's death throes.He stared at nothing, thinking furiously. Then he clapped ahand against his head and yelled, `Of course!'

    The others stared at him.

    He looked up, his eyes wide with a sudden, horrificrealisation. `Oh no. Oh no, no, no...!'

    And then he pushed straight past Bowman and rantowards the flight cabin. `We need to contact them warnthem! Hurry!'

    Bowman jerked his head, and Cuttin' Edge and Scrumobediently set off after the Doctor.

    `What's up?' Cuttin' Edge demanded as they reachedthe flight cabin. The Doctor was all over the controls,leaping from one panel to the next, flicking switches andjabbing buttons with frenetic speed. `Hey what youdoin', man?'

    The Doctor was practically tearing his hair out. `I'mtrying to make contact with the refugees,' he gabbled.

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`There must be a long-range transceiver system onboard aship like this but where? This thing's been repaired,replaced and reconditioned more times than my TARDIS!'

    `Here,' said Scrum, sliding into one of the cockpit seatsand activating a control unit. `It's a hyperlink data-streamsalvaged from an old Draconian battleship. It can tap intoalmost any major communications signal.'

    `Brilliant!' The Doctor slipped on his glasses andstudied the console over Scrum's shoulder. `Send out abroad-contact beam. But scramble the signal. We don'twant to be any more visible than we have to be, do we?'

    `What's going on?' asked Bowman as he entered theflight deck. Koral was at his shoulder, a shadow amongshadows.

    `We've got to warn the people who left Auros,' said theDoctor without looking up. `Tell them to turn around andhead back home.'

    `What?' Cuttin' Edge frowned. `You gotta be kiddin',man...'

    `Their home is burning,' Bowman said. `They'rerunning away, trying to put as much distance betweenthemselves and the Daleks.'

    `Are they?' The Doctor whipped off his glasses andlooked straight at Bowman. `This is the Daleks we'retalking about, remember. They don't let people go. It's notin their nature.'

    And in that instant Bowman understood. `The Dalekswill ambush the fleet. It's a trap.' He turned to Scrum andbarked, `For God's sake, man, get them on the hyperlinknow.'

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   `I'm working on it,' Scrum assured him. His fingersflew over the communications controls, his tears forgottenas he concentrated on the task. `Here we are. Looks likethey left Auros in commercial passenger ships and cargofreighters, plus some private vessels. A convoy, packedwith the entire population.'

   `How could they have organised all that so quickly?'wondered Cuttin' Edge.

   `There's probably not all that many of them inplanetary terms,' said the Doctor. `No more than a fewthousand. They will all have been located near to themajor spaceport, or owned spacecraft of their own. Andfear is a great motivator. Once the countdown for theOsterhagen nukes started, I bet they all moved pretty fast.'

   Bowman's face was a grim mask in the light of thecontrol board. `Too fast,' he growled.

   `I still don't understand--' Cuttin' Edge began.

   `Shh,' said Scrum. There was a rush of static from thepanel. `I've done it I've hacked into the Auros convoy'scommunications network.'

   The Doctor leant in and grabbed the microphone by itsflexible neck. `Auros convoy! Do you copy? This is theWayfarer calling the Auros convoy can you hear us?'

   A burst of static, then: `This is the Auros convoy.' Thescreen fizzled into life and the grainy image of a tired,anxious-looking woman came into view. `I'm VanessaLakestaad--'

   `Listen to me--' began the Doctor.

   `Do you wish to join the fleet?'

   `No, listen--'

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    `You can't miss us,' Vanessa Lakestaad said. `There arenearly four hundred vessels in this convoy alone...'

    `Stop!' yelled the Doctor. `Turn back!'

    `I'm sorry, you're breaking up,' said the woman,frowning. The image crackled. `There's another signalinterfering with yours. It's very powerful...'

    The Doctor's grip tightened on the microphone and hisknuckles turned white. `Turn around!' he yelled. `Tell thefleet to split up! Scatter! Run for your lives!'

    `What? I can't hear you. Wait here's that signal again.It's drowning you out.'

    There was a loud crackle from the speakers and Scrumwinced as the picture suddenly zigzagged anddisappeared. `We've lost contact...' He adjusted somecontrols. `We can still hear them but they can't hear us.Someone's blocking our signal.'

    The woman's voice came again, loud and clear, almostas if she was standing next to them on the flight deck ofthe Wayfarer. `Unidentified vessel, this is VanessaLakestaad, Leader of the Auros refugee fleet. Ourhomeworld is destroyed. We are fleeing for our lives.Please identify yourself.'

    There was a long pause. And then a harsh, gratingvoice filled the cabin: `SURVIVORS OF AUROS! PAYCLOSE ATTENTION!'

    `Oh my God,' whispered Scrum.

    The Doctor put his hand over his mouth in mute horroras the image on the screen slowly resolved into thefamiliar dome of a Dalek head. The eye glowed a brightblue, almost filling the screen.

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   `WE ARE THE DALEKS! YOUR EFFORTS TOESCAPE        ARE        USELESS!       PREPARE        TOSURRENDER.'

   `Please,' said Vanessa Lakestaad. Her voice nowsounded small and frightened, suddenly almost childlike.`You... you must let us pass. We are a refugee fleet,heading for the Inner Worlds. We can't--'

   The metallic voice interrupted her. `SILENCE! YOUWILL TRAVEL NO FURTHER. YOUR CONVOY ISSURROUNDED.'

   `No, please, you can't mean that! You mustn't! Wedon't want to fight!' A sob broke through Lakestaad'swords. `We can't fight. We can't...! We're private vessels,merchant ships only. This is the entire population ofAuros. We claim refugee status...'

   `SILENCE! YOU HAVE DESTROYED YOUR OWNPLANET AND FLED INTO SPACE.' The Dalek voicerose in pitch as it grew more excited. `YOU ARE NOWPRISONERS OF THE DALEKS!'

   `I don't understand...' began Vanessa.

   `YOUR SPACECRAFT WILL BE BOARDED ANDYOUR PASSENGERS TAKEN AS PRISONERS. ANYATTEMPT AT RESISTANCE WILL BE MET BYEXTERMINATION.'

   `No! You can't!'

   The Dalek's voice grated on: `AS AN EXAMPLE TOTHE REMAINDER OF THE REFUGEE FLEET, YOURVESSEL WILL NOW BE DESTROYED.'

   `Please, no...' whispered Vanessa.

   Scrum turned in his seat and looked up at Bowman.

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`We've got to do something!'

    But Bowman stared impassively at the communicationsconsole, utterly powerless.

    The Doctor closed his eyes.

    `Please... Have mercy on us,' wept Vanessa. `I begyou...'

    `EXTERMINATE!' shrieked the Dalek.

    There was a howl of feedback, echoing around theflight cabin like a blood-curdling scream. And then,abruptly, the signal died and the air was filled with whitenoise. The image of the Dalek faded slowly from thescreen.

    Scrum buried his head in his hands. Cuttin' Edge sworeand looked down at his boots. Koral stepped closer toBowman, who simply stood, rock-like, his eyes narrowedinto grey slits as if his gaze could pierce the walls of theship and see across space, to where the Auros fleet hadonce been.

    There was complete silence on board the Wayfarer now.The Doctor gently switched off the radio.

    `Gone...' Scrum was saying softly. `That woman... Allthose people just... gone. Slaughtered.'

    Bowman turned his cold, steely eyes on the Doctor.`You knew that was going to happen.'

    `I guessed,' said the Doctor quietly. `The Daleks knewthe survivors would run for their lives. It was a simplematter to position the Dalek ships ready to intercept theconvoy. A lot quicker and easier than attacking the planetitself. They kill the leaders and take the rest prisoner.'

    `They never stood a chance.'

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   `No,' agreed the Doctor. `They didn't.'

   Bowman's lips compressed into a thin, bleak line andhis face was white with anger. `There's something goingon here which I don't understand. First the Daleks turn upon Hurala, right out on the very edge of nowhere. Andnow this. Taking thousands of prisoners in one go. Why?What's going on?'

   `I don't know.'

   Bowman had grabbed the Doctor by the lapels of hissuit and slammed him up against the bulkhead wall. `Thehell you don't!' he roared. `You never saw Auros before!Fields and oceans and blue skies! Men and women andkids! They had everything!'

   `I'm sorry...'

   `Sorry isn't enough!' Bowman swung the Doctoraround, hurling him across the cabin. He crashed againstthe door and then slid to the ground in a crumpled heap.`Sorry isn't nearly enough.'

   The Doctor got to his knees slowly and painfully. Hefelt as if every bone in his body was still vibrating fromthe impact with the wall, and his mouth hurt. The front ofhis suit was creased where Bowman's giant fists had heldhim.

   `Don't bother standing up,' Bowman growledmenacingly, `unless you want me to knock you downagain.'

   The Doctor touched a finger to his lip. There was bloodwhere it had split.

   `You know more than you're telling,' Bowman insisted.`You know what all this is about. Don't you?'

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   Scrum and Cuttin' Edge were watching the altercation.Scrum looked nervous but Cuttin' Edge was sneering.`You best tell us what you know, man. Otherwise we mayhave to make you.'

   The Doctor stood up, slowly, to his full height. As tallas Bowman was, the Doctor could still look him in theeye. And he did this now, unflinchingly, his gaze cool andlevel. `You can beat me up if you want to,' the Doctor toldhim. `Here and now. Go on. Give it your best shot. If ithelps, your two pals here can hold my arms. How about it,fellas? No?'

   Scrum shook his head and even Cuttin' Edge lookedaway.

   `Stop wasting my time,' Bowman said.

   `I never waste time. So, come on. Here I am!' TheDoctor held his arms out wide. `Use your fists, do mesome damage. Get rid of that anger and frustration. Don'thold back, Bowman, I'm not armed. I'm just a skinny guyin a suit. What's the problem? Here, I'll make it easier foryou, shall I?' The Doctor put on his glasses. `There! Now,come on, Bowman! Hit me hard! Sort me out!'

   By now the Doctor was practically shouting inBowman's face. The captain of the Wayfarer stared back,unmoving, but the muscles in his jaw and face werequivering with barely suppressed anger.

   Then Koral stepped between them. `That is enough.Everyone mourns for Auros. We should be fightingDaleks, not each other.'

   There was a long, deadly pause.

   Then the Doctor slowly folded his glasses and put them

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away. `Thank you.'

   Bowman was still seething, but, somehow, Koral hadbeen able to prevent him losing his temper completely. Hescowled at the Doctor. `What were the Daleks doing onHurala? What are they up to? We've stumbled acrosssomething big here, and I think you know what's goingon.'

   All eyes turned to look at the Doctor. `I don't know,' hetold them. `Really, I don't. I shouldn't even be here. I'm inthe wrong time and place altogether. In fact, I'm in thewrong time and place in more ways than you canimagine.'

   `You always talk like that,' muttered Cuttin' Edge.`Don't make no sense.'

   `I just want to know what the Daleks were doing at theLodestar station on Hurala,' repeated Bowman wearily.`That's all.'

   Scrum cleared his throat. `Actually, captain, I think Imay know a way we can find out.'

It was still cold in the cargo chamber, and the Dalek wasstill frozen.

    But not as frozen as it was.

    Now there was a steady trickle of water running downthe segmented shoulders, dripping from the gun andsucker, pooling on the floor beneath the base. The headdome was almost completely clear of frost.

    `What's happening?' asked Bowman.

    `It's thawing out,' said the Doctor. His eyes were wideand anxious.

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    `Who asked you?' demanded Bowman. He turned toScrum. `I thought it was dead.'

    `Perhaps it still is,' Scrum replied, circling the Dalekslowly, examining the casing. `Perhaps this is some kindof automatic response by the armour.'

    `But?'

    `Yeah,' said Cuttin' Edge, `I can sense a big "but"there, too.'

    `But... I was thinking,' said Scrum, `that the armour isactually a life-support system. Perhaps when the cryo-charge hit it didn't kill the creature inside but it froze it aswell. Exactly what a cryo-charge is supposed to do, afterall.'

    `Wait,' said the Doctor. He stepped forward, right up tothe Dalek. And then he hesitated, almost as if he wastrying to convince himself of what he should do next. Hetook an old stethoscope out of his jacket pocket, clipped itinto his ears, and placed the other end against the Dalekcasing very, very softly.

    Everyone was silent. All that could be heard was thesteady background rumble of the ship's engines and theoccasional drip of melting ice.

    The Doctor had closed his eyes, concentrating. Hemoved the stethoscope to another area of the casing andlistened again. Then, finally, he tried it against the blackgrille between the bronze neck rings.

    Then the Doctor's eyes snapped open, the pupilsdilating. He straightened up and backed away from theDalek very quickly. `It's alive,' he whispered. `Inside. It'sstill alive.'

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    `I knew it,' breathed Scrum. A strange light came intohis eyes as he watched the machine creature. More watertrickled down through the frosted globes on its base unit.

    `It's thawing itself out. The casing is doing itautomatically.'

    `This is bad news, man,' said Cuttin' Edge.

    `The worst,' confirmed the Doctor. `It's not strongenough to control the machinery yet, but it will be...'

    Bowman said, `Not really interested in your opinion,Doctor. All I know is we've caught ourselves a live Dalekhere. I don't know anyone who's ever done that before.'

    `It's better than that,' said Scrum excitedly. `It'sthawing out very slowly. We've got it totally under ourcontrol. If we disable the weaponry and self-destructsystem we can render this thing completely harmless.'

    The Doctor frowned at him. `No Dalek is evercompletely harmless.'

    `So what are you suggesting, Scrum?' Bowman asked.

    `I suggest we open this thing up,' Scrum replied. `Andask it a few questions.'

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    The Wayfarer suddenly became a hive of activity. Scrum

    and Cuttin' Edge set about securing the Dalek, wheeling

    in equipment and tools into the cargo hold with an air of

    professional urgency.

       The Doctor caught up with Bowman in the corridor,

    heading for his cabin. `You can't be serious about this.'

       `I'm deadly serious,' replied Bowman over his

    shoulder. `This is a golden opportunity to gain first-hand

    intelligence from an actual Dalek. No one's ever done that

    before.'

       `Bowman, it's a golden opportunity to get us all killed,'

    the Doctor argued. `Why don't you just take the thing

    back to Earth Command? Let them handle it.'

       `No way. Earth Command is too far from here. We're

    in deep space, Doctor. Out here, no one can hear you

    whinge.'

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   `Bowman, I mean it--'

   `Me too. We're on our own, Doctor. Just us and aDalek. I've waited a long time for this.'

   The Doctor let out an exasperated gasp. `You'remessing with things you just don't understand!'

   Bowman rounded on him. `No,' he growled. `Iunderstand the Daleks only too well, Doctor. I've foughtthem all my adult life. Fought them. I saw good soldiersand friends gunned down by those things, vaporised, likethey never even existed. We all listened to the leaders ofAuros being shot out of space in cold blood...'

   `Believe me, no one knows the terrible things theDaleks can do better than me but--'

   `Really?' Bowman paused in the doorway to his cabin.He looked doubtfully at the Doctor. `That thing killedStella. And you know how those Dalek guns work, don'tyou? On full power, they can blast a human being intoatoms in a split second. But they never do that. EveryDalek dials down the power on its gun-stick to the specificlevel that will kill a human being. Then they lower thepower setting just a tiny bit further, so that the beam burnsaway the central nervous system from the outside in,meaning that every human being dies in agony. So it takesa full two to three seconds for a Dalek to exterminate oneof us and that's deliberate.'

   `I know,' said the Doctor. `I know all that. But it stilldoesn't mean that what you're about to do is right. Youcan't just use it as an excuse to take your revenge forStella's death.'

   `But revenge is what I want,' said Bowman simply.

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Cuttin' Edge had used the cargo loader to suspend theDalek upside down from the ceiling. Its base unit wasclamped into the lifter's giant metal slide grips. It hung inthe middle of the chamber, its dome section level withScrum's head.

   `Perfect,' said Scrum, giving the thumbs up. `See if youcan secure the arm now.'

   Cuttin' Edge was standing at the remote-control unit forthe cargo loader. A few deft adjustments and a powerfulmetal clamp moved down from the lifting apparatus tograb hold of the Dalek's sucker arm. Cuttin' Edgeincreased the torque until the clamp began, very slowly, todent the metallic tube which made up the arm. It wasutterly immobilised.

   The door to the cargo hold slid open and the Doctormoped in, hands in pockets. He looked up at the Dalekand tilted his head, frowning. `Why upside down?'

   `The loader's gravity field cancels out the Dalek'selevation units,' explained Scrum. He was moving aroundthe Dalek, examining the neck and shoulder sectionscarefully. `I've rigged a high-frequency radio-wavejamming field too, which should counteract the motiveunit.'

   The Doctor nodded, impressed. `Yeah, that might work.I've done that a couple of times myself. It'll interfere withthe guidance systems at least, and maybe the motive unit.But it won't last for ever. You'll get ten seconds, tops,before it finds a way to cancel the jamming field.'

   `That's all we'll need.'

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   `You know this is wrong, don't you?' the Doctor asked.He picked up a couple of tools from a nearby table,checked them over, tossed them back down. `Wrong,wrong, wrong. Wrong in so many ways.'

   Cuttin' Edge looked scornful. `We know what we'redoin'.'

   `And one of the many ways in which it is wrong,'continued the Doctor, `is the way in which it is insanely,obviously and ludicrously dangerous.'

   `Hey, we're Dalek hunters, dude. We do this for alivin'. Scrum's got everything covered.'

   Scrum cleared his throat. `Actually, I was rather hopingyou would help, Doctor.'

   `Not a chance.'

   `You may not agree with what we're trying to do, butyou must want to make sure the Dalek is trulydefenceless.'

   `No Dalek is ever truly defenceless.' The Doctorsighed. He pursed his lips thoughtfully. Sucked in hischeeks. Blew out a long breath between his teeth andscratched the back of his neck. `Oh, all right. But notbecause I approve of what you're doing. I just don't fancymy central nervous system being fried from the outside in or watching yours being fried, for that matter.'

   `We've immobilised the Dalek and secured the arm. It'seffectively blind but--'

   `Watch that sucker,' warned the Doctor, pulling Scrumaway from the Dalek's reach. `I've seen those things crushbricks like that.' He closed his fingers into a sudden fist.

   `Uh, thanks. Well, as I said the Dalek is effectively

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blind...'

    `Vision impaired,' muttered the Doctor. `That's howthey like to put it. But don't forget it's got sensor systemsall over its body.'

    `It's the gun I'm worried about.'

    `Yeah, you really want that out of action.' The Doctorslipped his glasses on and examined the weapon housing.`Best thing is to remove it completely.'

    `Is that possible?'

    `While it's still thawing out we can try.'

    The Doctor pulled a small set of steps over so that hecould see the gun platform more easily. He took out hissonic screwdriver. `There are four galvanised trintilliumbolts securing the armour plate here around the ball-and-socket joint. See? We've got to get those out before wecan see what's what.'

    Scrum's eyes widened. `Can you do that?'

    `Let's give it a go,' answered the Doctor, clicking openthe screwdriver.

Bowman kept an old bottle of Draconian branka in hiscabin. He unscrewed the lid and sloshed some into aplastic cup. He stared at it for a second and thenswallowed it down in one. The fire spread through histhroat and stomach and he closed his eyes to appreciatethe flavour. Then he grimaced.

   `Yuck. Never did like that stuff.'

   `Yet you still drink it?' Koral stepped into the pool oflight that came from the captain's desk lamp.

   `Sometimes.' Bowman placed the cup on the desk.

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   `Why?'

   `It's tradition. Times like these, you need courage.'

   `It gives you courage?'

   `No. It just makes you think you have it. Drink enoughand you think you've got all the courage in the world.'

   `And what if you drink too much?'

   `Then it doesn't really matter what you think.'

   Koral sat on the edge of the desk. `And what about theDoctor? What do you think of him?'

   `Isn't it obvious? He's a jumped up little nerd whothinks he knows a bit about the Daleks.'

   `Perhaps he does.'

   Bowman regarded her carefully. `You reckon?'

   `He's not like you. But he does know a lot about theDaleks.'

   `How can you tell?'

   `Because of the fear in his eyes.'

   `Huh.' Bowman reached for the plastic cup and thebottle again.

   Koral put a hand on his arm, stopping him frompouring another drink. `The more you know about theDaleks,' she said, `the more you learn to fear them.'

Very carefully, the Doctor lifted the Dalek gun-stick out ofits housing. The big black sphere at its base, whichprovided the weapon with an incredible field of fire, wasattached to the interior of the rotating shoulder platformby a number of wires and flexible tubes.

   `Hold that steady,' he told Scrum. Scrum took the gun-stick in his hands and watched the Doctor peer inside the

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open socket.

    `You have to cut the right connections in the rightorder,' said the Doctor, aiming his sonic screwdriverinside and making a number of careful incisions. Hisvoice was barely a whisper. `It's a bit like defusing abomb.'

    `You've defused bombs before, then, have you?' askedCuttin' Edge, looking over his shoulder.

    `Yeah, loads.' The Doctor concentrated on the task athand for a few more seconds and then said, `Here we go!Molto bene! Out we come!'

    He pulled the last wires out and the gun came free.Scrum carried it over to a workbench it was heavier thanit looked and set it down carefully.

    `You're right to be cautious,' the Doctor told him,wandering over. He was wiping his hands on a rag.`There's a compressed power reservoir in the ball joint.There's still plenty of shooting to be done with that thing.'He pointed the sonic screwdriver at the base of the gun-stick and a shrill whine filled the air. Smoke started todrift out of the gun.

    `There.' The Doctor flicked off the screwdriver. `I'vefused the control linkages. No more killing.'

    `It was that easy?' queried Cuttin' Edge, looking fromthe gun-stick to the sonic screwdriver. `An' that thinglooks so dinky.'

    `It's not dinky,' retorted the Doctor sharply. He held thescrewdriver up, examining it. `It's not at all dinky!'

    `Whatever, it still made short work of that Dalek gun.'

    The Doctor's face hardened and he took off his glasses.

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`Only because it's disconnected from the Dalek itself. Asonic screwdriver wouldn't touch it otherwise.'

   At that moment, Bowman strode in with Koral in tow.He took one look at the upside-down Dalek, and thenglanced at the Doctor. `What's he doing here?'

   `He's been helping us,' said Scrum.

   Bowman looked sceptical and the Doctor quicklyshook his head. `Oh no. No, not really. Not helping assuch...'

   `Yes, he has,' insisted Scrum, nodding at the gun-sticklying on the workbench. `Couldn't have done that withouthim.'

   `I'm not helping,' said the Doctor firmly. `I just don'twant any of you hurt.' He glanced at Bowman. `Well,most of you.'

   Bowman and Koral exchanged a look but said nothing.Eventually Bowman turned his back on the Doctor andaddressed Scrum. `Where are we up to?'

   `We're ready. The casing is secured and disarmed. Wecan transmit a jamming field to interfere with any attemptby the creature inside to activate a self-destructmechanism.'

   `All we gotta do now is open the damn thing up,' saidCuttin' Edge.

   Bowman walked slowly around the Dalek. It wascompletely inert. No movement from the single remainingappendage, no glimmer of light in the luminositydischargers on its head. `You're sure it's still alive inthere?'

   `Only one way to find out,' said Scrum.

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    `OK,' nodded Bowman. `Let's get on with it. I've got afew questions I'd like answers to.'

    `It won't work,' said the Doctor. He was leaning againstthe doorway, arms folded. `Interrogating a Dalek ispointless. It won't give you any information. There'snothing you can do to it that will make it tell youanything.'

    Bowman looked at him, raising an eyebrow. `You evertried?'

    A pause. `No.'

    Bowman turned back to Scrum. `Open it up.'

    Cuttin' Edge powered up his laser and stepped forward.

    `Wait!' cried the Doctor. `Just one more thing. Don'tforget that machine is also a life-support system. Open itup and you'll kill the creature inside.'

    Bowman shrugged. `Like I'm worried.'

    `It's murder.'

    All eyes turned on the Doctor, and he knew exactlywhat they were all thinking. Bowman said it out aloud:`What about Stella? What do you call that?'

    `You some kinda Dalek sympathiser now?' askedCuttin' Edge bitterly.

    `No. It's just...' The Doctor took a deep breath. `It'sjust not right. I won't be a part of it.'

    Bowman's lip curled as if his every worst opinion ofthe Doctor had been confirmed. He turned back to theothers. `Let's get on with it.'

    Cuttin' Edge moved in with the laser, but Koral steppedforward and blocked his way. Puzzled, he switched off thelaser, and the Doctor felt a surge of hope.

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   But Koral simply said, `I wish to do this. For Stella.'

   `It's OK,' said Bowman. `Let her.'

   Metallic claws sprang out of Koral's fingertips. Theyglinted, razor-sharp in the electric light. She stepped up tothe Dalek and, turning her hand flat like the blade of aknife, pointed her fingertips at the centre of the shouldersection. It was here that the two halves of the weaponsplatform met, and, below this now that the Dalek wassuspended upside down, the sections of the neck. Therewas an almost invisible join, less than a hair's breadth.Koral's red eyes narrowed as she concentrated and then,with explosive force, jabbed her fingers into the Dalek.The claws penetrated the metal with a flash of angrysparks.

   There was no response. The Doctor was both appalledand fascinated. He realised that the claws must bediamond-hard and incredibly sharp, but even so thatkind of effort required immense mental focus and physicalpower.

   Koral inserted her claws in the gap she had made andthen suddenly, apparently with little effort, began to pullthe two sections apart. At first the metal protested with ahideous grinding noise, but then, with a loud hiss ofescaping gas, hydraulic motors opened the Dalek fromwithin. Segments of armour split away, shifting onconcealed hinges and slides.

   Now the creature inside was visible. Something paleand wet moved like a slug among the exposed machinery,recoiling from the light.

   `Get it out,' ordered Bowman.

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   Scrum and Cuttin' Edge picked up a pair of long metalstaves, like boathooks, and approached the Dalek.

   `Don't do this,' the Doctor urged them.

   But they ignored him. Cuttin' Edge, grimacing indistaste, prodded the mutant creature a couple of times.The creature shrank back in its housing, but there was noescape. Scrum, his hands shaking, crouched low andinserted the end of his stave as well, trying to gain somekind of leverage.

   And then, gradually, the creature began to emerge asthey gouged it free like an oyster from its shell. It wasaccompanied by a foul stench, a smell of pure wrongness,of something rotten sealed away for too long.

   Instinctively, both Scrum and Cuttin' Edge backedaway. Whether this was due to fear, or a strange kind ofrespect for their captive, it was impossible to tell. Cuttin'Edge dropped the stave and drew his blaster, a look ofutter revulsion on his dark, sweating features.

   Koral watched carefully, cautiously, ready to strike at amoment's notice. Bowman simply stood, arms folded, hisface impassive.

   The Dalek oozed slowly out of its cradle, leaving athick film of mucus behind. There was a long, obscenesucking noise and then, all in a rush, the rest of thecreature emerged. It plopped out in a tangle of slipperytentacles, some over a metre in length. It didn't fall ontothe floor. Something caught inside the machine and theDalek hung there, dripping slime, swaying from side toside. One of the tentacles reached down to the floor andrested there, unmoving.

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   `Is it dead?' Bowman asked.

   `Damn waste of time,' muttered Cuttin' Edge, loweringhis blaster.

   `Wait,' breathed the Doctor quietly. `Look...'

   He was pointing at the centre of the beast. In among thedangling appendages and wires still connecting the fleshto the armoured machine, there was an eye.

   And it was opening.

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    The eye was yellow and bloodshot with a single black

    pupil.

       No one said a word. The cargo chamber felt hot and

    claustrophobic now, more like a prison cell than a ship's

    hold. There was a genuine feeling that they were all

    witnessing something extraordinary.

       The eye twitched, as if gaining some kind of focus, and

    began to move slightly in its socket.

       `Dude,' said Cuttin' Edge, `you are one ugly critter.'

       `Be quiet,' said the Doctor sharply. `I don't suppose

    you're the number one poster boy on Skaro yourself.'

       `No, I guess that would be you,' said Cuttin' Edge.

       `Only if they're "wanted" posters.'

       `Shut up, the pair of you,' said Bowman. He stepped

    forward and looked down at the mutant. `Can you hear

    me?'

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   There was a faint, gurgling reply. Bizarrely, the lightson the Dalek's dome flashed weakly.

   `It's still connected,' Scrum realised, peering moreclosely at the nest of wires and tubes leading from themutant's quivering flesh into the interior of the Dalek.

   `Get back!' cried the Doctor, pulling Scrum to one side.As he moved, the black suction cup on the end of theDalek's immobilised arm suddenly flexed as if trying tograb hold of Scrum's head.

   `Whoa!' Cuttin' Edge cocked his blaster and aimed it atthe creature's blinking eye. `Steady on there, boy.'

   The sucker continued to grasp at thin air. The armjuddered in the vice-like grip of the cargo loader, and theDalek let out a long, low groan of despair.

   `You got it, dude,' said Cuttin' Edge. `We got you bythe--'

   `That's enough,' growled Bowman. He turned back tothe Dalek. `You're on board the Wayfarer. I'm Captain JonBowman and this is my crew. You're our prisoner.'

   `I think it's worked that part out,' said the Doctor.

   `You stay out of this,' warned Bowman.

   `I can't.'

   `You can and you will. If you say another word, I'llhave Cuttin' Edge throw you out. Got it?'

   Cuttin' Edge gave the Doctor a stony look to reinforcethe promise.

   `You were one of a squad of Daleks on the planetHurala,' Bowman continued, addressing the danglingmutant. `What were you doing there?'

   `It won't answer,' said the Doctor.

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    `Cuttin' Edge,' said Bowman.

    The Doctor held his hands up as Cuttin' Edge startedtowards him. `All right, all right! I won't say another word and nor will the Dalek.'

    Bowman smiled thinly.

    `We'll see. Hey. Dalek. I know you can hear me. And Iknow you can understand me.' Bowman lowered himselfto his haunches, so that he was eye-level with his prisoner.`Now we're all humanoids here and we can be reasonable.It's your choice. Talk to us, tell us what we want to know,and things will be easier for you. If you don't cooperate well, let's just say it won't be so easy. I don't want thingsgetting ugly in here, but if they do... then so be it.'

    The Dalek's single eye glared at Bowman with a fierce,palpable hatred. But it said nothing.

    `That your final answer?'

    The eye closed.

    `Right,' said Bowman, standing up. `You got thatequipment I asked for, Scrum?'

    Scrum wheeled a small instrument trolley forward.Laid across the tray were a number of tools.

    `You can't be serious,' said the Doctor.

    `You know I am,' said Bowman bleakly.

    `I can't allow this.'

    Bowman raised an eyebrow. `You're not in chargearound here, Doctor. I am. I want some answers from thisugly son of a bitch and I'm going to get them bywhatever means necessary.'

    `You're better than this, Bowman!' the Doctor arguedfiercely. `You're a human being! Don't do this. Stand up

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for what you believe in.'

    `I'm standing up for Stella. I'm standing up for thepeople of Auros. What are you standing up for, Doctor?'

    `Something better than that!' The Doctor jabbed afinger at the mutant. `Humanity!'

    `Well, that's a very precious commodity,' Bowmansighed. `But it isn't worth a damn to the Daleks. Theydon't even understand it. They just want to eradicate it.And they'll do anything and everything to achieve thataim. You know they will. They'll stop at nothing todestroy us, and so neither can I if I want to prevent them.'

    `This is just one Dalek. It's as good as defenceless.'

    `So I guess it's my lucky day.' Bowman picked up oneof the tools from the tray and switched it on. A crackle ofenergy leapt from the business end. `This one Dalek couldtell me all I need to know. Now you can either stay in hereand watch, or step outside if you've not got the stomachfor it.'

    `If you compromise your humanity now, Bowman, thenthe Dalek has won before you've even started.'

    For a second, Bowman looked doubtful. He stared atthe tip of the energy discharger, frowning. Eventually hesaid, `I'm sorry, Doctor. I cannot afford the luxury ofhumanity right now.'

    `I'll stop you!' growled the Doctor.

    `No, you won't,' said Cuttin' Edge, levelling his gun atthe Doctor's head. `One more word an' you'll be able tosharpen pencils in your forehead.'

    The Doctor glared icily at him. Then he turned to lookat Scrum. `What about you, Scrum? Are you a part of this,

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too?'

   `You know I am,' replied Scrum quietly. He lookedaway. `Just get out, Doctor, while you still can.'

   The Doctor took a deep breath, realising that he wasdefeated. Koral watched him carefully from the other sideof the cell, but her gaze was inscrutable.

   Finally, the Doctor looked down at the Dalek creature.There was a slight gurgle, no more than a cough, and thedome lights sparked once. It could have been a nervetwitching, or an attempt at thanks, or even an insult. Itcould have been anything.

   Tight-lipped, the Doctor stepped out of the room andthe door hissed shut behind him.

   He paced the corridor outside, seething. He had seldomfelt so helpless. Of all the difficulties he had ever faced,all the strange and deadly encounters with creatures andaliens and monsters, it had to be a bunch of humans thatfinally stopped him in his tracks. Stupid, stubborn,infuriating humans.

   Not for the first time, the Doctor felt incredibly alone.He longed for someone like Martha or Donna, someonewho would understand, someone who could help. Hethought of Stella, and a deep sense of grief suddenlywashed over him. She would have understood. She wouldhave helped.

   With a heavy sigh, the Doctor leant against the wallopposite the cargo bay door. He could hear voices frominside the hold, but he couldn't tell what they were saying.He knew the Dalek wouldn't speak. He wasn't even sureif it could speak there was no way of knowing how

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damaged it was after the cryo-charge had struck, orwhether it had been harmed by the thawing process.Perhaps it was little more than a vegetable, incapable ofthought or action.

   He wished it was dead.

   `Think!' he ordered himself, pressing the knuckles ofhis fists into his temples, running his hands backwards andforwards through his hair. He had to do something.Anything. There must be a way of stopping them.

   Seized by a sudden need to take action, he turnedtowards the flight deck. Perhaps he could take control ofthe ship, force them to stop. Or divert all power from thecargo hold so that none of their instruments and toolswould work.

   The Doctor was already reaching into his pocket for thesonic screwdriver when the door hissed open. He lookedup, surprised and hopeful.

   It was Koral. The door hissed shut behind her and shestalked towards the Doctor. `I've been sent out to stop youdoing anything stupid.'

   `I'm not the one who's doing anything stupid.'

   `Put the sonic device away.'

   The Doctor looked imploringly at her. `Koral youcould put a stop to this madness. You know you could.'

   `Perhaps. But I do not wish to.'

   `But, Koral--'

   `No buts.' She held up a hand and out jumped the steeltalons. `It would be much wiser to do as I ask.'

   `Would it?' The Doctor's shoulders slumped and he putthe screwdriver back in his pocket. `All right. You've

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made your point.'

   There was a hint of a smile as the claws were sheathed.`Bowman guessed you would try to sabotage the ship orotherwise attempt to stop him.'

   `He was right.'

   `I will make sure that doesn't happen.'

   The Doctor did not reply. He simply looked down asthey both heard the sharp, galvanistic crackle ofBowman's energy discharger starting up, the noise slightlymuffled by the cargo hold's heavy door.

   The Doctor closed his eyes.

   And then he heard an awful, shrill scream of pain as thedischarger was used on the Dalek. It was followed by along, involuntary gargle of relief as the agony ceased.

   Koral stared straight ahead, utterly impassive.

   The Doctor sank to the floor, his head in his hands.

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    The screaming continued for another full minute before

    the Doctor cracked. He leapt to his feet and dived towards

    the cargo bay door. But Koral was there before him, steel

    claws at his throat. They felt cold and sharp on his skin.

       `On my homeworld of Red Sky Lost, we hunted

    koogah beasts alone. Each koogah has a thick, armoured

    hide and poisoned tusks and we respected it as a

    formidable enemy. It is why we developed these claws.'

       `Very useful, I'm sure.' The Doctor didn't move a

    muscle.

       `With these, I could rip an adult koogah wide open with

    a single strike. I'm used to extreme violence and the

    spilling of blood. You mean less to me than a koogah

    beast, Doctor. I wouldn't hesitate to kill you if I had to.'

       `Yes, I can see that.' Very carefully the Doctor backed

    away from the door, hands raised. `But tell me, Koral

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when you were hunting these koogah things... did youtorture them as well?'

    She made no reply. All they could hear was the crackleof the power discharger.

    The Doctor leant back against the opposite wall. `So,what are we going to do now? Stand out here and listen tothat thing scream until it dies?'

    `If necessary.'

    `But that's just it.' The Doctor's teeth were grindingtogether as he bit off each individual word. `It's notnecessary.'

    `Nor was the destruction of Red Sky Lost!' It was thefirst time the Doctor had seen Koral lose her cool, evenslightly. `The Daleks razed my planet to the ground. Theyslaughtered everyone. Everything. Genocide!'

    `They are masters of it.'

    `And you expect me to stand aside and allow them togo unpunished?' Koral glared hotly at him. `I am the onlysurvivor! The last of my people! After me, there isnothing.'

    `Yes,' said the Doctor sadly. `I know.'

    She shook her head. `You know nothing.'

    He leant closer to her again, looking directly into herflaming eyes without flinching. `Let me go back in there,Koral. Stop Bowman from tearing that creature apart andlet me talk to it.'

    `You?'

    `Yes! I can make it talk!'

    The corridor was filled with another round ofscreaming. Something thick and wet gurgled in the

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Dalek's vocal cords or whatever it used to speak andthe noise suddenly choked off, replacing by a pathetic,ululating whimper.

   `If it's not too late,' insisted the Doctor, `I can make itspeak. I know how to get information out of it.'

   `You're bluffing.'

   The Doctor didn't even blink. `Trust me!'

   The silence that followed was thick with possibilities.In the end it was broken by the sound of the cargo holddoor opening.

   The Doctor and Koral separated quickly, as if they werelovers caught by surprise, but no one was interested.

   Bowman stood in the doorway. His big shoulders wereslumped, and there was sweat on his face. A waft of hotair, carrying an indescribably fetid odour, seeped out ofthe hold.

   `It's over,' he growled. `It's dead.'

   Scrum and Cuttin' Edge emerged behind him. Scrumlooked white-faced and physically ill. Cuttin' Edge's facewas etched with what could have been distaste or fear. Hewas still carrying the stave, and the end of it was coveredin a sticky, green ichor.

   Bowman stalked away, calling Scrum after him like anobedient dog. Cuttin' Edge paused, raising his head so hecould look at the Doctor. `If it's any consolation,' he saidquietly, `you were right. It never said a word.'

   The Doctor just looked at him with contempt.

   Cuttin' Edge turned to Koral. `Skipper wants us all inthe galley,' he told her. `Team meeting.'

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The door to the cargo bay remained open. Inside it wasdark, except for a dull red glow from the emergencylights. The Doctor guessed that Bowman's powerdischarger had fused the illumination circuits at somepoint. Now the interior of the hold looked like a littlepocket of Hell.

   Ignoring the stench, the Doctor stepped inside.

   The remains of the Dalek lay on the floor beneath theupended casing. It was quite small the distended brainsac lying like a rotten melon in a pool of dark unguent.Some of its squid-like arms were coiled around thecarcass, while others lay on the floor like dead worms,severed from the main body.

   There were many more wires and cables dangling fromthe Dalek casing, evidence of how Scrum and Cuttin'Edge must have had to scrape the creature out of its shell.Strings of glistening slime hung down like the drool ofsome strange metal beast that had recently vomited thehalf-digested contents of its stomach onto the floor.

   The Doctor knelt down carefully by the dead creatureand put his glasses on. It was difficult to see anythingclearly in the red emergency lighting, but there wassomething that made him want to check. You could nevertrust a Dalek, even in death.

   And, just fractionally, the single eye twitched.

   `You're still alive,' breathed the Doctor. His voice wasno more than an awed whisper.

   The eye slowly closed.

   `Oh, come on,' said the Doctor. `You can't fool me.'

   The eye opened again, swivelling jerkily in the broken

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socket until it was looking at the Doctor. There was noindication that it could actually see, let alone focus.Perhaps it was just registering the sound of his voice.

   `It's me,' said the Doctor. `The Oncoming Storm.'

   The eye opened a little wider, and the red-black dot atits centre shrank. An inarticulate gurgle emerged faintlyfrom the glistening remains.

   `Or maybe you just know me as the Doctor.'

   Another gurgle.

   `That's the trouble with jumping the time lines,' saidthe Doctor, sitting down on the floor. `It's difficult to workout where we're up to. Dalek history was confusingenough before the Time War.'

   `DOC...TOR...'

   The hairs on the back of his neck actually stood up. Heswallowed, momentarily lost for words. Eventually hesimply replied, `Yes?'

   `ONLY... AT... THE END... DO YOU COME...' TheDalek quivered with the effort of speaking, although itwas hard to make out the actual words. `TO GLOAT.'

   `No,' the Doctor shook his head. `No, I'm notgloating.'

   `THEN... KILL... ME...'

   `I can't.'

   `COWARD.'

   `There's no need to fight me,' said the Doctor.

   `THEN... WHY HAVE YOU COME?'

   `I'm not here for that. You're finished. Even you mustadmit that.'

   `DALEKS... NEVER... CAPITULATE.'

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   `That's your problem. There's no reasoning with you.You've all got one-track minds. I bet if you could fire yourgun now you'd exterminate me on the spot.'

   `YES!'

   `When any sane being would plead for their life. Formercy.'

   `DALEKS DO NOT PLEAD.'

   `I know. But you could have saved yourself a lot ofbother if you'd spoken up sooner. Bowman only wanted totalk.'

   `BOWMAN...?'

   `The man who was... interrogating you.'

   `HE FAILED.' There was a hint of triumph in thecroaking voice. `I SHOULD NOT... HAVE ALLOWEDMYSELF... TO BE CAPTURED. BUT HIS FAILURE...WAS THE GREATER. NO MATTER WHAT HE DID TOME... I WOULD NOT TALK.'

   `Very impressive, I'm sure.'

   `HUMANS DO NOT UNDERSTAND TORTURE.'

   `Oh, I think they do. Unfortunately. It's not one of theirmore endearing traits, but they do know how to inflictpain and suffering, I'll give you that.'

   `I EXPECTED NOTHING LESS.'

   The Doctor stirred. `No. That's wrong. Humans arecapable of love and mercy as well. And generosity andcharity too. There is no limit to the good they can do orthat they are capable of. Not like you. All you know ispain and suffering.'

   `AND THAT IS WHY WE WILL SUCCEED,' said theDalek. `WE UNDERSTAND PAIN. HUMANS DO

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NOT.'

   The Doctor wondered if the Dalek was speaking fromexperience. And when he considered the metal and plasticwires connecting the creature to its cramped life-supportmachine where, up until today, it had spent its entirewaking life, he realised that it probably was.

   The Dalek had not yet finished its rant. `BUT THEHUMAN RACE WILL BE DEFEATED. ALL HUMANSWILL CEASE TO EXIST. THE DALEKS WILLERADICATE THEM FROM THE UNIVERSE!'

   `Never.'

   `THE DALEKS WILL TRIUMPH! THERE ISNOTHING THAT CAN STOP US FROM CHANGINGTHE PATH OF HISTORY NOT EVEN YOU, DOCTOR!'

   `You're delirious,' said the Doctor scornfully.

   `THE DALEKS WILL CONQUER AND DESTROY,'grated the creature, seeming to regain some of its energyin its dying moments. `We will eliminate all human lifefrom its very beginnings! WE WILL CONQUER TIMEAND SPACE! THE FUTURE WILL BELONG TO THEDALEKS!'

   The Doctor leant closer, suddenly angry. `Oh yeah?Well, get this: I've seen the future. You lot are going toend up so hungry and mad for power that you bite offmore than you can chew. And the whole conquest of timeand space thing is going to blow up in your faces.' TheDoctor moved even closer, until he could smell the toxicslime that covered the Dalek. `You're all going to burnand no matter how much you try to come back, or which

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of you remain, I'm always gonna be there to stop you. Sojust remember: there's a storm coming!'

    The Dalek shrank back a little. But there was stilldefiance, even in its last seconds of life. `YOUTHREATEN ME WHEN I CANNOT FIGHT BACK.YOU HAVE ONLY COME TO WATCH ME DIE. BUTTHE DALEKS WILL TRIUMPH! THE DALEKS WILLALWAYS SURVIVE. WE WILL BE MASTERS OF THEUNIVERSE!'

    The Dalek's final words died in a hysterical groan; thecreature convulsed and then seemed to deflate as the eyeclosed for a final time. The Doctor was under no illusionthat it was now truly dead. And for that he was profoundlygrateful.

    But then something seemed to click in his brain asudden connection, something the Dalek had said thatflicked a switch of realisation in his head. He jumped up,wide-eyed and alert. His hair was practically standing upin spikes with agitation. `Of course!' he exploded,smacking his forehead with the heel of one hand. `That'swhat they were doing on Hurala!'

    And then he turned and left the cargo hold at a run.

    For a few seconds all was quiet in the room. And then ashadow detached itself from the corner of the hold andKoral followed the Doctor out.

There was silence in the galley. Bowman sat with his chinresting on one giant fist, locked in his own thoughts.Scrum sat at the mess table. Cuttin' Edge was sprawled onanother seat, glumly nursing his assault rifle. None of

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them would look at the others.

   `Total waste of time,' muttered Cuttin' Edge after awhile. `But I'm glad we did it.'

   Scrum looked at him, hollow-eyed. `Why?' he askedbitterly.

   `Cos it felt good.'

   `Did it?'

   Cuttin' Edge looked away. `OK, so maybe it didn't feelso good. It's like... it's like that thing was laughin' at us.Inside. Like it could just soak up anything we did to it. Itwas makin' monkeys outta all of us!'

   `Don't be stupid.'

   `It was never gonna tell us anything.'

   `That wasn't the point,' said Bowman abruptly. Hestraightened up, looking at both crewmen. His grey eyeswere tired and deep-set. `We did it for Stella.'

   `It didn't bring her back, though, did it?' said Scrummiserably.

   `Wasn't meant to. But that Dalek had some paincoming to it.'

   Scrum still looked unconvinced. `I don't think Stellawould have wanted that.'

   `I don't think Stella wanted to be shot in the back bythat scum either,' said Cuttin' Edge. `Skip's right. Dalekhad it comin'. End of.'

   They lapsed into silence again, each man brooding onthe argument.

   And then the Doctor suddenly whirled into the room,fizzing with energy. `What do you know about theArkheon Threshold?' he demanded.

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    All three looked up at him. `What?'

    `I've just been having a little chat with your Dalek,'explained the Doctor. `What was left of it, anyway.'

    `You what?' growled Bowman.

    `It's dead,' said Cuttin' Edge. `We killed it.'

    `Yes, it's dead now,' agreed the Doctor. `And yes, youdid kill it. But there was one last spark of life left in thoseold mutant genes and it suddenly felt quite chatty. Startingtelling me all about the Daleks' big plan to wipe mankindfrom history.'

    `You're lying,' Bowman stated, getting to his feet. Hepractically filled the small galley on his own.

    `No,' said Koral, appearing in the doorway. `He's not.'

    The Doctor looked at her, puzzled.

    `I was in the cargo hold with you,' she told him. `Iheard every word.'

    `Really?' said the Doctor. He waited for her to saymore, but she just returned his stare.

    `Hang on,' interrupted Cuttin' Edge. `How come ittalked for you?'

    `Dunno,' confessed the Doctor brightly. `Maybe it wasmy winning personality. Maybe it was because I wasn'tpoking it with a sharp stick and discharging 50,000 voltsthrough it at the time. Who knows?'

    `Maybe it was a deathbed confession,' said Koral.

    `Well, either way, we did exchange a few words in itsfinal moments although there was a lot of the usual kindof thing: Daleks are the supreme beings, Daleks willconquer and destroy, exterminate exterminate, et cetera.But it did let slip one tiny thing that could be important.

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Very, very important.'

   Bowman folded his arms. `Such as?'

   `The Daleks must know about the Arkheon Threshold.'

   The Doctor was met with four blank stares.

   `The what?' said Bowman.

   `That's what they were doing on Hurala,' the Doctorexplained. `They were sniffing around for information.The Lodestar station was a staging post for interstellartravel, remember forgotten and dusty, but in its heydayquite an important little place. They used to call it "thegateway to the stars". Stella hit the nail on the head whenshe spotted the planet Arkheon in the station's list ofnearby worlds. It didn't mean much to me at the time, butnow I realise exactly why the Daleks were so interested inwhoever turned up there! They want the ArkheonThreshold.'

   `Which is...?'

   `Don't tell me you've never heard of the ArkheonThreshold?'

   Cautiously, Scrum raised a hand. `Well, I have heard ofthe planet Arkheon...'

   The Doctor spun around and pointed a finger straight athim. `Give that man a star! The planet Arkheon somewhere near the Crab Nebula, I seem to recall, justpast the Pleiades and left at the Blue Star Worlds. Youcan't miss it.'

   `Well you can now,' Scrum said. `It was completelydestroyed over forty years ago.'

   The Doctor's face froze. `What?'

   `Arkheon was one of the planets that fell victim to the

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First Dalek Incursion,' Scrum explained. `I think it was hitby one of those old planet-splitters. I was only a kid at thetime.'

   `Completely destroyed?'

   `Yes.'

   `What, completely completely?'

   `Yes.'

   `Doesn't matter!' The Doctor was instantly re-energised. `Or rather, the actual planet itself doesn'tmatter. But the Threshold does.'

   `The Arkheon Threshold,' Bowman repeatedlycarefully.

   `I think we ought to listen to the Doctor,' advisedKoral. She was speaking directly to Bowman.

   Bowman raised an eyebrow, considering. `All right,Doctor. You'd better tell us what you know.'

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    `The planet Arkheon was famous for its ghosts,' began

    the Doctor, lowering his voice in a suitably sinister

    manner. He was sitting in the middle of the galley, with

    the crew of the Wayfarer arranged around him like

    children ready to hear a ghoulish campfire story. `In fact,

    it was often called the Planet of Ghosts.'

       A shiver seemed to pass through the little group.

       `Well, I say ghosts,' the Doctor went on, `but they were

    more like quasi-temporal personality echoes. But the

    Planet of Quasi-Temporal Personality Echoes just doesn't

    sound quite the same, does it? I won't bore you with the

    science unless you really want me to but the ghosts

    and spectral visions that haunted Arkheon were actually

    the usual sort of stuff you get with a planet that contains

    some sort of time rift.'

       `Time rift?' echoed Scrum, frowning.

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    The Doctor pulled a face. `Well, not actually a time rift.Not in your honest-to-goodness Cardiff kind of way...'

    `Cardiff?'

    `Never been to Cardiff? You haven't lived. Never mind.What I'm trying to say is that Arkheon was special.Located deep inside the planet was a small chronic schism a little tear in time and space, if you like. It wasn'timportant. In fact it was largely ignored, except by thekind of scientists who liked to research that sort of thing.And the Arkheon Threshold which is what the scientistscalled the temporal anomaly was never actually found.After a while it was dismissed as nothing more than atheory.'

    `What about the ghosts?' asked Scrum.

    The Doctor grinned. `Aw, what about `em! Greatestghost stories anywhere! Doesn't matter that they werenothing more than harmless echoes in time, they were stillbrilliant. I used to like the one about the sailor who hadlost his head in a terrible battle. He could sometimes beseen just off the coast, rowing his way slowly around thebay in a small raft. They used to call him the HeadlessOarsman.'

    `Keep to the point,' said Bowman bluntly. He wassitting on the far side of the galley, massive arms foldedacross his chest and a sullen, distrustful look on his face.Koral sat nearby, cross-legged, her eyes half-closed like adozing cat.

    `OK,' said the Doctor with a sigh. `Tough crowd. Nevermind. The point is this if Arkheon was destroyed by theDaleks like you say, then any little fracture in time and

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space at its centre will have remained. It wouldn't be apart of the actual rock and soil of the planet, you see, it'dbe part of the fabric of time and space itself. You can'tdestroy a time fissure.'

   `And this is really important because...?' promptedCuttin' Edge.

   `Because if the Daleks manage to locate the ArkheonThreshold then we're all in big trouble. I don't just meanthe five of us in this ship. I'm thinking a little bigger thanthat like the whole universe.'

   `Why?' asked Bowman. `How could the Daleks usethis theoretical time thing if it even exists?'

   The Doctor looked grim. `The Daleks are brilliantscientists and engineers. Combine their indomitablehunger for power and conquest with the hitherto untappedpotential of a time-space anomaly and... well, do I have todraw a diagram?'

   `Yeah,' said Cuttin' Edge.

   `He means they could use it to control time,' saidScrum.

   The Doctor nodded gravely. `Any foothold the Dalekscan get in time they will exploit to the maximum. TheDalek you captured said that they intended to wipemankind from history. It's easy to think that's just theusual Dalek rhetoric but in this case it could be close tothe truth.'

   There was a short silence while the Doctor lookedexpectantly at them.

   `So what are we supposed to do about it?' askedBowman eventually.

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   `We have to stop them,' replied the Doctor simply.`They must be looking for the Arkheon Threshold. Wehave to prevent them finding it. I suggest you contactEarth Command immediately and--'

   `Hold it,' said Bowman, raising a hand. `Forget that,Doctor. We can't contact Earth Command. For one thing,we don't have any official status with the authorities.'

   `And no one on Earth will believe us anyway,' addedCuttin' Edge. `We're bounty hunters, man. That's one stepup from criminals as far as they're concerned. We tellthem about this, they'll just laugh in our faces. We caughtourselves a live Dalek and interrogated it for theinformation? Yeah, right.'

   Scrum nodded in agreement. `You did say this timefissure was only a theory, Doctor. We haven't exactly gotany hard evidence, have we? And we're light years fromanywhere out here. By the time we reach Earth space andmake contact, the Daleks will have found what they'relooking for.'

   The Doctor was looking worried. `Even so--'

   `We don't contact Earth Command,' said Bowmanfirmly. `And that's final.'

   He stared hard at the Doctor, absently rubbing thewhite scar on his forearm.

   `All right.' The Doctor took a deep breath. `So it's up tous to stop them.'

   `Us?' Scrum looked around the galley, making aheadcount. He didn't look very encouraged by the result.

   `We've stumbled on something incredibly importanthere,' said the Doctor forcefully. `We can't afford to

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ignore it.'

    `It's only you who says it's important,' Bowmanpointed out.

    `You're the one who wanted to question the Dalek,'returned the Doctor acidly. `Don't waste the answers.'

    `It didn't give any answers except a hint about somekind of legend. It's stupid.'

    `For what it's worth,' said Koral, `I think you shouldlisten to what the Doctor says.'

    Bowman frowned. `I'm not promising anything. Thiswhole thing sounds lame to me. Some old planet blown upway back when that can help the Daleks change history?It's a crazy idea, even for them.'

    `But the Daleks are crazy,' said Scrum. `They'rearrogant and clever enough to take something like theArkheon Threshold and use it against us. Against thewhole human race. If there's even a chance of stoppingthem, then I think we should go for it. We owe Stella thatmuch at least.'

    After a short silence, Bowman said, `OK. We'll checkit out. For Stella.'

    `There's one problem we're overlookin',' said Cuttin'Edge. `If the Daleks don't even know where this Arkheonthing is, how can we hope to find it?'

    `That's where you have an advantage,' smiled theDoctor. `Me.'

The Doctor was soon sitting at the flight controls of theWayfarer while Scrum showed him the navigationcomputer.

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   `It's programmed with all galactic coordinates for thissector of space,' Scrum explained, `including star lanesand trade routes of every major solar system. It uses ahyperlink tachyon echo to the Earth satellite network.'

   `Never did trust satnav,' sniffed the Doctor.

   `You can't navigate your way through deep spacewithout a proper guidance system.'

   `I've got a proper guidance system,' the Doctorretorted. He tapped his forehead. `Up here. Trust me, Inever get lost. Well, hardly ever. Well, not often. All right,sometimes, perhaps... but more often than not I...' Hestarted to tap his pockets. `Where did I put my glasses?I've left them somewhere...'

   `Well if you can't even find your glasses...!'

   `No, here we are.' The Doctor found his glasses andslipped them on. He examined the navigation computerand then blew out a big raspberry. `This is a bit primitive,isn't it?'

   Scrum sounded hurt. `This is state-of-the-art! It maynot look like much but--'

   `Yeah, yeah,' the Doctor waved him to silence. `I don'tmean to be rude, but... I was hoping for something a tinybit more sophisticated. We need to get to the Arkheonsystem before the Daleks. We won't get there beforeChristmas using this stuff.' He rapped a knuckle on thenavigation computer.

   `The Wayfarer`s an old military vessel,' explainedScrum. `She saw action in the First Dalek Incursion there are still dents in her secondary hull where she washit by a neutronic missile that failed to detonate.'

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   The Doctor whistled. `She's a tough old bird, I'll giveyou that.'

   `She was decommissioned and turned into a merchantship,' Scrum continued as the Doctor began to work on thecontrols. `Bowman had her reconditioned when he tookher over. Her engines and flight controls have beencompletely replaced, much of it with stuff that isn'tavailable on the commercial market. The Wayfarer maynot be perfect, and she may be in need of repairs, but to usshe's more than a ship, Doctor. She's home.'

   `Reminds me of the TARDIS,' said the Doctor sadly.

   `TARDIS?'

   `My own ship. I left it on the planet Hurala.' TheDoctor stared into space for a few seconds, lost in thought.Then he sniffed and gave Scrum a smile. `Look, I couldn'thelp but notice that the Wayfarer`s engines were a bitrattley. It's probably just a loose regulator valve in thecoolant pumps. I can fix it if you like.'

   `Will you have time?'

   `Course. It'll take a couple of hours for this old thing toget to Arkheon.'

   `But what about the navigation? The coordinates?'

   `All done.' The Doctor waved a hand at the flightcontrols. `And I've set the autopilot. Straight past thePleiades, left at the Blue Star Worlds. Like I said, can'tmiss it.'

   `And the Daleks?'

   `Oh, don't worry about them. They'll be using satnav.Probably going the wrong way round the Crab Nebulaalready.'

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   Scrum grinned. `You remind me of Stella. No matterhow bad things got, she was always able to cheer you up.She had a knack of saying just the right thing, you know?'

   `I think I do.'

   `And, for what it's worth...' Scrum added quietly, `shewould never have let Bowman do what he did to thatDalek. Stella was... better than that. She was someoneyou could rely on to do the right thing. And she couldstand up for herself. I didn't like what was happening inthat cargo hold, Doctor, but I was too weak to stop it. Iwas more scared of Bowman than the Dalek. But Stellawould have stood up to him.'

   `And Bowman would have listened to her?'

   Scrum thought for a moment. `Yes, I think he would.'

   `I didn't know her for long, but she certainly seemedvery special,' the Doctor agreed. `You must really missher.'

   Scrum heaved a sigh. `More than you can imagine.'

   `Perhaps.'

In the cargo hold, Bowman and Cuttin' Edge wereclearing out the remains of the Dalek. Bowman, wearing apair of heavy, padded gauntlets from an old spacesuit, wasscooping the remains of the Dalek mutant into a wastesack. His mouth was downturned, his nostrils pinched.The creature stank to high heaven.

   Cuttin' Edge was detaching the empty casing andmechanisms from the cargo lifter, flinging bits of armourplate and lumps of wiring across the hold into a pile in thecorner. Every so often he would throw a piece of the

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Dalek with more force than was necessary, accompaniedby some very earthy language.

    `Hey,' said Bowman. `What's got into you?'

    Cuttin' Edge paused, breathing hard. `It was askin' fortrouble,' he spat. `Scum of the universe.'

    Bowman straightened up. `Say again?'

    `We did the right thing,' Cuttin' Edge said. `Didn'twe?'

    `Course,' said Bowman. `It's warfare. You knew that;the Dalek knew it too.'

    Cuttin' Edge wiped the sweat off his forehead with theback of his hand. `I know that. But I only ever shot `em upbefore. I never... did that. Not close up. It felt... it feltkinda wrong. An' the way the Doctor was goin' on... I justfelt confused.'

    Bowman sealed the bag and carried it across the hold.He dumped it on the floor alongside the jumble ofmachinery. `Sometimes tough decisions have to be made.It's easy to take the moral high ground. The politiciansand the civilians can do that. But we're the ones left todeal with the consequences.'

    `Then why do I feel so bad?'

    `No one said it was gonna be easy.'

    Cuttin' Edge bristled. `I know that. I ain't never had iteasy. I had my Pa kickin' all kinds of zip outta me fromday one on Gauda Prime. I had to drag myself out thathole an' into the army an' not even they wanted me. An'you know the fix I was in when you found me.'

    Bowman looked at Cuttin' Edge for a long momentbefore replying. He suddenly felt very old, and Cuttin'

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Edge suddenly looked very young. `Listen, son. You'reone of the good guys. Don't let anyone tell you anythingelse. Not your folks, not the army, not even the Doctor.You fight Daleks and that means you're on the right sidewhen all is said and done, no matter what. And it takescourage to do what you did.'

   `I didn't feel very brave when I was scrapin' that thingout of its barrel.'

   `It's not how you feel that matters. It's what you dodespite the way you feel. Look at Scrum. Damn nearwetting himself the whole time but he still stuck it out.The only one not gettin' his hands dirty was the Doctor.'

   Cuttin' Edge gave a shrug. `Everyone has a point ofview, I guess.'

   `Yeah,' Bowman nodded. `Only trouble is, his point ofview is the wrong one. Now get that Dalek off my ship.Kick its tin backside out into space, along with thecontents. I don't ever want another one of those thingsonboard.'

   `You betcha.'

   Bowman smirked. `Whatever happened to "Yes, sir"?'

   `You what?'

   `Never mind, Cuttin' Edge. Never mind. Old days, longgone.' Bowman pulled off the gauntlets and threw themonto the rubbish heap. `Best get rid of them too whileyou're at it. And then you can clear the rest of that slimeoff the floor. Smell's getting on my nerves.'

The Doctor and Scrum were discussing the technicalspecifications of the Wayfarer`s engines when Bowman

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strode onto the flight deck. He glared suspiciously at theDoctor and then spoke to Scrum. `We've got rid of thatthing, anyway. Dumped the casing and the mutant intodeep space. Cuttin' Edge is cleaning out the cargo holdnow.'

    `The Doctor's plotted a course for Arkheon,' Scruminformed him. `Or at least, where it used to be. We shouldbe there in a couple of hours.'

    Bowman raised an eyebrow. `That's quick, even for theWayfarer.'

    `Well, I know a few short cuts,' admitted the Doctor.`And I picked up some clues on Hurala.'

    `Maybe the Daleks did too.'

    `True which is why we need to push ahead at fullspeed.' The Doctor stood up and faced Bowman. `Withyour permission, I'd like to tighten the regulator valves inthe engine room. They're loose and costing us time.'

    Bowman regarded him coolly. `Just for the record,Doctor, I still don't like you. I've no idea what we'reheading into, but I still say you know more than you'reletting on. The only reason I haven't thrown youoverboard with the remains of that Skaro slime is becauseof Koral. She's vouching for you and I'd trust her with mylife. So if you betray that trust if this is any kind of atrick or some sort of con then I'll kill you myself,quickly and with pleasure. Got that?'

    `Loud and clear.'

    `And once we reach Arkheon, just remember one thing:I'm in charge. Not you.'

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    The Doctor was in his shirtsleeves, working on the

    Wayfarer`s engines, when Koral found him.

       She stepped out of the shadows in a cloud of steam as

    the Doctor finished tightening the last of the regulator

    valves. He looked up when she arrived, the sonic

    screwdriver still clamped between his teeth.

       `Gnnf gnn mmph gnn,' he said.

       `Excuse me?'

       The Doctor dropped the screwdriver into his hand. `I

    said, you can't creep up on me like that any more.'

       `I wasn't trying to.'

       `Well, I've fixed these old engines so they're running

    like a sewing machine. Listen.' The Doctor cupped a hand

    to one ear and grinned. `Not a rattle or a squeak. You

    could hear a pin drop anywhere onboard now.'

       Koral frowned. The Wayfarer`s engines produced a

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constant, bass rumble. If you touched the bulkheadanywhere, you could feel the heavy vibration, and thedeck plates trembled beneath your feet. This close, theengines sounded like more like the roar of a wild,mechanical animal.

   The Doctor bounced to his feet and picked up his jacketfrom where he'd left it slung over a pipe. `It's not often Iget to fiddle with one of these old astronic propulsionsystems. They're brilliant, in their own way. Rotten for theenvironment, of course, and prone to sudden catastrophicion implosion if they're not looked after but brilliant,even so.'

   Koral gave him an odd look.

   `It's a man thing,' he said.

   `What did you mean, back in the cargo hold,' beganKoral. `When you said that you'd seen the future?'

   `Ah, sudden change of subject. Very good. Catch meoff guard. Won't work.'

   `Don't avoid the question.'

   The Doctor stopped and looked at her. `I don't want totalk about it. It's complicated.'

   `When you first came onboard you said you were in thewrong place and time.'

   `It's just a saying. It means bad luck.'

   `I think you meant it literally.'

   The Doctor took a deep breath. `Koral, let's say that Ihave seen the future. Call it foresight or precognition orjust plain madness, I don't care. But when if theDaleks manage to crack time wide open, it will lead todeath and destruction on a scale you simply can't

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comprehend. The Daleks are more than capable of that.Worse, they're willing to do it.'

    Koral looked into his eyes and realised that,somewhere, somehow, those eyes had witnessed that kindof death and destruction. She shivered. `You really intendto stop them, don't you?'

    `I can't.' He looked suddenly pained. `I just... can't.But maybe I can delay them, until the universe is ready.Or as ready as it will ever be. I don't know. Like I said,it's complicated. If you think about it too much your headwill hurt. Let's just say I'm in the wrong place and time,but while I'm here I might as well try to help.'

    `I think I understand,' Koral said eventually.

    The Doctor nodded. `And thanks for vouching for me,by the way. I think your pal Bowman is beginning to trustme.'

    `Bowman does not trust anyone.'

    `He trusts you. But he did say if I betray that trust he'llkill me.'

    `Then he is mistaken,' Koral said. `He will not kill you I will.'

Thanks to the Doctor, the Wayfarer reached its destinationin record time. The crew were met with something of asurprise when they reached the flight deck.

   `I don't believe it,' said Scrum in an awed whisper. Hewas staring, open mouthed, at the forward viewscreen.The others crowded in behind him. `What... the hell is it?'

   `It's the remains of Arkheon,' said the Doctor. `ThePlanet of Ghosts.'

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   It looked like the spectral remnant of a planet a pale,wraithlike world shrouded in mists and shimmering ice.But there was something even more unnatural about it: adeformity, a terrible wrongness to its shape. This wasn't acomplete globe this was only one half of a planet, agiant hemisphere of frozen rock with the remains of itsglowing, molten core exposed to space like a luminousscab.

   As the Wayfarer descended into orbit, the pristinecurvature of the horizon suddenly disappeared. Theglittering white surface gave way to a dizzying chasm anda ragged, black interior. At its centre was a hard orangeball of superhot iron, crusted with burning rock.

   `It's incredible,' breathed Koral. `Impossible.'

   `The Dalek planet-splitters do exactly what they say onthe tin,' remarked the Doctor. `That's all you're left with:bits and pieces and a big, lifeless chunk of rock floating inspace.' He glanced sourly at Bowman. `Between them andyour lot, it's a wonder there are any planets left in thegalaxy.'

   Bowman curled his lip but said nothing.

   `It is both wonderful and terrible at the same time,' saidKoral.

   Scrum was checking the instruments. `There's no signof any other spaceships in the vicinity,' he reported. `It'sdeserted. Looks like the Daleks are looking in the wrongplace after all.'

   `Couldn't be better,' said the Doctor, clapping Scrumon the shoulder. `We've got the place to ourselves.'

   `Do you think that Threshold thing is still down there?'

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wondered Cuttin' Edge.

  `Let's find out,' said the Doctor. `Take us in.'

  Bowman gave a meaningful cough.

  `Oh, sorry...'

  The captain turned to Scrum.

  `Take us in,' he ordered.

The Wayfarer swept through the tattered remains ofArkheon's atmosphere. Clouds parted like frightenedwraiths as the ship thundered over mountain ranges andglaciers. There were deep, dry ravines where rivers andoceans once flowed, and towering crystals sculpted intostrange shapes by harsh winds.

   Finally, they flew over the ruins of a city. Crumblingspires stood among bridges and arched hallways, allcovered in shrouds of snow that broke away in startledwhite flurries as the Wayfarer came in to land.

   `It's fantastic,' said Scrum, his face reflecting thebright, wintery glare. `Amazing.'

   The Doctor peered out of the viewscreen, utterlycaptivated. `The rulers of Arkheon built a city fit for a raceof kings and queens,' he said appreciatively.

   `Now all that's left is the wreckage,' growled Bowman,the blazing white light of the planet's surface bleachingthe colour from his face.

   `The atmosphere is borderline toxic,' reported Scrum.`You can breathe it, but it won't be nice.'

   `We won't be staying long,' said Bowman.

   Scrum set the Wayfarer down on a rocky shelfoverlooking the outskirts of the city. They assembled near

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the exit airlock and sorted out some cold-weather gearBowman had stowed.

    `You gotta be kiddin', man,' said Cuttin' Edge, pullingon a thick, padded jacket with a fur-trimmed hood. Hisbulky arms stretched the material taut across hisshoulders. `How am I expected to look cool in this stuff?'

    `You're expected to look warm,' said Bowman. Hepulled on his own parka and fastened the seal. `Thesewere Space Navy standard issue when the Wayfarer usedto patrol the Iceworlds. They've got integral soft filamentthermostats that will tune themselves in to your ownnatural body heat.'

    He turned to look at the Doctor, who was strugglinginto one of the parkas. `What exactly are we looking for,anyway? Ghosts?'

    `No such thing,' replied the Doctor cheerfully. `Butkeep an eye out for any quasi-temporal personalityechoes, won't you?'

    `Why? They dangerous?'

    `No,' the Doctor sighed. `I'd just like to see one, that'sall.'

    `So how do we find this Threshold?'

    `Leave that to me.'

    `Don't worry,' Bowman assured him. He rammed acharge pack into his blaster and holstered it. `I'll be rightbehind you.'

The Doctor's plimsolls crunched into the snow. There wasalways something special about stepping onto a newplanet and he tried to savour the moment.

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   `Move on out, dude,' said Cuttin' Edge behind him.`There's a queue buildin' up here.'

   The Doctor walked towards the remains of the city.Spires and towers and the jagged remains of risingwalkways hung with long, glimmering icicles. Above him,thin strips of clouds glowed silver in the light of the stars.The planet what was left of it was on the edge of avast, gaseous nebula which turned the night sky into afield of verdant, glittering green lights.

   `Well?' Bowman asked, trudging through the snow.

   `Fine, thanks,' nodded the Doctor. `You?'

   `Don't get funny, I'm not in the mood.'

   `Where's Koral?' asked the Doctor.

   `Why? Worried she isn't around to protect you?'

   `No, I just thought she would enjoy a bit of shore leave.We could all do with stretching our legs.'

   Bowman turned away, scanning the horizon. `She'saround. Koral likes to keep a low profile.'

   `Even here?'

   The Doctor was impressed. There didn't appear to beanywhere in this white wilderness that even Koral couldhide.

   `You'd be surprised.'

   Scrum crunched his way through the snow to jointhem. `Ship's secure. Any luck with the Threshold?'

   `Haven't started looking yet,' said the Doctor. `We'rejust admiring the view.'

   `He's admiring the view,' grunted Bowman. `I'm not.'

   Cuttin' Edge had climbed up onto a high wall. `Hey,guys. Check this out.'

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    They clambered up to join him, using a succession ofbroken rocks and icy ledges to reach the top. On the otherside, a long, shallow ravine stretched away from them,littered with boulders and lumps of what looked likerusted machinery.

    `What the hell?' growled Bowman.

    `It's a road,' Scrum realised. `Look leading out of thecity. Sweeping off in that direction. You can see where theice has formed.'

    Cuttin' Edge pointed at the machinery. `What are they?Cars?'

    `Some sort of transport, yes,' said the Doctor. `Allheading out of the city. Probably running for their liveswhen the planet-splitter missiles were detected headingstraight for them. They never stood a chance. Clogged upwith all these vehicles, the road would have become adeath trap. When the missile struck, the seismic shockwould have been enough to shift continental plates. Tidalwaves, volcanoes, earthquakes, fire, poisonous fumes allat once. There probably wasn't even time for all thosecataclysms to have an effect. The entire planet would havebroken apart, right down to the centre, like an apple hit byan axe. The atmosphere would have been torn to shreds.These people would have perished in an instant, turned tojelly by the initial shockwave.'

    They stood and stared at the fossilised cars for severalminutes, each trying to take in the size of the catastrophein their own way. It was barely possible.

    `Hold it,' said Cuttin' Edge, raising his assault rifle.`Thought I saw somethin'.'

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   `What?' asked Scrum.

   `I dunno. Somethin' movin'. In the distance.'

   `Impossible,' said Bowman.

   Cuttin' Edge was scanning the road through thegunsight on his rifle. After a minute he lowered theweapon. `Gone now. If there was anythin' at all.'

   `Maybe it was just some snow falling,' suggestedScrum. `Or an icicle breaking.'

   `Yeah.' Cuttin' Edge didn't sound convinced.

   Bowman whistled a short, sharp note that was carriedeerily away on the cold breeze. A moment later, a darkfigure scampered up onto the wall alongside him. It wasKoral; she wasn't wearing a parka but appearedcompletely at ease in the biting cold.

   `Cuttin' Edge thinks he saw some movement downthere,' Bowman told her. `Check it out.'

   Without a word, Koral turned and darted away,jumping lithely down the rubble where the wall hadcollapsed. She ran onto the road and quickly disappearedamong the dead cars. Soon, the sound of her feet in thesnow was covered by the thick blanket of silence.

   `Koral can scout ahead,' Bowman said to the others.`Let's get on with it, Doctor.'

   The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and clickedit on. Holding the device out in front of him at arm'slength, he appeared to take a number of readings from allpoints of the compass. `This way,' he said at last,following Koral down towards the ancient highway.

   `OK,' nodded Bowman. `Let's move out.'

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    `I can't see Koral anywhere,' said Scrum nervously. He

    was standing on the remains of a collapsed footbridge. All

    he could see were the ruins, stretching away into the

    distance, cut through by wide boulevards full of debris.

       `Her tracking skills are second to none,' said Bowman.

    There was a hint of pride in his voice. `And if she doesn't

    want to be seen, she won't be. First her prey knew about

    her on Red Sky Lost was when their throats got ripped

    out.'

       `They must have loved that,' said the Doctor drily. He

    was walking slightly ahead of the Wayfarer`s captain,

    moving the sonic screwdriver slowly from side to side.

    The tip pulsed blue and a low, wavering hum could just be

    heard.

       `This place is spooky,' said Cuttin' Edge. He was

    walking a little to the left, his assault rifle held ready

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across his chest as his eyes roved from side to side,scanning in his own way.

   `Well, it is the Planet of Ghosts,' Scrum called over.

   `Ha ha.'

   Occasionally, Cuttin' Edge would raise his rifle andpeer through the scope, roving the electronic crosshairsaround the terrain, clicking through a variety of imageenhancers: thermal, infrared, macroscopic. Nothingshowed up, but they could all feel a definite tension in thecrisp polar air. Scrum said it was almost as if they werebeing watched.

   The road had collapsed in on itself, and their progressslowed as they tried to negotiate a series of rocks,boulders and crushed, rusting cars.

   `Whoa,' said Cuttin' Edge, approaching an overturnedvehicle. Sprawling out of the driver's seat was a thin,snow-crusted jumble of bones. The skull lay at an angle,neck broken but still attached to the body by scraps ofleathery skin and dried tendon. One skeletal hand kept afingertip grip on the steering column. Jewellery glitteredon the blackened wrist and arm.

   `People died here,' Scrum said, climbing up to look.`Real people, living real lives. Families, friends, lovers.Men and women and children laughing, playing,working. Doing all the things people do. I wonder wherethis poor soul was going when the planet-splitter hit?'

   `Nowhere,' answered Bowman. His tone was blunt.`Let's keep going.'

   They marched on, the Doctor leading them furtherdown the crumbling roadway, and Koral suddenly

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appeared, bounding up the slope.

    `There you are,' said the Doctor, still concentrating onthe screwdriver. `Wondered where you'd got to.'

    Koral reported only to Bowman. `I've scouted aheadbut I can't find anything. The ground gives way further on sheer drops, then some sort of escarpment. I can't seemuch beyond that.'

    `We're probably right on the edge of a massive area ofsubsidence,' noted the Doctor. `It must've been seismicchaos here.'

    `Anything else? Any movement, sign of life?' Bowmanasked Koral.

    `Any sign of ghosts?' Cuttin' Edge added.

    `No. But there is a... smell.'

    Cuttin' Edge snorted. `Babe, this whole planet stinks.'

    `It's the atmosphere,' said Scrum. `All sorts of pollutantgases and reactions were thrown up when the planet wassplit.'

    Koral shook her head. `I do not mean that kind ofsmell. I mean something else. Something I can't define.Something not right.'

    `OK,' Cuttin' Edge cocked his rifle loudly. `Nowyou're makin' me nervous.'

    Bowman turned to the Doctor. `What have you got?Anything? If this is some sort of wild goose chase,Doctor...'

    `Shh.' The Doctor now had the sonic screwdriveragainst his ear, listening intently for some faint signal oranother. He made a couple of tiny adjustments andlistened again, screwing up his face in concentration.

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`We're definitely getting warmer,' he said. `I'm picking upall sorts of stray chronon activity. It's hard to be sure.There's a lot of background radiation, muons, huons,tachyonic decay... and... and...' He shook thescrewdriver and listened again, closing his eyes andholding up a hand for silence.

   `And what?' asked Bowman regardless.

   The Doctor frowned and shook the sonic again. `Andsand, I think. Dropped it on Scarborough beach lastmonth. Took me ages to find it.'

   Bowman sighed. `This is getting us nowhere.'

   `No! Wait!' the Doctor suddenly yelled, his voiceechoing around the rocks.

   Cuttin' Edge and Bowman instantly dropped intodefensive crouches, weapons brought to bear. Whennothing happened, they straightened slowly and glared athim.

   `I've got it again,' declared the Doctor. `This way!'

   He sprang forward, hopping down the rocks as if theland had become a series of enormous steps. On eitherside, Cuttin' Edge and Bowman dropped from ledge toledge, their guns and equipment rattling.

   `You think there is something down here, don't you?'asked Scrum, hurrying to keep up.

   `What makes you say that?' the Doctor asked.

   `I saw the way you listened to Koral. You took herseriously.'

   `Sometimes you have to trust your instincts, Scrum. Orsomeone else's. Koral's hackles were raised the hair onthe back of her neck. Stood up like a brush. A primal

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reaction as old as time. She sensed something all right, shejust doesn't know what.'

   `Something dangerous?'

   The Doctor shrugged casually. `It usually is.'

   `Ghosts?'

   A smile. `Unlikely although the sonic screwdriver isregistering some kind of time drift. Oh! I've just had athought.' The Doctor stopped in his tracks. `Time drift. Iwonder...'

   `Wonder what?'

   `Well, nothing really. It's just a bit of a coincidence,when you think about it. Coming here, looking for somesort of temporal disturbance and when I've alreadyjumped a time track to a period in history when...'

   `When what?'

   The Doctor ran a hand roughly back and forth over hisspiky hair, as if trying to dislodge an unwelcome train ofthought. `Nothing important. Just thinking aloud. Take nonotice. Wibbly wobbly timey wimey. You really don'twant to know.' Then the sonic screwdriver buzzed and theblue light winked faster. The Doctor was instantlygalvanised into action. `Aha! Oh, yes! We're really gettingwarm now!'

   The Doctor scampered away, screwdriver aloft.

   They moved on, heading down all the time. Further on,they couldn't see anything any more as if they wereapproaching the edge of a cliff. Beyond that was a distantmist.

   Looking back up the slope, Scrum was surprised to seehow far they had descended. He could just make out the

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broken spires of the old Arkheon city, and beyond that adark green sky full of stars.

   `Movement!'

   The word was barked out by Cuttin' Edge. He wasalready down on one knee, bringing the rifle sight up tohis eyes. Bowman had swung around to cover him. Scrumstood, wide-eyed, peering at a patch of broken groundway to their left, his heart racing.

   Everyone stood still. There was complete silence.

   `I thought I saw it too,' said Scrum after a minute. Hespoke very, very quietly. `Out of the corner of my eye.'

   `Yeah,' said Cuttin' Edge. `That's what I saw.Definitely somethin' movin' past those rocks. We're bein'followed.'

   The Doctor put a finger to his lips. There was a tangleof metal half-hidden in the soil, the remains of anotherrusting hulk. Flakes of snow drifted off the sharp edges,carried up and away into the night sky by the faintestbreath of wind.

   The Doctor crept slowly towards it. Behind him,Bowman and Cuttin' Edge aimed their weapons.

   When the thing launched its attack, flying over thewreckage with a shocking, awful wail, everyone froze.Like a spectral demon from the planet's darkest shadows,the creature dragged the Doctor to the ground.

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    Two guns roared. Bowman and Cuttin' Edge had the

    thing in their sights before it had even reached the Doctor.

    The two rounds struck simultaneously, throwing the

    creature backwards like a discarded rag against the rocks.

    It slid to the ground in a heap of tattered grey material.

        The Doctor was already on his feet, racing to its side.

        Bowman and Cuttin' Edge closed in, their weapons

    trained on the inert figure.

        `Don't get too close,' ordered Bowman.

        The Doctor ignored him, kneeling down. It was

    roughly humanoid but strangely distorted and wrapped

    in a rough grey shroud. There were two large smouldering

    holes in the material, and a pale light shone out from

    inside.

        `Is it dead?' asked Scrum, approaching warily.

        `Course it's dead,' snapped Cuttin' Edge. `High-impact

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rounds, hollow tipped. We ain't messin', dude.'

   The creature gave a last, nervous twitch and slumpedsideways. The cowl that hid its head slipped and revealedthe face beneath.

   `Holy cow,' muttered Cuttin' Edge. `It's a freakin'ghost.'

   The face was pale and glowing. The skin was actuallyluminous, shining like the moon, with two eyes set sodeep and so immersed in wrinkles that they looked likethose of a newborn rat. A gaping mouth revealed yellowteeth and dark, withered gums. The pallid flesh wascovered in iridescent spots and pustules.

   `We just shot ourselves a ghost,' Cuttin' Edge repeated.He sounded fearful and thrilled, all at once.

   `Be quiet,' ordered Bowman. He bent down to examinethe features more closely. `What is it?'

   The Doctor shook his head. `I don't know. Thedevolved remains of the native Arkheonites, perhaps.Irradiated, desperate, scavenging among the ruins. Morewild animal than anything.'

   `It's disgustin',' said Cuttin' Edge.

   The Doctor stood up. `It's dead,' he said solemnly.

   The creature's glowing face had begun to darken. Asthey watched, a black stain seemed to spread across itsskin, which sagged and crumpled like ancient paper in afire. Soon the creature was little more than a blackenedhusk.

   `Whatever it is,' growled Bowman, `it won't be alone.Look sharp and stay focused.'

   No sooner had he spoken than there was a noise behind

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them. They turned to see two more of the mutant figuresscrambling towards them. They moved with an awkward,urgent gait across the uneven terrain.

    Bowman's gun cracked twice and the figures reeledback. The foremost staggered a few more steps, histattered hood thrown back to reveal the bright, snarlingface and gaping black mouth. Then it collapsed and laystill, face down in the snow.

    `More of them!' shouted Scrum, pointing further back.Half a dozen of the grey, shambling creatures surged intoview.

    `Incomin',' muttered Cuttin' Edge, squaring his bootsand pulling up his rifle to aim. He and Bowman droppedthe first three between them with quick, precise shots.

    The fourth loped across the intervening scrub with asurprising turn of speed, closing in on Koral. She baredher fangs and claws, preparing for battle, but the Doctorstepped nimbly forward, pulling her to one side as heflicked a lump of snow up with the toe of his trainer,straight into the mutant's face. `Don't touch them! Theblood will be contaminated poisonous! You start diggingyour claws into this lot and it could be the last thing youever do.'

    `I will die fighting!'

    `Very likely but not just yet.'

    The Doctor ducked, pulling her down with him despiteher protests, as a volley of fire from Cuttin' Edge's rifletore through the cold air.

    `They're all over the place!' cried Scrum, helping theDoctor and Koral away.

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   `We've stirred up a nest or somethin',' said Cuttin'Edge. He was picking off more of them as he spoke, theheavy boom of the rifle echoing around the wreckage. Themutants were crawling from holes in the ground, theirblack teeth bared in the middle of glowing, growlingfaces. `There's too many of `em. We need to move out.'

   `This way,' Bowman called. He shot another mutantthrough the head and climbed swiftly up the slope behindthem. `Get to the high ground.'

   They scrambled up the rocks after him, Cuttin' Edgebringing up the rear. Every couple of paces he would turnand shoot. The creatures were starting to recognise thedanger and moved quickly from rock to rock, car to car,staying low.

   `We can't get back to the ship,' Scrum panted. `They'vecut off our retreat.' He had drawn his own blaster and waslooking around uncertainly for a target.

   `Cuttin' Edge!' barked Bowman. `Left flank! Clear apath!'

   `Yo.' Cuttin' Edge dropped to one knee, turning to theleft, and switched his rifle to automatic fire. The barrageripped through the air and tore into a group of mutantsclimbing up the slope towards them. Their strange,whimpering cries merged into a funereal wail.

   Bowman led the way down, jumping from rock to rock.The Doctor, Koral and Scrum followed.

   `This way!' yelled the Doctor, pointing to a gap in thehorde.

   Bowman's blaster roared repeatedly, mercilesslyclearing mutants from his path. He strode through the

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carnage, wreathed in the smoke from his weapon. Hisboots crunched over the corpses as he led his partyonward. Behind them, more mutants were filling the nightwith hungry snarls.

   `We're being herded,' realised the Doctor, skidding to ahalt.

   `What?'

   There was a wind blowing now, cold and harsh, and ittook the Doctor's words straight from his lips. He cuppeda hand over his mouth and yelled, `We're being herded!They're forcing us to go this way.'

   Craggy rocks reared ahead of them. They couldn't seewhat lay beyond, but thin, ragged flurries of snow keptdrifting past them, blown down from the summit. Theyhesitated, uncertain now. Bowman looked back with dark,angry eyes. `We can't afford to stop,' he growled.

   `They're closing in!' said Scrum, looking back at theapproaching mutants.

   Bowman turned and began to climb steadily up therocks, setting the example. The Doctor, Scrum and Koralhurried after him. Cuttin' Edge gritted his teeth, squeezingoff half a dozen more shots, and then turned to follow.Behind him, the pale, glowing creatures were convergingon the slope.

   Near the summit, Koral was helping Scrum. `Th-thanks,' he stammered, breathing heavily. `I don't think Ican go... much further.'

   `Just a little more,' Koral urged.

   `Keep moving!' thundered Bowman.

   Koral hooked an arm around Scrum and supported him

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as they struggled up the last few metres.

   `What's over the ridge?' asked Cuttin' Edge.

   `No idea,' Bowman said. `But we're gonna found out.'

   With a final series of lung-bursting steps, they made itto the top. As each of them crested the rise, they halted intheir tracks and gaped. A strange, massive silence weigheddown on them, crushing them.

   `My God,' breathed Bowman, awestruck.

   `It's... it's impossible,' said Cuttin' Edge.

   Scrum started hyperventilating as a panic attack rushedthrough him. Koral simply stared, open mouthed.

   They had reached the very edge of the world. Literally because the ground simply fell away at their feet in agigantic, immeasurable cliff stretching from side to side,horizon to horizon. The sheer face sank down and down,into a dark, mist-shrouded distance. And below them far,far below was the curved edge of a glowing ball ofmolten rock.

   `Cor!' exclaimed the Doctor. His face was a picture ofboyish excitement. His eyes were wide, his hair standingon end, as he practically danced along the cliff edge. `Imean core!'

   `It's... it's...' Cuttin' Edge was, finally, lost for words.

   `It's the edge of the world!' cried the Doctor. He wasjumping up and down, barely able to contain hisexcitement. `Look at it! The very edge! It's a sheer drop,right down to the core! Amazing! Fantastic! Brilliant!Have you ever seen anything like that in your life before?You haven't, have you? You haven't!' He bounced aroundamong them, whooping and laughing. `I haven't either!

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Never, ever before! Not like this! It's a new sight! A newsight!'

   Somehow, heat radiated from the distant knot ofburning iron, rising up to carry flakes of snow from theedge of the cliff into the air. The snow danced faintly inthe air, rising like pale, spectral flames.

   `I feel sick,' Scrum said.

   `It's just vertigo,' said the Doctor happily. `Perfectlynatural. It's quite a view, isn't it? Brilliant! Molto bene!`He roared the last two words into the night sky, feetplanted wide, arms thrown up into the air.

   `Before you get too carried away,' warned Bowman,`you might like to think about our position in purelystrategic terms.'

   `He means this ain't no sightseein' trip,' said Cuttin'Edge, pointing behind them. A crowd of glowing mutantswere dragging themselves up the rise, murmuring andgrowling.

   `Oh, them,' nodded the Doctor. `No, I hadn't forgotten.I'm just multitasking.' He whipped out his sonicscrewdriver, held it out over the cliff edge and clicked iton. The sonic bleeped faintly, slowly at first but then withsudden, thrilling urgency. `Aha!' The Doctor's face brokeinto another huge grin. `There it is! We've found it theArkheon Threshold. Remember that? The little tear inspace-time it's right near the heart of this planet... rightin the dying core!'

   `Doctor,' Cuttin' Edge said. `They're gettin' closer.'

   `Working on it, working on it...'

   Bowman turned to Cuttin' Edge with a frown. `Since

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when did he become leader?'

   `Oh no.'

   The Doctor's voice cut through the air like a knife. Hewas staring over the cliff edge again, but with none of thegiddy delight he had previously shown. He lookedsuddenly stiff and uncertain.

   `What is it?' asked Scrum. `What's the matter?'

   `A thought has just occurred to me,' the Doctor said.His tone was bleak, almost angry. `Why didn't I think of itbefore?'

   `What?'

   The Doctor pointed downwards, towards the exposedcentre of the shattered world. `The planetary core!' Hesuddenly snapped his hand upwards, smacking himself onthe forehead. `D'oh!'

   Koral frowned. `I don't understand...'

   `I think things are about to get a lot worse,' the Doctorsighed.

   `Worse?' repeated Cuttin' Edge scornfully. `We'retrapped on the edge of the biggest cliff in the universe,facin' an army of zombie ghosts from hell. What could beworse?'

   The Doctor looked at him sadly, at all of them, and hisexpression was as cold and terrible as the planet theystood on. `I'm sorry,' he said, his eyes full of anguish.`I'm so sorry...'

   And then, behind him, rising up beyond the cliff edge,seemingly borne aloft on the flickering curtain of snow,they came: metallic bronze shapes, bristling with arms andweaponry which wavered and twitched like insect

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antennae.

    Eyestalks swivelled, fixing on the Doctor and his littleparty as they cowered on the edge of the cliff. Implacable,glowing blue eyes stared down at them.

    `HALT!' screeched the nearest Dalek, its dome lightsflickering in triumph. `DO NOT MOVE OR YOUWILL BE EXTERMINATED!'

    There was nowhere to go, nowhere to run. They juststood and stared helplessly as the Daleks floated towardsthem.

    `YOU ARE NOW PRISONERS OF THE DALEKS!'

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    The Daleks slowly descended until they were skimming

    the surface of the escarpment.

       The native mutants of Arkheon immediately scattered,

    turning and running for cover or slipping down boltholes,

    their thin rags snaking after them as they disappeared

    from sight. Within moments, there was no sign that they

    had ever existed ghosts in every sense.

       `RESIST AND YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED,'

    grated the first Dalek. It glided over to where the

    Wayfarer crew stood huddled together. The eyestalk roved

    up and down, examining them contemptuously.

       `YOU ARE OUR PRISONERS,' the Dalek repeated

    loudly. `YOU WILL OBEY THE DALEKS!'

       Bowman was gripping his blaster so hard his knuckles

    were bone-white. He was a fraction of a second from

    opening fire when the Doctor said, `Leave it. Try anything

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stupid and you'll be exterminated on the spot.'

   `Then what do we do?' hissed Cuttin' Edge, his voicecracking with anger and fear. He, too, was a single jitterymoment away from bringing his rifle to bear.

   The Doctor simply raised his hands. `Surrender.'

   There was a tense moment, but neither Bowman norCuttin' Edge moved.

   The Dalek swivelled to address the Doctor. `ARE YOUTHE LEADER OF THIS GROUP?'

   `No, he isn't,' said Bowman. `I am.'

   The Dalek's dome turned, the eye focusing onBowman. His face reflected the blue glow like stone.`DISCARD YOUR WEAPONS,' it ordered.

   Nobody moved.

   `IMMEDIATELY!' screeched the Dalek. `OBEY!'

   `Do it,' said Bowman, after a pause.

   He let go of his blaster and it dropped to the ground athis feet. Cuttin' Edge threw down his rifle. Scrum droppedhis handgun.

   `I'm not carrying any weapons,' said the Doctor. `Andneither is this person.' He indicated Koral with a nod ofhis head.

   A Dalek moved forward, extending its sucker arm. Itscanned the Doctor and Koral briefly. `NO ENERGY ORPROJECTILE WEAPONS DETECTED.'

   `Told you,' said the Doctor quietly.

   `SILENCE!' barked the Dalek. It turned its headtowards another pair of Daleks. `DESTROY THEWEAPONS.'

   The Daleks glided forward, their gun-sticks swivelling

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to point at the blasters lying in the dirt. There was a brightflare and the discarded weaponry was melted into slag.

   Koral was trembling violently. The Doctor could sensethat she was about to run or attack. And knowing Koral,he guessed it would probably be the latter. Either actionwould result in death.

   Bowman had sensed it too. He reached out a hand andrested it on her shoulder. `Easy.'

   Koral turned to look at him, her eyes blazing. Bowmansimply nodded. He understood. `You're the last of the RedSky Lost,' he said gently. His voice sounded like the purrof a tiger. `You've got to stay alive.'

   Scrum, also, was visibly shaking. But this was due tosimple terror. He had one hand clamped over his mouth,as if trying to stop himself from being sick. Cuttin' Edgenudged him with his elbow. `Dude. Chill out.'

   Scrum nodded but kept his hand on his mouth. His eyeswere so wide they were almost circles.

   `WALK THIS WAY,' grated the lead Dalek, turningtowards the cliff edge.

   `I couldn't walk that way if I tried,' muttered theDoctor under his breath. `At least, not without castors...'

   The Dalek's dome swivelled right round, the eyestalkglaring at him.

   `Nothing,' the Doctor said, innocently.

   `WALK IN FRONT OF ME,' the Dalek said, glidinground to position itself behind the group. `MOVE!DISOBEDIENCE WILL RESULT IN INSTANTEXTERMINATION.'

   `Come on,' said the Doctor, adopting as jaunty a tone

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as he could manage. He stuck his hands in his trouserpockets and sauntered towards the cliff edge, whisperinginto Scrum's ear as he passed. `Stick with me. I'll handlethis.'

   Scrum looked uncertainly at him. `Really?'

   The Doctor raised his eyebrows and pulled an ofcourse! face. `I've done this loads of times,' he said.

   So Scrum stuck with him, walking stiffly towards thecliff edge, the direction in which the Daleks were herdingthem. When they reached the precipice, they stopped.Bowman, Koral and Cuttin' Edge joined them. No onewanted to go too near to the abyss.

   `What they gonna do?' asked Cuttin' Edge. `Throw usoff?'

   But a heavy whine of machinery was already filling theair as a large, flat metal surface suddenly rose up adjacentto the cliff top. There were two Daleks on the platform,one of them positioned next to a small control podium. Itmade an adjustment with its sucker and the platformmoved closer to the edge, hovering on antigravitythrusters.

   `A lift!' exclaimed the Doctor. `That's handy. Come on,everybody, hop on.'

   He led the way, springing lightly onto the metalplatform. It bobbed fractionally under his weight, like araft floating on a pond. There was room for a dozen or so,but the other Daleks simply floated off the cliff topalongside the platform.

   `Looks like we were expected,' Bowman remarked.

   `Yeah,' nodded the Doctor. He took a deep breath.

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`Gravity, atmosphere, the lot. They're giving us the VIPtreatment.' He looked carefully at Bowman. `Why d'youthink that is?'

   Bowman shrugged but did not reply.

   The platform started to descend. Eventually theycouldn't even see the top of the cliff, it just rose up like avast, dark wall, blotting out half of space. The Doctorwandered over to the edge of the platform and peekedover. Below, the exposed centre of Arkheon broiled andspat like a cauldron of fire. `Y'know,' he saidconversationally to the Dalek at the controls, `that really isan incredible view. Absolutely amazing. Pity you lot hadto come and spoil it.'

   The Dalek said nothing. The platform continued todescend.

   `So, what's it all for, then?' the Doctor asked. `Let meguess. You're gonna replace the molten core with a drivesystem, start flying the planet around the galaxy? See thesights?'

   `SILENCE!' grated the Dalek.

   `I'm only trying to make conversation,' the Doctorretorted, sounding hurt. He waited for a response but therewas nothing.

   The platform cleared the upper edge of an enormouscavern. The solid wall of the planetary magma hadsuddenly given way to a vast hollow in the rock. Whetherit was a natural chasm or deliberately excavated it wasimpossible to tell, but there was enough room for severalspacecraft hangars. The platform veered into the cavern,moving slowly inside the planet itself. Below them was an

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immense, metallic web of criss-crossing walkways andlanding areas. There were Daleks gliding along thewalkways, across platforms, through corridors. On onelevel there were serried ranks of Daleks, all moving inunison, disappearing into a deeper, darker cavern.

   `Hell and damnation,' breathed Cuttin' Edge. He hadnever in his life seen so many Daleks in one place. `Nowwe're really in the--'

   `Should have seen this coming,' interrupted the Doctor.There was no attempt at a casual demeanour now. `I reallyshould.'

   `What do you mean?' asked Scrum.

   `They've been here all the time,' the Doctor said. Theexpression on his face was dark, rueful. `Look at thisplace! It must have taken years to build and develop abase like this. We thought the Daleks were searching forArkheon. Turns out they found it ages ago and moved in.'

   `I think it's worse than that,' said Bowman.

   Cuttin' Edge let out a hiss of frustration. `Will you guysstop sayin' that? "It's worse than that" and "It's worsethan I thought"! Hell! How much worse is this gonnaget?'

   `A lot,' said Bowman. `I think I know what this placeis. I heard rumours. The Daleks had a top-secret basewhere they took all their high-level prisoners forinterrogation and experimentation.'

   `No way,' Cuttin' Edge spat out in disbelief.`Interrogation? Experimentation? Are you serious?'

   `Daleks love prisoners,' the Doctor said. `Gives themsuch a sense of power. They love nothing more than

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lording it over the inferior species. Humiliation, torment,slavery. That's their thing.'

   Cuttin' Edge shook his head. `You ain't makin' it soundany better, dude.'

   The Doctor turned to Bowman. `This top-secretinterrogation base. Is there anything else you canremember about it?'

   `Why?' Bowman's tone was bleak. His face wasretreating into its stone-like appearance as he preparedhimself for what lay ahead.

   `Anything could be useful.'

   `Don't count on it. They used to call it "the BlackHole" as in nothing ever came out again. No one and Imean no one ever escaped from this place. It's a one-way ticket.'

   `CEASE TALKING!' One of the Daleks movedtowards them, gun and arm twitching eagerly.`PRISONERS WILL BE SILENT.'

   No one spoke again as the platform continued itsdescent into the Dalek prison. Whenever they passed moreDaleks, eyestalks would slowly turn, domes swivelling,observing. It was as if every Dalek that saw them wasminutely examining them, glaring at them with a mixtureof hatred and resentment and, perhaps, just a hint ofcuriosity. The prisoners huddled together, Koral movingcloser to Bowman so that he could put a hand on hershoulder.

   Presently the platform lowered itself into a widereception area. Daleks glided to and fro, watching themcarefully. Two Daleks came forward to meet the platform.

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    `STEP OFF THE LANDING PLATFORM,' grated thefirst.

    Slowly the prisoners filed onto the metal floor. TheDalek on the platform prodded Cuttin' Edge in the backwith its sucker arm, pushing him forward so that hestumbled. `MOVE! FASTER! OBEY THE DALEKS!'

    Cuttin' Edge glared back. `Don't push me, you metalcreep.'

    The Dalek floated forward, the bulbous blue eye fixedon the human. `BE SILENT!'

    Cuttin' Edge stared back, his face reflecting the light.`Don't wave that eyestalk in my face, creep. I can getgood money for that back home.'

    `BE SILENT OR YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!'

    `All right, cool it,' said Bowman. `That's enough,Cuttin' Edge. Let's not rile them. It's too easy.'

    With a snort, Cuttin' Edge turned away. `Whatever yousay, skip.'

    The Dalek circled slowly around Cuttin' Edge,examining him from every angle. `YOU WILL OBEYTHE DALEKS. FROM NOW ON YOU WILL TAKEORDERS ONLY FROM DALEKS. THIS HUMAN ISNO LONGER YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER.'

    `He never was my commanding officer,' shruggedCuttin' Edge. `He's just a guy I kinda like.'

    The Doctor, keeping very much to the background,watched the exchange carefully. He didn't know whetherto wince or cheer out loud. But Cuttin' Edge was playing adangerous game; the line between defiance and suicidewas a very thin one when baiting Daleks.

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   This particular Dalek had already reached screechinglevel. `OBEY THE DALEKS! YOU WILL OBEY!'

   `Just remember,' Cuttin' Edge said coolly, `thateyestalk's mine.'

   `BE SILENT!' The Dalek's sucker arm suddenlyextended and grasped Cuttin' Edge's chest. The black cupgripped and squeezed and Cuttin' Edge howled. Then theDalek released him and he fell to the floor, gasping forbreath and rubbing his chest.

   Scrum helped him to his feet. `You're going to getyourself killed!'

   `THE NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK WITHOUTPERMISSION WILL BE EXTERMINATED,' grated oneof the other Daleks. `NOW REMOVE YOUR OUTERGARMENTS.'

   Slowly the prisoners unfastened their heavy winterjackets and dropped them on the floor. Cuttin' Edge'sbravado may have been inspirational, but he had verynearly paid for it with his life. The Doctor was trying tokeep a low profile and merge in with the group, keepinghis head down. But Koral had already seen enough. Shewas looking at him curiously, but the Doctor pretendednot to notice and stared down at his canvas trainers.

   Two Daleks approached the group, sucker armsextended. `PRISONERS WILL BE SCANNED ANDCATEGORISED,' said one. `STAND APART! MOVE!'

   The little group shuffled around until they were allseparate and in a line. First to be scanned was Scrum. Thesuckers roved all over him, emitting strange electronicwarbling noises. `SPECIES HUMAN.' The Dalek spoke

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the word as if it tasted foul. `MALE. PHYSICALCAPACITY LEVEL FIVE POINT NINE. MARGINALUSE.'

   `Marginal?' echoed Scrum, affronted.

   The Daleks scanned Cuttin' Edge. `SPECIES HUMAN. MALE. PHYSICAL CAPACITY LEVELSEVEN POINT FIVE. SUITABLE. YOU WILL BETAKEN TO THE MINE TO WORK FOR THEDALEKS.'

   The Daleks then moved on to Koral, who was standingnext to Bowman.

   `SPECIES UNKNOWN,' announced one of theDaleks. `FEMALE. PHYSICAL CAPACITY LEVELNINE POINT FOUR. SUITABLE. YOU WILL BETAKEN TO THE MINE TO WORK FOR THEDALEKS.'

   Koral looked fearfully at Bowman. He reached out andsqueezed her hand gently; and it was easy for Koral to seethe relief in his eyes relief that she hadn't been declaredtoo dangerous and killed on the spot.

   The Daleks moved on, scanning Bowman next. Hestood straight, shoulders back, chin up, almost as if he wasback on the parade ground.

   `SPECIES HUMAN. MALE. PHYSICALCAPACITY LEVEL SEVEN POINT SIX. WAIT!'Something had attracted the Dalek's attention. `EXTENDYOUR ARM.'

   After a brief pause, Bowman thrust out his left arm.

   The Dalek's eye focused on the small white scarrunning down his forearm. `EVIDENCE OF

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SUBCUTANEOUS TRANSMITTER REMOVAL!'

   Another Dalek moved forward, its blue eye zeroing inon the scar. `X-RAY CONFIRMS TRANSMITTER HASBEEN REMOVED.'

   `Transmitter?' Scrum whispered. `What transmitter?'

   `Hell, I dunno, pal,' Cuttin' Edge whispered back. `ButBowman don't look happy.'

   Bowman glared stonily at the Dalek and lowered hisarm. `Guess it's your lucky day,' he growled.

   `What's going on?' Scrum wanted to know. Like theothers, he could sense something was up, and his curiosity kindled by panic was enough to make him forget theorders not to speak.

   But the Daleks were too preoccupied with Bowman tonotice. `STEP FORWARD! KNEEL!'

   `I'm not kneeling for you,' Bowman replied simply.

   The Dalek behind Bowman simply thrust out its suckerarm, aiming for the back of Bowman's left knee. His legfolded and Bowman hit the metal floor with a grunt.

   Koral started forward, clearly alarmed. But the Doctorreached out and took her arm, shaking his headfractionally. She looked at him in despair.

   `INITIATE BRAIN SCAN!' Two Daleks extended theirsuckers, closing them around Bowman's head. There wasa shrill, piercing whine and Bowman gasped loudly, flecksof saliva jumping from his lips.

   `Leave him alone!' yelled Scrum, moving forward, butCuttin' Edge grabbed him and pulled him back.

   The Doctor, too, had to grab hold of Koral again toprevent her from physically attacking the Daleks. `Don't

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be stupid!' he hissed.

   The suction cups retracted and Bowman fell forward,onto his hands and knees. He was trembling violently, hishead hanging low between his arms, fighting the urge tovomit. There were angry red weals on his face where thesuckers had gripped him.

   The Daleks were screeching at each other withexcitement.      `ALERT!       INFORM        COMMAND!PRISONER IDENTIFIED AS SPACE MAJOR JONBOWMAN!'

   `WE OBEY!' shrieked a pair of Daleks.

   `Space Major?' echoed Cuttin' Edge. He soundedshocked. `Space Major?'

   `Since when?' Scrum asked.

   `Since the very beginning,' said the Doctor. `Rememberwhen Auros was destroyed? Bowman knew about theOsterhagen Principle. Only senior members of the Earthmilitary would have access to that kind of information. Nowonder the Daleks are so excited... it can't be often theycatch someone as important as this.'

   `Important?' Cuttin' Edge frowned. `He ain't important.Well, not that kinda important.'

   `The Daleks would appear to disagree.'

   At this point a new Dalek arrived it had a similarbronze shell to all the others but they obviously deferredto it as chief, backing away slightly to allow it access tothe prisoners. The Doctor surmised that this would be theDalek designated as overall commander of the prison.

   `STAND!' ordered the Command Dalek, looming overBowman. `STAND IMMEDIATELY!'

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   Koral helped Bowman to his feet. He was unsteady,uncharacteristically pale and listless. His eyes were cloudyand he looked confused. Koral turned and spat at theCommand Dalek. `Leave him alone! Do not touch him orI will rip out your guts!'

   `RELEASE THE PRISONER!' Already, the spittle wasevaporating from the Dalek's head dome in a tiny, patheticpuff of steam. `HE IS TO BE TAKEN FOR FULL BRAINEXCORIATION.'

   `You will have to kill me first!' Koral roared. Shelunged at the nearest Dalek, flicking out her claws andgouging bright sparks from its armour plate.

   But two Daleks fitted with claw manipulators hadalready moved in and seized her. They gripped her armsand practically lifted her off her feet, kicking andstruggling.

   `YOU WILL OBEY THE DALEKS,' said theCommand Dalek.

   `Why don't you just exterminate me!' Koral yelled.

   `IT IS NOT NECESSARY,' intoned the Dalek. `YOUARE REQUIRED FOR WORK IN THE MINES. BUTYOU HAVE DISOBEYED THE DALEKS. ONE OFYOUR PARTY WILL BE PUNISHED.'

   Bowman looked up groggily. `No...' he croaked.

   The Dalek glided forward. `THE WEAKESTMEMBER WILL DIE,' it said.

   Cuttin' Edge choked. `No!' he bellowed, knowingexactly what this would mean.

   `DISABLE THIS HUMAN,' ordered the CommandDalek. One of the others lowered its gun-stick, aiming for

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Cuttin' Edge's legs, and fired. A bright blue flash lit thearea and Cuttin' Edge collapsed to the floor. He then laythere, hands scrabbling at the metal, unable to get a grip.His legs were completely immobile.

    `I can't feel my legs!' he cried.

    `YOU         HAVE        SUFFERED        TEMPORARYNEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE,' one of the Daleksinformed him. `MOBILITY WILL RETURN IN DUECOURSE.'

    Cuttin' Edge swore at the Dalek, completely unable tostand. Tears of pain and frustration ran hotly down hischeeks.

    Scrum was watching all this, his face white with fear.He could hardly breathe. He knew exactly what wascoming next, but his brain, normally so quick, had simplystopped thinking. He was completely unable to speak. Hismouth dropped open wordlessly as two Daleks slowlyturned to face him.

    `EXTERMINATE THIS HUMAN,' ordered theCommand Dalek.

    The twin beams caught Scrum full in the chest,illuminating him with a deadly, coruscating charge. Hescreamed and flung his arms out wide, the bones darklyvisible through the irradiated flesh. And then he fell to thefloor, sprawled across the metal next to Cuttin' Edge.

    `No...' said Cuttin' Edge, almost silently. `Please,no...'

    Then Scrum's face tipped slowly over, and Cuttin'Edge saw that his eyes were still open, but they werecharred black and utterly dead.

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    Scrum's smoking corpse lay between the prisoners and

    the Daleks.

        All that could be heard in the minutes that followed

    was the dull, persistent throb of the Dalek machinery.

        `There was no need for that,' said the Doctor quietly.

    He didn't look up. He was staring down at the body, his

    fists clenched hard. `He wouldn't have harmed anyone.'

        `HE WAS OF NO USE TO US,' replied the Command

    Dalek.

        Its voice grated on the Doctor's nerves, and he closed

    his eyes to shut out the sight.

        `You'll pay for this,' said Cuttin' Edge. He tried to sit

    up on the floor, teeth gritted as his legs filled with

    agonising pain. `I'll make you pay.'

        One of the Daleks circled around Cuttin' Edge, eyestalk

    fixed on him. `SILENCE. YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO

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THE MINES AND MADE TO SERVE THE DALEKS.'

   `No! Never! Kill me now, you metal b--'

   `Cuttin' Edge!' barked Bowman. `Leave it. Just... stayalive as long as you can.'

   Cuttin' Edge looked up at him, his eyes wet with tears.There was a world of despair in those eyes, and they hadturned to the only person who had ever believed in him,looking for hope, for reason, for anything. `How?' heasked, eventually.

   `Kid,' said Bowman, `Just do your best.'

   The Command Dalek approached Bowman. `YOUWILL         BE       TAKEN         FOR        DEEP-LEVELINTERROGATION. THE PROCESS INVOLVESBRAIN EXCORIATION AND SURGERY. YOU WILLNOT SURVIVE THIS PROCESS.'

   Bowman did not reply. He merely looked the Dalekstraight in the eye, his face as impassive as rock.

   The Dalek moved a little closer, and then rasped,almost gloatingly, `THE INFORMATION YOUPOSSESS WILL SERVE THE DALEKS. IT WILL BEUSED TO AID US IN OUR VICTORY AND HELP INTHE DESTRUCTION OF THE HUMAN RACE.'

   `Yeah, right,' Bowman grunted. `Tell me something Idon't know.'

   `YOU WILL OBEY THE DALEKS!'

   Bowman raised an eyebrow. `That a fact? What if Ichoose not to? What if I say you can take your gun-stickand--'

   `SILENCE!'

   `Why? What are you going to do to me, Dalek? I'm too

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valuable for you to exterminate. You need me alive forinterrogation, remember? To help you wipe out mankindor something.'

    The Dalek quivered, its arm and gun twitching withannoyance. The lights on its head flashed manically as itreplied: `YOU WILL BE MADE TO COOPERATE. IFNECESSARY YOU WILL BE PERMANENTLYDISABLED AND TAKEN TO THE INTERROGATIONCHAMBER BY FORCE.'

    Bowman straightened up, squaring his shoulders.`Forget it. I'll walk. Which way is this interrogationchamber, anyway?'

    Once again, the Doctor felt like he wanted to punch theair. There was Scrum, murdered in cold blood, and Cuttin'Edge with his legs paralysed, about to be dragged off withKoral to who knew what. But Bowman, the great, bloody-minded, thick-skinned and irresistible human being that hewas, had still found a way to maintain his dignity.

    Koral had other ideas. She tried to free herself from thegrip of her guards, but it was useless. Not even her aliensinews could break the grip of the Dalek claws. She pulledtowards Bowman, her spine bent like a bow and her fangsbared, but it was no good.

    Bowman saw her and just shook his head. `I'll be OK,'he lied.

    `No,' Koral said. Her voice came out as a patheticcroak. She turned to the Doctor. `Please... You can't letthem take him away.'

    The Doctor swallowed. `I can't stop them, Koral.'

    `You can! You know you can!'

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   He shook his head. `I can't.'

   `What's she talkin' about, man?' asked Cuttin' Edge.`What's she sayin'?'

   The Doctor looked away. `Nothing. She doesn't knowwhat she's talking about.'

   `I do!' Koral's eyes flamed. She looked across atBowman, who stood watching with a slightly puzzledfrown on his old, craggy face. Then she turned back to theDoctor. `You know the future. You've seen it. You knowwhat happens. You know more than him.'

   `Koral, stop it,' ordered the Doctor. `You don'tunderstand!'

   `I understand that they are going to take him and cutout his brain!' Koral yelled. `And you're just standingthere, letting them do it! And he doesn't know anything.Not compared with you!'

   The Doctor took a step towards her. Around them, allthe Daleks had also turned to watch the altercation. `Itdoesn't work like that. I can't let that happen.'

   This time Koral did not reply. She simply stared at theDoctor, a look of utter desperation on her face.

   The Doctor looked away.

   Bowman caught his eye and shook his head slowly. Hismeaning was clear: don't do it.

   `TAKE JON BOWMAN TO THE INTERROGATIONLEVEL,' ordered the Command Dalek.

   Two Daleks began to herd Bowman towards a rampleading further down into the Dalek base. He walkedahead of them, head high and shoulders squared. He didn'tlook back.

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   `Wait,' said the Doctor.

   The Command Dalek swung round to face him.

   The Doctor cleared his throat. `Can I have a privateword?'

   `SPEAK,' ordered the Dalek.

   `Well, this is probably going to be a bitembarrassing...'

   `EXPLAIN!'

   `Look, I really hate it when people say this sort ofthing, but... Do you know who I am?'

   The Dalek said nothing. It simply stared.

   The Doctor stepped towards it, lowering his headslightly so that his mouth was level with the Dalek's neckgrille. Ignoring the oily, noxious vapour that came fromwithin, he leant a little closer.

   And whispered something.

   The effect on the Dalek was literally electric. Its headlamps flashed involuntarily and it suddenly jerked away,arm, gun and eye quivering like the antennae of analarmed cockroach.

   `ALERT!' it cried, head spinning from side to side.`ALERT! SCAN THIS PRISONER!'

   Two Daleks glided forward, suckers extended.

   The Doctor stood, hands held wide. `Come on,' he saidwith a smile and a wink. `You know you want to.'

   The sucker arms scanned his body up and down andthen both Daleks became agitated. Ever so slightly, theyseemed to move back, giving the prisoner a little morespace.     `Emergency!' one        of    them     shrieked.`EMERGENCY! IT IS THE DOCTOR!'

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    `It's the twin hearts, isn't it?' asked the Doctor.`They're such a giveaway.'

    Several Daleks took up the chant, a note of hysteriaentering their voices: `It is the Doctor! IT IS THE DOCTOR!'

    `Please,' smiled the Doctor modestly. `No autographs.'

    The Command Dalek aimed its blaster at the Doctor.`DO NOT MOVE! DO NOT MOVE! YOU ARE THEDOCTOR! YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF THE DALEKS.YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!'

    `Oh, come off it. Not before you've had a chance tointerrogate me, surely?' The Doctor looked around theassembled Daleks. `At least a quick question-and-answersession. No?'

    Throughout the vast, metallic cavern, a ripple ofagitation spread through the Dalek ranks, with the Doctorat its very centre.

    Despite himself, Cuttin' Edge was impressed. `Dude,you got some serious presence. What the hell did you sayto them?'

    `Just enough to make Space Major Bowman look likethird prize in the Christmas raffle. Sorry about that.' TheDoctor turned to Bowman with an apologetic shrug. `I'mafraid they're not going to be all that interested in younow. Try not to feel too downhearted.'

    `I always knew there was something you weren'ttelling us,' replied Bowman. `Turns out you're DalekEnemy Number One. Congratulations.'

    The Doctor nodded sadly. `I know. Funny how thingsturn out, isn't it?'

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   `SILENCE!' shouted the Command Dalek. `DO NOTSPEAK! YOU ARE A PRISONER OF THE DALEKS!YOU WILL BE TAKEN FOR INTERROGATION! ANDTHEN       YOU        WILL     BE      EXTERMINATED!EXTERMINATED!'

   `You always make me feel so welcome.'

   This was now altogether too much for the Dalek. Itssucker arm thudded into the Doctor's stomach and hefolded, the wind whooshing out of him. As he lay on thefloor, gasping for air, the Command Dalek turned back toBowman. `You will be taken to await your interrogation.The other members of your crew will be taken to work inthe core mines.'

   Two Daleks lifted Cuttin' Edge and, dangling him likea puppet, took him away with Koral, heading for adoorway that led deeper into the prison.

   Koral looked back at Bowman, shouting, `I will comeback for you!'

   And then the door closed and Bowman knew thatwould be the last he ever saw of her.

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    The Doctor was marched into a security room to be

    scanned again. Though he was naturally optimistic, even

    he had to admit that things weren't looking too good right

    now. He was uncomfortably reminded of an electric chair

    as he was forced to sit down in the machine.

       The equipment hummed and circular screens around

    the scanning area filled with information as the Doctor

    was examined on a molecular level. Daleks roved around

    the room, checking instruments and displays. The

    atmosphere was electric, in more ways than one: the

    Doctor could tell that his arrival had really set the cat

    among the pigeons.

       The Command Dalek glided forward. `YOU WILL BE

    TAKEN TO A MAXIMUM-SECURITY HOLDING

    CHAMBER TO AWAIT FULL INTERROGATION.'

       `Really, I don't want to put you to any trouble...' said

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the Doctor.

   `NOTIFICATION OF YOUR CAPTURE HASREACHED SKARO.'

   `Ah. Well, they say bad news travels fast.'

   `THE SUPREME DALEK HAS AUTHORISED THEPRIMARY INTELLIGENCE UNIT TO EXTRACT ALLNECESSARY INTELLIGENCE VIA MIND PROBEEXTRACTION.             THE       PROCEDURE            WILLULTIMATELY               PROVE          FATAL.          THEINTERROGATION WILL BE LED BY THE DALEKINQUISITOR GENERAL.'

   The Doctor raised his eyebrows in surprise. `You meanthe Supreme Dalek has sent someone to question me?That's an insult. It's outrageous. The least he could do wascome himself. Better fish to fry, has he?'

   The Command Dalek's eye loomed large as it drewcloser, the lights on its head flashing with calculatedmenace. `THE SUPREME DALEK IS FULLYENGAGED DIRECTING THE WAR AGAINSTEARTH! BUT BY THE TIME THE INQUISITORGENERAL             HAS         COMPLETED             YOURINTERROGATION, YOU WILL WISH THE SUPREMEDALEK HAD COME HERE!'

Koral tried to blank Bowman from her mind. She hadbeen consumed by rage and fear in the reception area, andit could have cost her everything. She had to stay aliveand get back to him, somehow. The Doctor had divertedthe Daleks' attention, but Koral knew it was only atemporary reprieve.

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   The base crackled with static electricity and themetallic air smelled of machine oil and hate. Cuttin' Edgecould barely walk and he was forced to lean on Koral forsupport. They staggered slightly as the lift that carriedthem down into the prison vaults slowed to a stop and thedoors slid open. The Daleks pushed them out onto anarrow walkway overlooking a vast cavern. Its rough-hewn walls rose up to a jagged, cathedral arch ofstalactites.

   It was incredibly hot. Emerging from the lift had beenlike stepping into an oven. As they moved down the ramp,descending through a layer of thick, searing mist, theground suddenly came into view: irregular blocks of blackgranite separated by streams of bubbling, red-hot lava andvolcanic slag.

   And all around, everywhere, there were people: humanbeings manacled together and set to work with pickaxesand shovels, breaking rocks and carrying them to heavy,primitive barrows.

   Floating through the clouds of steam and hovering overthe glowing lava were Dalek guards, their bronze armourplate pockmarked and stained, their domes constantlyrevolving, looking for signs of trouble or weakness fromthe slaves. The blue eyes shone out of the burning hazewith deadly, implacable purpose.

   `WORK UNIT DELTA,' grated one of the Daleks.`YOUR PRODUCTION RATE HAS DROPPED BELOWMINIMUM TOLERANCE. YOUR OUTPUT ISUNSATISFACTORY!'

   Four men looked up fearfully as the Dalek approached.

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They were thin, emaciated, clearly exhausted and allchained together. One of the men, a few wisps of grey hairleft on his skull, simply sat down heavily on a nearby rockand put his face in his hands. `I can't go on...'

   `It's not our fault!' cried one of the other men. He wasyounger, healthier. He pointed at the weakened old manon the rock, his chains rattling as he moved. `He's holdingus all back. He can't work any longer. He's sick!'

   `INEFFICIENT          WORK       UNITS       WILL    BEREPLACED,' said the Dalek remorselessly.

   Two more Daleks descended slowly to join the first.`EXTERMINATE!'

   They opened fire without another word, shooting allfour members of the slave group. The men screamed andtwisted in the blaze of energy and then sank into the lava.Within minutes, they had disappeared, leaving nothing buta layer of bubbling slime on the surface of the molten rockand the stench of roasting meat in the air.

   `STEP FORWARD,' ordered the Dalek who hadbrought Koral and Cuttin' Edge to the mine.

   They shuffled forward, Koral trying to keep Cuttin'Edge on his feet. His legs were shaking as he tried towalk.

   The mine Dalek swung around, glaring at them both fora long moment before saying, `YOU WILL NOW BEWORK UNIT DELTA.'

   `This man is injured,' Koral pointed out. `His legs havebeen damaged. He cannot work.'

   `THEN HE WILL BE EXTERMINATED!'

   `No, wait!' cried Cuttin' Edge, raising a hand. `Wait.

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I'll be OK. I can work.'

    `CAN YOU STAND UNAIDED?' grated the Dalek.

    `Yeah.'

    Cuttin' Edge let go of Koral's arm. His teeth werebared he was clearly in great pain but he managed tostand on his own two feet. Koral could see that Cuttin'Edge simply wasn't going to give the Daleks thesatisfaction of killing of him.

    `SATISFACTORY,' droned the Dalek.

    Cuttin' Edge smiled through the pain.

    `Damn right.'

Bowman paced back and forth like a wild animal in acage. The cell was no more than a few metres square,solid walls and floor. No windows. A harsh white lightbeat down on his head.

    Two narrow benches ran along opposite walls.Bowman tried sitting down but he couldn't keep skill. Theanger inside him raged like a beast. He wanted to punchthe walls, kick the door, tear apart the first thing that camethrough it with his bare hands.

    The cell door hummed open and the Doctor was throwninside. He hit the floor heavily and groaned. The doorclosed behind him with a solid clang.

    Bowman stalked backwards and forwards but made noattempt to help him up.

    The Doctor crawled up onto a bench and stared atBowman for a full minute before saying, `All that pacingup and down is going to wear you out. It's making metired just watching you.'

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     `Shut up.'

     `Sorry. What are you doing, thinking up a way toescape?'

     `You don't escape from a place like this,' Bowmansnarled back. `You just wait until they come and kill you.'

     The Doctor blew out his cheeks in a long sigh. `You'rea big comfort, aren't you? Some cellmate.'

     `I'm just telling it like it is.'

     `Sounds more like you're giving in.'

     `Don't you see?' Bowman suddenly roared. `Don't youcare? They're gonna rip our brains out! It's the end of theline!'

     `Well, technically, they're going to take my brain apartneuron by neuron. But yes, they'll probably just rip yoursout.' Under his breath, the Doctor added, `If they can findit...'

     `You think this is all one big joke, don't you?'

     The Doctor stretched out his legs and folded his arms.`No. I think it's a disaster. And, worst of all, I should haveseen it coming.'

     `What?'

     `We've been set up. This was a trap all along. A greatbig gold-plated trap. With the words "this is a trap"written on it in mile-high luminous letters. And we justwalked right into it.'

     Bowman frowned dangerously. `What the hell do youmean?'

     `The Dalek on the Wayfarer,' explained the Doctor. `Ittricked us. When it finally talked, it left us just enoughclues to lead us here, to Arkheon.'

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   `You mean it tricked you,' Bowman said. `You broughtus here, remember.'

   `Yeah, well, if you want to point the finger, then maybe maybe I should have seen it coming. I did exactlywhat I told you not to which is underestimate theDaleks. They're always thinking, always conniving,always planning. You can't trust them an inch. Even in itslast, dying moments that Dalek having been torn out ofits life-support machine and tortured managed to trickus. Sold us half a line about the Arkheon Threshold andleft my imagination to do the rest. It knew who I was, itknew who you were. And it tricked us into takingourselves straight to the biggest Dalek prison this side ofSkaro.' The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he stared intospace. `Clever, that. Really, really clever.'

   Bowman leant down so that he was right in theDoctor's face. `For your information, I don't admire theDaleks. Never have done. I respect them, but I don'tadmire them.'

   The Doctor smiled. `Nah. It's not respect, Bowman. It'sfear.'

   `What did you say?'

   `I said it's fear. That's what you're feeling now.'

   `No chance.'

   `It's fear of what the Daleks can do to you, of what theycan do to your friends and family and loved ones. Whatthey can do to all of us everyone and everything thatisn't a Dalek. Cos you know they won't stop until they'rethe only creatures left in the universe.'

   `The supreme beings?' Bowman sneered. `In their

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dreams.'

   `That's more like it,' grinned the Doctor. `There's lifein the old dog yet.'

In the caverns, two more prisoners a woman and a girl were marched over to where Cuttin' Edge and Koralstood. Manacles and chains were quickly fixed to theirwrists and ankles so that all four were bound together. Thewoman and the girl clung to each other, not even lookingup.

   `YOUR TASK IS TO REMOVE ROCK DEBRISFROM THE DRILL AREA,' a Dalek informed them. `IFYOU DO NOT WORK HARD ENOUGH YOU WILLBE EXTERMINATED!'

   Cuttin' Edge looked at the woman and the girl. Theywere probably mother and daughter, the girl perhaps onlyeleven or twelve years old. Both kept their heads down.Cuttin' Edge felt his stomach churn with anger.

   `You gotta be kiddin',' he told the Dalek. `They can'twork. She's only a kid.'

   The Dalek glided forward, gun-stick revolving in itssocket. `The Daleks do not make exceptions. You are towork as a unit. If you fail you will be exterminated.'

   `I'm tellin' you, she can't work--'

   `DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE DALEKS! YOU WILLOBEY!'

   Cuttin' Edge felt a cool hand on his arm. It was thewoman looking up at him through a thin curtain of dirtyhair with imploring eyes. She didn't say anything. Shedidn't have to. The meaning was clear. Be quiet, please.

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Don't argue. Don't provoke them.

    The woman had kept one arm tight around the girl'sshoulders, holding her close. She was doing her best toprotect her daughter. The anger in Cuttin' Edge's gutsturned into a sense of helplessness. He looked back at theDalek, but its single blue eye only blazed, challenginghim, daring him to argue. Wanting him to argue.

    `OK,' he muttered. `OK. You win. For now. We'll moverocks.'

    `SPEAK LOUDER,' grated the Dalek.

    `I said OK! We'll work!'

    Cuttin' Edge turned to Koral. She was staring listlesslyat the rocky ground, the chains hanging heavily on herwrists. She looked utterly defeated.

    `Hey, don't let your head go down, babe,' he saidquietly. `Come on. Let's go.'

    Cuttin' Edge had been leaning on Koral for support, buthis legs were now full of an agonising pins and needlessensation, which he presumed was a good sign. It meantthat the feeling was finally coming back. He could walk alittle, although it was still painful.

    `I can manage,' he told Koral quietly. `Don't help meany more. If they think I can't walk on my own they'llshoot, remember.'

    Koral nodded and let him stand unaided. Cuttin' Edgetook a deep breath. The nerves in his legs felt like theywere burning up. But he was determined to walk alone.That's what Jon Bowman would have done.

    The four of them trooped slowly, awkwardly, across thecavern, winding their way through the other slaves and

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clouds of steam. They were taken to an area littered withrocks and rubble, where several work units groups offour humans chained together were picking up rocks andpassing them along the line to a large metal skip.

   `They don't need us to do this,' said Cuttin' Edge indisgust. `They could do this faster an' better withmachines. Why use us?'

   `Because they can,' said Koral. `Because they like to.Subjugation of the lower races. It's Dalek policy.'

   A Dalek rolled by, watching them, and Cuttin' Edgepicked up a rock. `Best get started,' he said. `Pass italong.'

   Koral passed the rock to the woman, who let herdaughter take it to the skip and throw it in. The girl movedquickly back to stand close to her mother, waiting for thenext rock. The chains that bound them all together rattledwith every movement.

   Again, Cuttin' Edge felt the fury building inside him.But they were surrounded by Daleks all of them lookingfor an excuse to exterminate. There was nothing he coulddo.

   Except, he realised numbly, whatever the Dalekswanted.

`All the detention cells they must have in this place, and Iget to share one with you.'

   The Doctor sat up on the bench. `It could be worse.You could have been having your brain scooped out ofyour skull and dissected by now.'

   `Tough choice.' Bowman sat back on a narrow metal

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bench and folded his arms.

   `At least this way we've got a bit more time. You'vebeen put on the back burner while they think what to dowith me.'

   `Whatever.'

   `And they've put us together deliberately,' said theDoctor, looking upwards. The cell was metal andotherwise featureless apart from a protected light fittingin the ceiling and a camera mounted high up on one wallwhich resembled a Dalek eyestalk. `They'll be watchingeverything we do. They want to hear what we've got tosay to each other.'

   `Which is nothing.'

   `Oh come on. Talking is good! I like talking.'

   Bowman closed his eyes. `Yeah, I'd noticed.'

   They sat in silence for a minute before the Doctor said,`So. Space Major Bowman. You're a bit of a dark horse,aren't you?'

   Bowman looked balefully at the Doctor. `Don't youever give up?'

   `Never. So come on. How come you're so important tothe Daleks?'

   `I thought you said they'd be listening to us,' Bowmangrowled, jerking a thumb at the eyestalk on the wall.

   `Yeah, but they'll know all this stuff already. They'llprobably just turn over and watch whatever's on the otherside.' The Doctor sat forward and pointed at the white scaron Bowman's forearm. `That's what gave you away, isn'tit? Where you took the old Earth Command transmitterout of your arm. Everyone over the rank of captain has

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one surgically implanted when they're commissioned. It'sa little microchip that transmits your location and healthstatus basically whether you're alive or dead back tobase. Helps Earth Command keep track of all its importantmilitary assets right across the galaxy. But you took yoursout, which is strictly against orders. Are you a deserter,Space Major Bowman?'

    Bowman's eyes narrowed. The Doctor was staring athim, eyes huge, mouth hanging open in a half grin.Bowman felt like punching his lights out.

    `It's a bit more complicated than that,' he saideventually.

    The Doctor sat back, put his hands behind his head andstretched his long legs out on the bench. `Go on, I'mlistening.'

    `Well,' Bowman rumbled, `maybe it just seemedcomplicated at the time. Thing is, I was once a goodsoldier with a bright future. Did some good stuff in theFirst Dalek Incursion. Got promoted. Somehow ended upa Space Major and before I knew it I was helping todesign the defence system for Earth Central. I'd gonefrom being a fighting soldier on the front line to a securityconsultant sitting behind a desk. Didn't like it one bit but I did a good job.'

    A bitter look flashed across his face at the memory.`When I finished, Earth Command decided that I was nowa security risk because I knew so much and the safestthing to do was wipe my memory.'

    The Doctor winced sympathetically. `No wonder youdidn't want to involve Earth Command in this business.'

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    `Yeah, well, I didn't fancy a future as a brainless oldtrooper in some spacers' home. So I got out.'

    `You deserted.'

    `I cut the chip out of my arm and buried it in the deserton the planet Mykron. And then I went on the run.'

    `But carried on doing the only thing you knew killingDaleks.'

    `The only thing I wanted to do. Worked around thefringes of the Earth worlds for a while, on the Wayfarer.But eventually, when Earth was getting desperate, theystarted recruiting bounty hunters to harass the Dalekforces on the frontier planets. I jumped at the chance tokill some Daleks, and it paid good money.'

    `Bit of a comedown, though, for a high-ranking officerin the Space Service.'

    `Better than winding up a brainless old trooper.'Bowman considered where he was and then added,`Looks like that's gonna happen now anyhow. Thedefence system for Earth Central is still wet-wired into mybrain. The Daleks know that I've been on their mostwanted list for years. Now I'm here and I can't helpthinking I should have taken the brain-wipe when it wasfirst offered.'

    `Rubbish. While you're still alive and you've still gotall your marbles, there's always hope. Always.'

    Bowman raised an eyebrow. `You're pretty optimisticfor a man who's sitting in a cell at the very centre of theDaleks' biggest prison and interrogation centre.'

    The Doctor was suddenly struck by a thought. `Haveyou ever heard of something called the Dalek Inquisitor

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General?'

   Bowman's eyes opened fractionally. `Where did youhear that name?'

   `The Command Dalek said I was going to beinterrogated by the Dalek Inquisitor General. Meananything to you?'

   Bowman sat upright. His whole demeanour had subtlychanged: he was alert, tense, and his eyes wereuncharacteristically wide. `You've got to be kidding.You've never heard of Dalek X?'

   `Should I have?'

   Bowman drew a deep breath.

   `The Dalek Inquisitor General is one of EarthCommand's priority targets. His Space Service securitydesignation is X. Hence the nickname Dalek X. Ifthey've called him in then you're in more trouble than Ithought. In fact, you must have put every damned Dalekfrom here to Skaro on red alert.' He leant forward, staringintently at his cellmate as if examining him properly forthe very first time. `Just who the hell are you? Really?'

   `Never mind about me. Tell me what you know aboutthis Dalek X.'

   `Well, he's a whole deal of trouble. It's not very often aparticular Dalek gets a reputation but he's one of theSupreme Dalek's top commanders and a helluva toughcustomer. They say he's put the order in to exterminatemore humans than anyone else in history. I've heard himdescribed as the Devil in Dalek form.'

   The Doctor sagged. `Suddenly I'm not feeling quite sooptimistic.'

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    Cuttin' Edge was still hurting. He was starting to shake,

    almost as if he had a fever. Spasms of burning pain ran

    through his legs every few seconds. Occasionally he

    would stumble, or fall painfully on one knee, and Koral

    would have to pull him quickly to his feet before the

    Daleks noticed. His heart hammered in his chest every

    time a Dalek came near.

       The Daleks glided among the workers, some armed

    with a kind of electric tine in place of the usual sucker.

    Any slave thought to be slacking was prodded. There

    would be a loud crackle and the slave would instantly

    move faster, blinking away hot tears of pain.

       `I can't stand much more of this,' muttered Cuttin'

    Edge.

       Koral looked at him. `Don't stop now. You are stronger

    than almost anyone else here.'

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   `I don't mean that. I can keep on shiftin' rocks fromnow until doomsday, if my legs hold out. I'm talkin' aboutwatching those scumbuckets torturin' innocent people.'

   `Just keep working,' said a voice from the back of theline. It was the woman. Her voice wavered as she spoke,but her green eyes were steady and determined. `If you doanything stupid, the Daleks will kill all of us. Me and mydaughter included.'

   Cuttin' Edge lowered his gaze.

   `I'm Jenifa,' said the woman. There was the ghost of asmile on her lips. `This is Kuli.'

   `Hi,' said Kuli in a small voice.

   Cuttin' Edge found himself waving back at the littlegirl. She was just like her mother long, straight hair,determined eyes. `How long you been here?' he asked.

   `Long enough to know that you're badly injured,'Jenifa replied.

   `I'm OK.'

   `You can barely stand. You're shaking.'

   Koral said, `He was shot in the legs by a Dalek. Somekind of stun blast.'

   `It's neurological shock,' Jenifa explained. `I was anurse on the planet Auros. When the Daleks interceptedthe refugee fleet, we were all brought here to work. ButI've helped treat injuries like yours before.'

   `Is he going to die, Mummy?' asked Kuli. She stared atCuttin' Edge in wonder, as if expecting him to keel overany minute.

   `Hey,' said Cuttin' Edge. `I ain't goin' anywhere yet,babe.'

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   `Does it matter?' asked Jenifa. `Looks to me like we'realready in Hell as it is.'

   A Dalek descended through the mist. `DO NOTSPEAK. YOU ARE HERE TO WORK. TALKING ISFORBIDDEN. OBEY THE DALEKS.'

   `Yeah, yeah,' grumbled Cuttin' Edge. `Same old sameold.'

   The Dalek's electric prod extended and a spark leaptinto Cuttin' Edge's chest. He cried out and sat downheavily, chains rattling. Koral grabbed him and tried topull him upright. It was difficult. Cuttin' Edge felt as if hislegs were on fire, and they were as weak as a newbornlamb's. He held on to her for support, teeth gritted.

   `YOU CANNOT STAND,' observed the Dalek. `IFYOU CANNOT STAND YOU CANNOT WORK.'

   `We've been through this already,' snarled Cuttin'Edge. `An' I've told you: I'm still standin'. And I'll stillbe standin' when you're a pile of rust on the floor. Gotthat?'

   The Dalek eyed him implacably. `IF YOU DO NOTWORK YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED.'

   `Yeah,' nodded Cuttin' Edge, bending down andpicking up a rock. `So you said.' For a moment hecontemplated ramming the rock into the Dalek's eye.Wouldn't do it a whole lot of harm, but it might make himfeel a bit better. Just for a second. But then he thought ofKoral and Jenifa and Kuli. And he turned and passed therock on. It was transferred down the line and dropped intothe skip with a loud clang.

   Satisfied, the Dalek moved on.

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  And, teeth grinding as he fought back theoverwhelming pain, Cuttin' Edge bent down and pickedup another rock. His legs trembled and his heart pounded.But he continued working.

In the main control room, the Command Dalek swungaround to face a subordinate. `REPORT!'

   `EXCAVATION WORK ON THE PLANETARYCORE IS BEHIND SCHEDULE,' said the Dalek.`SLAVE OUTPUT IS FALLING. RESOURCES HAVEBEEN DIVERTED TO ENSURE MAXIMUMSECURITY ON LEVEL NINE ZERO ONE.'

   Level nine zero one was Arkheon's most secure area.That was where the Doctor was being held.

   `UNDERSTOOD,' replied the Command Dalek.`REPORT ON THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TEAM.'

   `PROGRESS CONTINUES. THE RESEARCH TEAMESTIMATES THRESHOLD BREAKTHROUGH INTHREE SOLAR DAYS.'

   `THAT IS UNSATISFACTORY! THE ARKHEONTHRESHOLD MUST BE BROKEN AS SOON ASPOSSIBLE. DIVERT ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES.PRIORITY ONE!' The Command Dalek glided over toone of the main control panels, where several circularscreens showed views of the surrounding cosmos. `THEDALEK INQUISITOR GENERAL IS DUE TO ARRIVEIN FOUR HUNDRED RELS! THE FLEET HAS BEENPLACED ON FULL ALERT ON THE EDGE OF THEARKHEON SYSTEM. WE MUST BE READY!'

   There was no mistaking the rising pitch of the

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Command Dalek's voice. The subordinate's lights flashedurgently. `I OBEY!' it shrieked, and turned to leave theroom quickly.

    The Command Dalek watched the screens. One showeda fleet of Dalek saucers flying in formation towardsArkheon space. A tiny thrill of anticipation passed throughthe shrunken creature inside the bronze casing.Anticipation and fear. It could sense, like every otherDalek in the room, that history was about to be made. Or,if not actually made, then torn apart.

    Dalek X was coming.

    The Inquisitor General had adopted the securitydesignation given to him by Earth Command. Heunderstood that it inspired fear in humans fear of theunknown, fear of his ruthlessness, fear of his completedevotion to the Supreme Dalek.

    Dalek X had just one purpose, one goal: the total andutter destruction of the human race. Mastery over everyother life form. Domination of the universe at any cost.These were the central beliefs of every Dalek in existence,but Dalek X was driven by something else: the certainknowledge that the only way the Dalek race would everachieve its ultimate aim was by conquering both spaceand time. He reported only to the Supreme Dalek onSkaro. He was feared by everyone and everything in thegalaxy.

    And he was coming for the Doctor.

`We've got to get out of here,' said the Doctor. He wasmoving around the cell, checking the walls and floor.

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    `Don't be stupid,' growled Bowman.

    `You can either sit there and criticise, or you can help.'

    Bowman snorted. `What are you looking for? A trapdoor?'

    `Anything. Anything at all.' The Doctor dropped to hishands and knees, pressing his ear to the metal floor. `Ican't hear a thing. I think we're on the lowest level.'

    `Figures.'

    The Doctor jumped to his feet. `Well, it means onegood thing: the only way is up!'

    `Feeling optimistic again?'

    `Oh yes!'

    `You're insane.'

    `I'm in here. And I want to be out there.' The Doctorpointed at the door. `Is that so crazy?'

    `Save your breath, Doctor. You'll need it for screamingwhen Dalek X gets hold of you.'

    `By the time Dalek X gets here, I intend to be longgone. But if you see him, pass on my regards.'

    `You're never gonna give up, are you?'

    `Are you?'

    `Have you ever escaped from a Dalek prison cellbefore, Doctor?'

    `Loads of times. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt."I visited Skaro and all I got was this lousy T-shirt."Believe me, it can be done.'

    `All right.' Bowman got slowly to his feet. He was astall as the Doctor but he was a lot broader. He seemed tofill the little cell. `What do we do?'

    `Bang on the door. Yell for the guards. You say I'm sick

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I'm having a fit or something. Or I'm dead! Yes, tell `emI'm dead. I've just collapsed on the floor double heartattack. That'll bring them running.' The Doctor quicklylay on the floor, spread-eagled with his eyes shut. `Goon!'

   Bowman thumped on the door. `Hey, Dalek!' he called.`I know you're out there. You better come in and checkthis out. The Doctor's collapsed. I think he's dead.'

   Silence.

   The Doctor opened one eye. `Any sign?'

   `Yeah, I think they've sent for an ambulance.'

   `This is no time to develop a sense of humour,Bowman.' The Doctor got back up on his feet. `I thought Icould rely on you to be dour and pessimistic.'

   `Hey, I'm just killing time until they come to rip mybrains out. Meanwhile, I'm wondering exactly what theymust be thinking, watching you do all this.' He pointed upat the camera eye on the wall. `Or had you forgottenthey're watching our every move and listening to ourevery word?'

   The Doctor looked up at the eyestalk, almost comicallysurprised. Then he turned to face Bowman, and, together,they burst out laughing.

   `Well,' gasped the Doctor after a few moments, wipinghis eyes, `it was worth a try!'

   Bowman shook his head in wonderment. The two menstared at each other, a unique moment of comradeshippassing between them. Locked together in the deepestdungeon of a Dalek prison, they both knew the end was insight.

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   In the distance, echoing through the steel walls of theircell, a klaxon sounded. A warning alarm. It was the kindof noise that made the guts turn over.

   Bowman swallowed. `Dalek X is here,' he said.

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    On the edge of the Arkheon solar system, a squadron of

    Dalek saucers emerged from hyperspace and swept

    towards the broken planet that glittered like a tiny

    diamond in the glare of its distant sun.

       Six outrider saucers zoomed ahead of the giant

    Exterminator-class flagship belonging to the Supreme

    Dalek's Inquisitor General.

       It was the first of its kind; the ultimate expression of

    Dalek power. Ten immense antigravity impeller engines

    thrust the ship onwards, so powerful that they left a trail of

    time distortion in its wake. The neutronic reactor at the

    ship's centre supplied gigantic power to the vast array of

    particle-beam weapons, missiles and energy-shield

    repulsors. The saucer carried a standard crew complement

    of five hundred Daleks plus ten ranking commanders and,

    at the very top, secure in his Dalekenium plate-armoured

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control dome, Dalek X.

   This squadron of ships had broken away from thecommand battle fleet, redirected from Skaro, for onepurpose only: to bring the Primary Intelligence Unit, ledby the Inquisitor General, to Arkheon. Its mission: tointerrogate and destroy the definitive enemy of the Daleks the renegade Time Lord known only as the Doctor.

   The ships swooped into orbit around the shatteredremains of the prison planet, scything through what wasleft of the upper atmosphere and cracking the desertedruins of its once-beautiful cities with a succession of giantsonic booms.

   The Exterminator settled into a geostationary orbitlevel with the huge cavern that housed the landing portand upper tiers of the Dalek prison facility. The saucerwas far too big to land in the cavern or even dry dock. Itsimply hovered, its engines throbbing with enoughsuppressed power to shake loose stones from the edges ofthe cave.

   Hatches slid open around the saucer's edge, and aphalanx of Daleks poured out in strict formation, headingfor the landing platforms.

   There were many more Daleks assembled in ranks onthe various levels of the Arkheon base. At the very frontwas the gleaming bronze shape of the Command Dalek.

   The Exterminator Daleks hovered as a small unit brokeaway and floated down towards the reception area. Therewere two elite guard Daleks, their black domescontinually sweeping from side to side, double gun-sticksraised, and they came in to land first. Behind them were

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four assault Daleks, fitted with laser-cutting claws ratherthan suckers.

   And then there was Dalek X.

   The armour casing was gunmetal black where the otherDaleks were bronze. But the globes which studded thebase unit and the thick armour slats on the weaponsplatform were all gold. He glided imperiously onto thelanding level and swept straight past the Command Dalekwithout even acknowledging it.

   The Command Dalek slid hurriedly in behind theInquisitor General.

   `REPORT!' barked Dalek X.

   The Command Dalek edged closer as they movedtowards the prison interior, flanked by the assault and eliteguards. `CORE SEPARATION IS PROCEEDING ASORDERED BUT THE SCHEDULE HAS BEENDELAYED BY THE ARRIVAL AND APPREHENSIONOF THE DOCTOR!'

   `HOW LONG UNTIL THE ARKHEON THRESHOLDIS BREACHED?'

   `RESEARCH TEAM ESTIMATES TWO SOLARDAYS UNTIL THE THRESHOLD IS EXPOSED.PARTICLE ACCELERATION BOMBARDMENT WILLFOLLOW IMMEDIATELY!'

   They had reached the interior hallway. Dalek X sweptaround and allowed his cold blue gaze to fall on theCommand Dalek for the first time. `THE DELAY ISUNACCEPTABLE,' it grated. `SUMMON THEDALEKS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAGNETIC CORESEPARATION.'

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   `I OBEY!'

   Led by Dalek X, the group moved into the prisoncontrol centre. The guard Daleks took up positions behindand either side of their master. Very soon, three Dalekmine overseers arrived. Their normal bronze casings werecovered in grime and dust and lava splashes from the cavesystems that surrounded the planet's molten core.

   Dalek X's dome lights flashed menacingly. `EXPLAINTHE DELAY IN MAGNETIC CORE SEPARATION!'

   One of the Daleks moved forwards, twitchingnervously. `DISRUPTION DUE TO THE ARRIVAL OFTHE DOCTOR HAS DIVERTED RESOURCES FROMTHE MINE WORKINGS. THE HUMAN SLAVES ARENOT STRONG ENOUGH TO ABSORB THEINCREASED WORKLOAD.'

   `THIS DELAY IS UNACCEPTABLE,' repeated DalekX implacably. `YOU HAVE FAILED THE DALEKS!FAILURE           CANNOT          BE       TOLERATED!EXTERMINATE!'

   The two elite guard Daleks on either side of himinstantly opened fire, unleashing twin bursts of neutronicenergy at the mine Dalek. The creature inside was friedalive, its harsh, dying shriek nearly drowned by thepiercing screech of the beams. A moment later, all thatwas left of the Dalek was a blackened shell, the oilysmoke belching from the neck grille accompanied by aquiet sizzling noise.

   `RECYCLE THE CASING,' ordered Dalek X,addressing the remaining mine Daleks. `CONTINUEWITH THE SEPARATION SCHEDULE. FORCE THE

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HUMANS TO WORK HARDER AND FASTER.SELECT THE WEAKEST HUMAN EVERY HOURAND EXTERMINATE IT IN FRONT OF THE OTHERSLAVES. THEY WILL REDOUBLE THEIR EFFORTS.CONTINUE!'

  `WE OBEY!' shouted the Daleks. They turned andhurried away.

The Doctor was listening at the door of the cell with hisstethoscope. He moved the diaphragm carefully aroundthe metal frame and then raised his eyebrows.

   `Lots of activity outside,' he murmured. `Something'sreally stirred them up.'

   `I told you,' said Bowman. `It's Dalek X.'

   The Doctor straightened up and folded away thestethoscope.

   `We've got to get out of here.'

   `Why didn't I think of that?' wondered Bowman drily.He was sitting along one of the benches watching theDoctor run his hands through his hair in agitation.

   `We can't all be geniuses,' replied the Doctor, but hewasn't smiling. He started to go through his pockets.

   `This is the top Dalek detention and interrogationfacility. No one gets out of here alive.'

   `You're being negative again.'

   `I tell you it's impossible,' growled Bowman, losingpatience.

   `I like impossible!'

Cuttin' Edge stumbled again, crashing to his knees and

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almost pulling Koral over with him.

   She staggered, grabbed him quickly by the arm andhauled him to his feet.

   `Another slip like that will cost us all our lives!' shehissed in his ear.

   He shook her hand away. `You think I don't knowthat?' He looked down at his legs, where the toughmaterial of his fatigues was stained with blood. Hecouldn't feel the pain, not properly. His legs were stillriddled with nerves and it took all his concentration not tolet them shake. Bending down and picking up rocks wasbecoming more and more problematic.

   `Please, don't argue,' said Jenifa. She looked past Koralat Cuttin' Edge. `It just attracts attention.'

   `Not pickin' up rocks is gonna attract attention,' saidCuttin' Edge bitterly.

   `Let's change places, then,' Jenifa suggested. Shepulled a strand of sweat-soaked hair back behind her ear;her fingers were sore and bleeding from the work but shenever complained. Behind her, Kuli watched silently, eyeswide and fearful.

   Cuttin' Edge felt ashamed.

   `I'll go to the head of the line,' explained Jenifaquickly. `You stand at the back. Then you won't have tobend down so much.'

   `I ain't no invalid,' said Cuttin' Edge.

   `The Daleks might not agree,' Koral said.

   `Look out,' Jenifa whispered suddenly. `They're back.'

   Two overseer Daleks had swept back into the cavern.They floated over the bubbling streams of lava, eyestalks

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roving over the human slaves.

   `ATTENTION!          THE       WORK         RATE       ISUNACCEPTABLE! YOU WILL INCREASE YOUREFFORTS IMMEDIATELY! IMMEDIATELY!'

   `We can't work any harder,' argued one old womanbravely. She stood up straight, right in front of one of theDaleks. Her grey hair stood out on her scalp like wires,but there was a burning defiance in her eyes. `You're justbeing ridiculous.'

   `DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE DALEKS!' screamedthe overseer. Its sucker arm extended and grabbed her bythe face.

   Unable to breathe, she was forced quickly to her knees.The suction cup released its grip and the old womansagged to the ground, heaving. Those in her work unitgathered around, helping her back up as quickly as theycould. Everyone knew that any untoward sign ofweakness could result in death for them all.

   `FROM THIS POINT ON WE WILL IDENTIFY THEWEAKEST WORK UNIT EVERY HOUR,' the Dalekcontinued, addressing the entire cavern. Its harsh, metallicvoice echoed around the stalagmites. `THAT WORKUNIT WILL BE EXTERMINATED.'

   `NO FURTHER WARNING WILL BE GIVEN!' thesecond Dalek added.

   There was a murmur of fear throughout the crowd butno one wanted to argue too loudly.

   `They're in one bad mood,' observed Cuttin' Edgequietly. `I mean, worse than usual. Wonder what got intothem?'

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   `Fear,' said Koral.

   The Daleks swept through the lines of slaves, domesrotating. `THE FIRST WORK UNIT TO BEEXTERMINATED WILL BE CHOSEN NOW.'

   The slaves milled around in a quiet panic, all trying tolook stronger, taller, fitter than their neighbours. Cuttin'Edge gritted his teeth as his legs started to shake. Thesweat was pouring down his face and chest, his shirt stuckto his skin, and he knew he must look awful. Everyoneelse around him seemed to be healthier and more upright.Even the old woman who'd been suckered looked livelierthan him.

   The Daleks cornered a work unit on the edge of thecavern. From where they stood, Cuttin' Edge and Koralcould not see the prisoners. Were they old? Weak?Injured? It was impossible to tell. All they heard was thesavage metallic cry, `EXTERMINATE!' and then abrilliant blue flash as the neutronic beams struck home.

   Then silence.

   `CONTINUE WORKING!' ordered the Daleks.

   The remaining slaves set to their tasks with desperateenergy, each work unit competing with the next as if itwas some macabre contest.

   Cuttin' Edge picked up rocks and passed them quicklydown the chain. Kuli tossed them into the skip, giving atiny little grunt of exertion every time. The whole processwas repeated, again, again, faster, faster. Cuttin' Edge wasshaking now, his legs on fire. Tears burned his eyes.Whoever they were the ones that the Daleks hadmurdered they couldn't have been any weaker than him.

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He felt ill with fear and guilt. How long would it be beforethey came for him?

In the prison control centre, the Command Dalek wasstudying a bank of monitors. Circular screens projectedimages of the mines, the core, the research laboratories,and the prison levels. One large monitor was showing theinterior of the Doctor's cell on level nine zero one. TheDoctor and Bowman were sitting opposite each other,talking.

   Dalek X glided over and stared intently at the image.`WHICH ONE IS THE DOCTOR?'

   The Command Dalek indicated. The thin figure on thescreen made the creature that lurked inside the bronzecasing squirm. But Dalek X seemed completely unfazed.He studied the Time Lord with fierce intent, the blue lightin his eye growing stronger by the second. And then,bizarrely, the Doctor looked up, straight at the cameralens. His wide, alien eyes stared out of the screen at theobservers.

   `HE KNOWS THAT WE ARE OBSERVING HIM!'said the Command Dalek.

   `IT IS UNIMPORTANT. THE DOCTOR HAS AHIGHER THAN AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE RATINGFOR A HUMANOID. CERTAIN REACTIONS AREEXPECTED.'

   The Command Dalek touched a control and asuccession of images flicked rapidly across the screen different men: old, young, tall, short. The faces flickedpast at bewildering speed. `THIS PERSON DOES NOT

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MATCH ANY PREVIOUS IDENTIFIABLE VERSIONSOF THE DOCTOR IN OUR DATABANKS.'

   `HE CONTINUALLY CHANGES HIS PHYSICALAPPEARANCE IN A FUTILE EFFORT TO AVOIDDETECTION,' explained Dalek X. His eyestalk never leftthe Doctor on the screen. `HE HAS INTERFERED WITHDALEK PLANS ON MANY OCCASIONS. BUT HEWILL INTERFERE NO LONGER.'

   `HE IS RESOURCEFUL AND CUNNING,' warnedthe Command Dalek.

   `HE RELIES ON FORTUITY. HIS ARROGANCEWILL PROVE TO BE HIS DOWNFALL.' Dalek Xturned away. `BRING HIM TO THE INTERROGATIONCHAMBER!'

The Doctor and Bowman had emptied their pockets to seewhat they could muster between them. It was the Doctor'sidea; Bowman complied simply because he was too tiredto argue.

   On the floor in the centre of the cell was a little pile ofjunk: the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, his psychic paper,glasses, the TARDIS key, a pencil, a handful of strangecoins, some string and a couple of rubber bands. Hestudied the assorted odds and ends as he chewed theearpiece on his stethoscope.

   `No blaster,' observed Bowman.

   `Guns are not the only weapons,' replied the Doctortartly. `It's all a matter of resources and using our brains.Or rather my brain.'

   `You going to take out the guard with a pencil?'

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   The Doctor picked through the junk. The sonicscrewdriver was useless; all Dalek doors were deadlocksealed. The screwdriver wouldn't even scratch them. Hepicked up the TARDIS key and looked at it sadly. Then heclosed his fist tightly around it. `Come on, Doctor, think!'

   Bowman sat back with a sigh.

   `There must be more,' insisted the Doctor. `Come on,anything. Are you sure you've checked all your pockets?No one travels that light.'

   `I do.'

   `You're just not trying. You've given up!'

   Bowman raised an eyebrow. `I think I gave up a long,long time ago.'

   Something in his voice made the Doctor stop. Hewatched Bowman carefully for a second or two beforesaying, `You mean when you first went on the run? I don'tthink Cuttin' Edge would believe that. He thinks the worldof you.'

   `Cuttin' Edge is just a kid.' Bowman rubbed a big handacross his eyes. `No, I gave up long before all that.'

   He reached into a side pocket and withdrew a smallcard. He threw it down in front of the Doctor. It was anold photograph, slightly creased and dog-eared and thesame picture that the Doctor had already seen as ahologram in Bowman's cabin aboard the Wayfarer. A veryyoung, smooth-faced Jon Bowman with his proud parents.

   `There,' growled Bowman. `That's everything I have.There's nothing else.'

   The Doctor picked up the photo and studied it.Bowman was smiling out from the past, caught in an

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unguarded moment when he knew nothing of the future.The Doctor wondered if that smile would have been sobright if he could have seen what lay ahead: older,tougher, disowned and disheartened, sitting on the floor ofa Dalek prison cell.

   `Ever since we came here,' said Bowman thickly, `eversince I met you... I've had a feeling that this was it. Theend of the line. I looked at Stella when she was lying inthe sickbay and I knew I just knew what was coming.'He took the photo back and stared at the picture. `The endof the line.'

   `Not yet,' the Doctor said. `You mustn't ever give up.There's always a chance.'

   He grunted, unconvinced.

   `Are your parents still alive?'

   Bowman shrugged, `Maybe. I haven't seen them in along, long time. I doubt they even think of me any more.Why would they? I'm just a bad memory. When I went onthe run, the army would have called on them, told them.'Bowman's words faded as his lips grew tight. He stared atthe image in the photo, at the smiling eyes of his parents.He knew they weren't smiling at him.

   `It's not too late...' began the Doctor.

   The door to the cell suddenly whirred open, revealingtwo Daleks.

   `End of the line, Doctor,' said Bowman.

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    They were taken out of the cell and marched down a

    series of featureless metal corridors. The Doctor could see

    that Bowman was getting very anxious now. His skin was

    a horrible grey colour, his lips compressed into a thin

    white line. His eyes were sunk deep into his head, full of

    visions of what lay ahead.

       The Doctor's own hearts were hammering in his chest,

    the blood pounding away in his head. He was trying to

    think, trying to come up with a last-minute escape plan or

    brilliant idea, but his mind felt paralysed.

       They passed a number of doorways and laboratories,

    with wide windows allowing views of Daleks at work: the

    Doctor saw one room with a native Arkheon mutant

    strapped to the wall, its skin glowing brightly under the

    harsh electric light. A Dalek opened fire at the mutant,

    which blackened and died like an autumn leaf. Another

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Dalek was calculating exactly what firepower wasrequired to exterminate the creature.

   Sickened, the Doctor looked away.

   They arrived at a junction. Bowman was led to onedoor, while the Doctor was pushed towards another.

   `Looks like this is it,' said Bowman. `Time to givethem a piece of my mind.'

   The Doctor gamely tried to smile at Bowman's joke,but all he felt was a profound, helpless sadness. Heswallowed with difficulty and then looked at Bowman.`I'm sorry,' he said.

   Bowman touched his forehead with a finger in ironicsalute as the door began to close. `Good luck.'

   `Never give up!' the Doctor shouted after him. `Never!'

   Then the door slammed shut.

   `MOVE!' ordered the Dalek next to him.

   The Doctor drew a breath, and followed the Dalek intoa darkened room. He was marched over to a metal walland forced to stand upright against it. It felt uncomfortablylike being made ready for the firing squad. His ankles andwrists were secured with tight steel bands so that he wasutterly immobilised. The Daleks then withdrew and thedoor clanged shut behind them. The Doctor was left incomplete darkness.

   It was cold. He had no idea how big the room was orwhat else was in there with him. He couldn't see a thing.All he could hear was the heavy, metallic throb of Dalekmachinery and behind that some kind of hard, electricvibration. The air tasted of static.

   Something cold and metal embraced his head. The

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Doctor gasped as his skull was clamped into position anda hundred fine needles pricked his scalp. This is it, hethought, his hearts racing. The beginning of the end.

   Eventually, a light appeared in the darkness a bluedisc. The eye of a Dalek. He sensed rather than saw thefamiliar shape as it circled, its single blue eye always onhim.

   Eventually a harsh, grating voice said, `DOCTOR...'

   The lights on the Dalek's head flashed slowly, in timewith each syllable. The Doctor swallowed. This Dalek wasin no hurry. He licked his lips and, as brightly as he couldmanage, replied, `That's me.' His voice sounded morebrittle than he would have liked.

   `I AM DALEK X.'

   `Can't say I'm pleased to meet you, sorry.'

   `YOU ARE ATTACHED TO A DALEK MIND-PROBE MACHINE. IT HAS BEEN CALIBRATED TOYOUR SPECIFIC BRAINWAVE FREQUENCY.'

   `You won't get anything out of me,' the Doctor blurted.

   `THAT IS NOT THE INTENTION,' replied Dalek X.`YET.'

   The Doctor couldn't turn his head because of the mindprobe. It felt like a vice clamped around his skull. Acouple of extra turns on the screw would crack the bone.`So...' he said at last, `what do you want? If it's my secretrecipe for bread and butter pudding you can forget it. I'mtaking that little beauty to my grave.'

   `I INTEND TO MEASURE YOUR CAPACITY FORPHYSICAL PAIN,' said Dalek X.

   `Oh. Why?'

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   `BECAUSE I WISH TO.'

   The Dalek's sucker touched a control on the mind-probe machine and turned it minutely. There was a fierce,galvanistic crackle of power, and the Doctor's bodyarched like a bow, straining against its bonds. A howl ofanguish echoed through the darkness, torn from his lipswith sudden, shocking ease.

   How long it was before the control was released theDoctor could not tell. Time passed in an abstract senseamid a kaleidoscope of pain. It could have been seconds,minutes or even hours. It left him drained, limp, his hairstuck to his head with perspiration and his throat raw fromscreaming.

   `EXPECT NO MERCY,' Dalek X informed him.

   `I'm not stupid,' the Doctor croaked, feeling verystupid indeed. Partly because his head felt so foggy withpain but also because he couldn't for the life of him workout how it had all come to this: helpless, friendless andhomeless, chained to a wall and tortured by the Devil inDalek form. That's how Bowman had described him, andit was difficult to argue.

   `DALEKS DO NOT SHOW MERCY,' said Dalek X.

   `Yes,' the Doctor replied. `I know.'

   `MERCY IS WEAKNESS.'

   `Really? Why don't you just give it a try? Go on, Iwon't tell anyone.' The Doctor tensed, ready for the nextonslaught. Out of the corner of his eye he could see theDalek's suction arm hovering over the probe control. Anysecond now and he would be plunged back into the abyssof pain. `On second thoughts, maybe I'm wasting my

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breath. And I've reconsidered the bread and butterpudding thing. You can have it if you want.'

   `YOU DO NOT BEG FOR MERCY LIKE THEOTHERS.'

   `What others?'

   `THE FUGITIVES OF AUROS.'

   A chill ran through the Doctor. `Was that you?'

   `I GAVE THE ORDER FOR THE REFUGEES TO BEEXTERMINATED,' Dalek X confirmed. `THE PEOPLEOF AUROS HAD FLED AND LEFT THEIR PLANETIN RUINS. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SLAVES.INSTEAD THEY CHOSE DEATH.'

   `No they didn't. They had no choice at all. Youmurdered them all in cold blood. An entire colony.'

   `DALEKS SHOW NO MERCY.'

   `Or common sense, for that matter. Don't you realisethat when news of that attack gets back to Earth they willlaunch a counter-offensive?' The Doctor suddenly stoppedspeaking and marshalled his thoughts. `Ah. Now I see.That was the whole point, wasn't it?'

   `EARTH COMMAND WILL RESPOND AS YOUHAVE PREDICTED. THE DALEKS WILL BEPREPARED. THE HUMANS WILL BE CRUSHED.'

   `It's a bit desperate, though. Or is that the real reason?Are you losing the war with Earth? Is this one last shakeof the dice?'

   The response was unequivocal: a savage twist of theprobe control and a series of wracking, nerve-shreddingwaves of pain. His brain felt like it was about to burst, butwhen the torment ended the Doctor was laughing.

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   `That's it, isn't it?' he panted, his breath ragged andthin. `You're losing! This whole plan the slaughter ofthe Auros fugitives, the attempt to break through theArkheon Threshold... it's a last-ditch attempt to wormyour way out of defeat. Well it won't work!'

   He lifted his head and yelled the last four words.

   `YOU UNDERESTIMATE OUR POWER,' gratedDalek X. `YOU DO NOT REALISE WHAT THEARKHEON THRESHOLD MEANS TO US AND TOTHE REST OF THE UNIVERSE.'

   `Well I'm a bit of an expert on time travel and that sortof thing, and I can tell you it won't work. I was there, onSkaro, right at the very beginning when you lot were firstslugging it out with the Thals and losing. And I'll be thereright at the end, too and guess what? You lose. Again.'

   `IN THIS UNIVERSE,' conceded the Dalek. `BUTNOT IN THE NEXT.'

   Another chill of fear passed through the Doctor. Hismind was racing. `If you think you can use the ArkheonThreshold to change the entire universe, you're mistaken.'

   `WE WILL CHANGE HISTORY.'

   `But you'd need a massive power source to break downthe Threshold. It's a minor fissure in space-time. A deadend. Blink and you'd miss it. What makes you thinkyou've got what it takes?'

   Dalek X approached the wall, his eyestalk boring intothe Doctor. `I WILL SHOW YOU.'

   The Doctor was released from the mind probe. Hesagged for a second as the bonds slid away, but then stoodup stiffly, rubbing his wrists. He felt unsteady on his feet

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but tried not to show it, ruffling his hair back into its usualspiky fringe and clearing his throat. `Find anything?' heasked, giving the probe a tap with his knuckle.

   `THE MIND PROBE CONFIRMS THAT YOU ARETHE TIME LORD KNOWN AS THE DOCTOR. BUTYOU DO NOT MATCH ANY OF THE PHYSICALDESCRIPTIONS WE CURRENTLY HOLD IN OURDATABASE.'

   `Oh, shame. Maybe your records aren't as up to date asyou think.'

   Dalek X swivelled round to glare at him. `THE MOSTLIKELY CONCLUSION IS THAT YOU ARE FROMTHE FUTURE.'

   `What?' The Doctor looked horrified. `Don't beridiculous! As if!'

   `IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.'

   The Doctor pursed his lips. `Ah, well, yes, now youmention it... but never mind. I hate all that continuitystuff. Tell me all about your plans for the ArkheonThreshold instead. That's much more interesting.'

   Dalek X led the Doctor out of the mind-probe chamberinto a long, low room with a wide viewing windowstretched across the far wall. The room was in darkness,but there was a flickering orange glow coming through thewindow, as if it overlooked a furnace. The Doctor strolledacross to the window and found himself looking outacross a vast, subterranean vault. Dark crags wereseparated by winding, straggling rivers of molten rock.Daleks hovered amid clouds of sulphurous smoke,overlooking a hundred or more human slaves as they

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toiled in the searing conditions.

   `Your own private view of Hades?' asked the Doctor asDalek X joined him.

   `WE ARE CLOSE TO THE MAGNETIC CORE OFARKHEON,' Dalek X replied. Lit from below by thebubbling red light, his black and gold casing appeared torun with blood.

   `Getting humans to do your dirty work again, eh? It'salways the same with you lot. Of course, I blame thesuckers.'

   `EXPLAIN.'

   `I mean,' the Doctor said, `does stealing planetary coresreally compensate for having no hands?'

   `IF THE DALEKS ARE TO ACHIEVE TOTALUNIVERSAL DOMINATION AND TAKE OURRIGHTFUL PLACE AS THE SUPREME BEINGSTHEN WE MUST MASTER TIME TRAVEL,' said DalekX. `THAT THE TIME LORDS HAVE FAILED TOACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL IS A SIGN OF THEIRWEAKNESS AND INFERIORITY.'

   `Or perhaps a sign that they don't want to rule theuniverse.'

   `THEN THEY WILL CAPITULATE TO THE POWEROF THE DALEKS.'

   `Forget it. If future Daleks gained mastery of timetravel then you'd already know about it. They'd be hereright this minute. In fact we'd all be trundling around inthe old Mark Three Travel Machine chanting"exterminate" by now.'

   `INCORRECT. DALEK TIME-TRAVEL THEORY

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STATES THIS IS AN ERRONEOUS VIEWPOINT.MASTERY OF TIME WILL BEGIN WITH THEDESTRUCTION OF THE TIMELORDS ANDCONTROL OF THE TIME VORTEX. AND IT WILLEND IN THE COMPLETE SUBJUGATION OF THEHUMAN RACE!' For the first time, Dalek X's voiceincreased in pitch as he grew more excited. `WITH THEARKHEON THRESHOLD WE WILL FIND A WAYINTO THE VORTEX!'

Bowman was pushed into a brightly lit laboratory bustlingwith Daleks. He turned angrily on the Dalek behind him.`Keep your filthy sucker off me!'

    The Dalek threw Bowman backwards. He landed on hisback, winded.

    `OBEY THE DALEKS!' shouted the metallic shape asit loomed over him.

    `Never.'

    `STAND!'

    `Or what?' asked Bowman from his position on thefloor. `You ain't gonna exterminate me, remember. Notuntil you've picked this to bits.' He tapped his head.

    The Dalek regarded him sourly for a moment but saidnothing.

    With a humourless smile, Bowman got slowly to hisfeet. `I'll stand, but not because you tell me to. I'll standbecause this way I'm taller.' He squared his shoulders andstared down the Dalek's eyestalk. `Just remember that.Cos every human being you ever meet will look down atyou.'

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   The Dalek glided forward. `PAY ATTENTION TOTHIS SCANNER SCREEN.'

   Bowman looked at the bank of instruments to which itpointed. There was a circular monitor showing whatlooked like the surface of Arkheon frozen, elegant ruins.The image zoomed in to one particular spot: a heavy,rough-looking spaceship that Bowman recognised onlytoo easily.

   `The Wayfarer,' he said aloud, momentarily stunned. Itmade his heart heave when he saw the old ship, leftexactly where it had touched down only hours before.Almost as if it was waiting for him. Silent and patient.

   `WE HAVE LOCATED YOUR SPACECRAFT,' theDalek stated.

   Bowman blinked. Was the Dalek expecting him to saythanks? And then a shadow passed over the Wayfarer, anda Dalek saucer came into view on the screen, hoveringabove the old ship. Bowman automatically identified thesaucer: an assault craft, Aggressor-class, small, highlymanoeuvrable and heavily armed. As he watched, missilesstreaked from the underside of the saucer and struck theWayfarer amidships. It exploded into a giant, silentfireball and the debris scarred the snow around it forhundreds of metres.

   `TARGET DESTROYED,' stated the Dalek.

   It felt like a punch to the solar plexus. Bowman had tofight the urge to physically wilt. He took a deep,shuddering breath and stood up straighter, stronger. Helooked at the Dalek.

   `Think I've never seen a ship blown up before?' he

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snarled. `I'm Space Major Jon Bowman. I've beenblowing up spaceships and Daleks all my life. When areyou going to get it? I'm not scared of you.'

   `MOVE!' ordered the Dalek. It was joined by twoothers, and together they herded Bowman across thelaboratory.

   There were several benches arranged with clinicalprecision around the room. They were metal and lookedlike mortuary slabs. On each of them was a human being,lying face up, head shaved and exposed to the Dalekssurrounding them. Some of the Daleks had surgicalimplements attached to their arms rather than suction cupsor claws. Bowman felt physically sick.

   `LIE DOWN.'

   `This where you cut my head open?'

   `LIE DOWN! OBEY!' The Dalek used its sucker armto force Bowman back against the mortuary slab, so thathe was bent awkwardly over it. Suddenly he twisted,lashing out with his foot, but the Dalek barely moved.Two more Daleks joined the first and together theymanipulated him, kicking and fighting, onto the bench.Metal straps secured his wrists, ankles and throat.

   He struggled, but uselessly. A sudden, wild fear sweptthrough him, the kind of panic he had never experiencedin his life before. His chest heaved and sweat broke fromevery pore. The bench felt hard and unyielding beneathhim.

   `NOW YOU FEAR THE DALEKS!' observed one ofhis captors triumphantly.

   `PREPARE FOR FULL BRAIN EXCORIATION,' said

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another.

   A surgical Dalek glided over, a small metal sawwhirring into life on the end of its arm.

   `Go on, then!' roared Bowman. `Do it! You might aswell get your kicks, cos I did the same thing to one of younot so long ago.'

   The Daleks ignored him, going about their businesswith meticulous care.

   `I had to scrape him out of his shell like a snail!'Bowman screamed. `And you know what? He didn't makea damn sound. And neither will I!'

Cuttin' Edge winced, straightened up, took a deep breath.He caught Koral's eyes, and she nodded at the woman andthe girl. They were clearly exhausted, perhaps onlyminutes from collapse.

   `Don't give in now,' Koral whispered.

   Jenifa looked up wearily through bloodshot eyes.`There's nothing more we can do,' she croaked.

   Kuli wept. `I don't want to die, Mummy! I don't wantto die.'

   `Hush,' said Koral. `You will attract attention.'

   Jenifa scowled. `We can't go on much longer. None ofus can. They're going to kill us sooner or later and thatwill be it.' She put her arm around her daughter. `I'msorry, Kuli. I love you. I will always love you.'

   Kuli squeezed her mother tight, and Jenifa looked backat Cuttin' Edge and Koral with a sad smile. `Thank youfor helping us,' she said.

   Cuttin' Edge gritted his teeth. `No, you helped me. I

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could hardly stand and you kept me goin'. All of you.'

   `It's not over yet,' Koral said.

   `It is now,' said Cuttin' Edge. He was looking pastthem, to where a cloud of sulphur had dispersed to revealtwo Daleks.

   `WORK UNIT DELTA!' grated the first. The hard,metallic words were full of cold menace. `STEPFORWARD!`

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    `So this is the guided tour, is it?' asked the Doctor

    airily. Dalek X had taken him down into the granite

    bowels of Arkheon. Two of the Inquisitor General's black-

    domed guard Daleks had joined them. They hung back

    slightly, gun-sticks trained on the Doctor at all times.

       Dalek X glided along a metal walkway installed the

    length of the cavern. Clouds of evil-smelling steam drifted

    by. The Doctor strolled along, hands in pockets, gazing all

    around him like a tourist on a holiday excursion. `It's a bit

    stuffy down here,' he said. `You need to get the heating

    fixed.'

       Despite his casual demeanour, the Doctor was very

    worried. For a Dalek, the Inquisitor General was one cool

    customer. He was impossible to taunt. And he seemed to

    be two steps ahead all the time, out-guessing the Doctor at

    every turn. The Doctor was waiting for the chance to

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somehow turn the tables, but it was never coming orshowing any sign of coming.

    `I suppose we're pretty close to the core here,' said theDoctor chattily. He tried a few light bounces, his trainerssqueaking loudly on the metal walkway. `I can feel thefluctuations in the magnetic field. Must be playing hellwith you.'

    `I AM IMMUNE TO THE EFFECTS,' Dalek Xreplied.

    `Well,' said the Doctor. `Good for you.'

    They came to another part of the cavern and turned acorner. The Doctor stopped in his tracks. After a momenthe let out a low, appreciative whistle. In front of them wasan enormous machine, five storeys high and just as wide,filling the length of a massive tunnel. It curved away intothe distance on either side.

    `It's a particle accelerator,' said the Doctor, gazing atthe towering apparatus. Dalek scientists hovered aroundthe machinery, adjusting and monitoring the complexsystems. `A very big one.'

    `THIS IS THE LARGE CHRONON COLLIDER,'explained Dalek X. `WE WILL BOMBARD DISCRETEPARTICLES OF TIME AGAINST EACH OTHER ATSUPRALIGHT SPEEDS. THE RESULTING HUONSHOWER WILL BE USED TO TRACE THETEMPORAL PROFILE                  OF THE ARKHEONTHRESHOLD. WE WILL THEN BE ABLE TOACHIEVE MAGNETIC SEPARATION AND BREAKTHROUGH TO THE TIME VORTEX.'

    `Oh, that was good,' nodded the Doctor. `You've been

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taking gobbledegook lessons. I like it.'

   `IT WILL WORK.'

   `Ah, well, yes it might.' The Doctor craned his neck,looking up at the highest parts with a critical eye. `It'spossible, I'll give you that. But it is also insanelydangerous.'

   `NOTHING IMPORTANT CAN BE ACHIEVEDWITHOUT RISK.'

   The Doctor frowned.

   `Was that a bit of Dalek philosophy I just heard? You'regoing soft.'

   `YOU CONCEDE THAT OUR PLAN IS VIABLE.'

   The Doctor couldn't tell if this was a statement or aquery. But it was true, nonetheless. He noddedthoughtfully, suddenly serious. `Yes. It will work. But and it's a big but you'll need some sort of controlelement to stabilise it. Then it will work properly.'

   `A CONTROL ELEMENT?'

   `Yeah.' The Doctor sniffed, scratched his ear, lookedaway.

   `SUCH AS A TARDIS.'

   There it was again. Statement or question? The Doctorwasn't sure. He pulled a face, weighed up the factorsinvolved, shrugged. `Well, yeah. That'd do it. I suppose.'

   `SUCH AS YOUR TARDIS?'

   A grim look stole across the Doctor's face and his eyesbecame deep, dark pools. `No,' he said bluntly.`Absolutely no.'

   `YOU ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO REFUSE THEDALEKS.'

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   That was definitely a statement. And it was also a fact.But the Doctor shook his head nevertheless. `No. Sorry.No. N-O spells no. It's not even negotiable.'

   `YOU WILL PROVIDE YOUR TARDIS, DOCTOR!'

   `Never.'

   `THE DALEKS WILL USE ITS CONTROLSYSTEMS TO ACCESS THE TIME VORTEX!'

   `I said never.'

   Dalek X moved closer. His voice continued to grate outcalm, unhurried statements as if they were facts. `YOUREQUIRE PERSUASION.'

   `I do not.'

   `COERCION.'

   `Not possible.'

   `LET US INVESTIGATE.' Dalek X turned to one ofthe other Daleks as it glided by. The Dalek almost seem tocringe as the black and gold machine addressed itperemptorily: `ALERT THE COMMAND DALEK!'

The Doctor was taken back to the detention levels andthen into the high-speed lift to the prison control room. Hewalked out into the busy chamber with Dalek X in tow, asif they were old buddies. The feeling made the Doctor'sskin crawl.

    The Command Dalek swivelled hurriedly to face theInquisitor General. `YOUR ORDERS HAVE BEENCARRIED OUT!'

    The Doctor had an uneasy feeling. Dalek X glidedsilently forward and then turned. `SUMMON THEPRISONERS.'

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   A door opened and four people shuffled into the controlroom.

   `Koral! Cuttin' Edge!' the Doctor exclaimed in delight.His face fell. They looked awful. `Are you all right?'

   Cuttin' Edge was limping badly, and he seemed smallerthan before, his shoulders hunched and his face haggard.Koral also seemed bowed, and her red eyes looked cloudy.Behind them, in chains, were a woman and a girl theDoctor had never seen before. They looked equally weak,and the girl was crying.

   `Hi there,' said Cuttin' Edge. His smile looked fake,although the Doctor sensed he was genuinely pleased tosee him. At least at first. When he looked around thebrightly lit control room, saw the Doctor standing with theDaleks, his expression turned sour. `What's goin' on? Youcolludin' with this scum now?'

   `No,' said the Doctor. Then he cleared his throat andsaid, more firmly, `No, I'm not.'

   `THE DOCTOR IS REFUSING TO COOPERATEWITH THE DALEKS,' stated Dalek X. `THATPOSITION IS ABOUT TO BE REVERSED.'

   `No,' said the Doctor again. `You can't do this...'

   `INCORRECT!'

   The Command Dalek said, `BRING FORWARD THEPRISONERS WHO CAME TO ARKHEON WITH THEDOCTOR.'

   Two guards unfastened the chains that connectedCuttin' Edge and Koral to Jenifa and Kuli. They weremarched forward into the centre of the room. Koral lookeduncertainly at the Doctor, as if wondering whether to

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attack him or the Daleks.

   Dalek X moved forward, fixing the Doctor with hissteady glare. `IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY WITHDALEK INSTRUCTIONS THEN INNOCENT LIVESWILL BE LOST. IT IS YOUR DECISION.'

   `I won't be bullied into helping you,' replied theDoctor. His voice was steely. `There's too much at stake!'

   Dalek X looked at Cuttin' Edge and Koral for a longmoment and then said, `THESE TWO PRISONERS ARECOMBATANTS. THEY EXPECT TO DIE IN THE LINEOF DUTY. THEREFORE THERE IS NO VALUE INTHEIR EXTERMINATION.'

   `What's that supposed to mean?' Cuttin' Edgedemanded.

   Dalek X turned away, addressing the Doctor only.`THESE PRISONERS WILL NOT BE KILLED.' Therewas a longer, colder pause. `BRING FORWARD THEHUMAN MOTHER AND HER OFFSPRING.'

   `No!' said the Doctor.

   `No!' Cuttin' Edge shouted. `Kill us instead!'

   Jenifa and Kuli were herded forward, looking panickyand frightened. Jenifa had her arms around her daughter,her fingers were rigid and white on her shoulders.

   `FORMATION THREE!' ordered the Command Dalek.

   A trio of Dalek guards lined up in front of the womanand her daughter. There was no doubt that it was anexecution squad. They turned their faces away from theDaleks, hugging each other tightly. No one drew so muchas a breath and the only sound that could be heard wasKuli's muffled sobs.

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   `EX--' began the Command Dalek.

   `All right!' yelled the Doctor. His voice echoed aroundthe control room. `All right! All right. Stop! I'll do it.'

   Dalek X's eye swivelled slowly to face him.

   `I'll give you the TARDIS,' said the Doctor quietly.

   The eye glowed, full of greed. It bathed the Doctor'sface in its cold blue light.

   `But there are conditions,' the Doctor added.

   `NOT VALID.'

   `Wait. It's important.'

   The Doctor took a deep breath, his face solemn.

   `I'm giving you everything here. All of history openedup like a book for you to rip the pages out and start again!'His voice was shaking with fury. `The very least you cando is hear me out!'

   `CONTINUE.'

   `My TARDIS requires a crew of six to functionproperly. Together with myself, I need Koral, Cuttin' Edgeand Space Major Bowman.'

   `THAT IS ONLY FOUR,' said Dalek X.

   The Doctor indicated Jenifa and Kuli. They werelooking up at him with haunted, disbelieving eyes. Hehardly dared give them hope but he had to try. `These twomake six.'

   `THESE HUMANS ARE NOT CREW MEMBERS.'

   `I know. But they can be trained. They can help. I canshow them what to do--'

   `NEGATIVE.' The three syllables were ground out likepieces of broken rock. There would be no negotiation onthis. `YOU WILL HAVE FOUR CREW MEMBERS

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ONLY.'

   `It can't be done!' the Doctor argued.

   `IT WILL BE DONE! THESE HUMANS ARE NOTMEMBERS OF YOUR CREW. THEY ARE NOTNECESSARY. THEREFORE THEY WILL BEEXTERMINATED!'

   The Doctor leapt forward. `No! No, wait. They must beallowed to live. Even if they can't come, they must beallowed to live.'

   The execution squad was already moving back towardsthe Jenifa and Kuli, taking up extermination positionsagain. The Doctor ran over and placed himself betweenthe Daleks and the women. `If you really want to kill themthen you'll have to go through me first.'

   `YOU CAN BE DISABLED,' warned Dalek X.

   `Try it.'

   The Dalek guns twitched impatiently in their sockets.All eyes were on the Doctor, but he met the pitiless bluestares unflinchingly.

   `Harm them in any way and I will not cooperate. Youcan disable me and torture me and kill me but you willnever get the TARDIS.'

   Dalek X seemed to consider. Then: `AGREED. BUTTHAT IS THE LAST OF YOUR CONDITIONS. THEREWILL BE NO FURTHER COMPROMISE.'

   `All right. You win.' The Doctor's shoulders wereslumped in miserable defeat. `But I do need Space MajorBowman.'

   Dalek X turned to the Command Dalek. `RELEASETHE HUMAN PRISONER AND HAVE HIM

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BROUGHT HERE.'

    `I OBEY!'

    Dalek X swivelled back to face the Doctor, his gun,arm and eye quivering hungrily. `TELL ME THELOCATION OF YOUR TARDIS.'

    Through gritted teeth the Doctor said, `Hurala.'

    The Command Dalek twitched excitedly as it processedthe information. `PLANETOID KXNINE IN THELASRON SOLAR REGION!'

    `Of course you'd know it,' muttered the Doctorresignedly. `That's where all this started, after all.'

    `WE WILL PROCEED IMMEDIATELY,' said DalekX.      `PREPARE        THE       EXTERMINATOR           FORDEPARTURE.'

    `There is just one another thing...' ventured the Doctor.

    `NO MORE CONDITIONS!'

    `This isn't a condition. It's just a word of advice.' TheDoctor sounded apologetic. `The TARDIS is actuallygrounded at the moment.'

    `EXPLAIN!'

    `Its spatial motivator is all to cock,' the Doctor saidmatter-of-factly. `Why else d'you think I left it on Hurala?It'll be fine for what you want, but you'll need to removethe time rotor.'

    `SUMMON THE TEMPORAL RESEARCH TEAM,'ordered Dalek X. `IT CAN MAKE THE NECESSARYTECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS ON HURALA.'

    The Doctor joined Cuttin' Edge and Koral. `Crewmembers?' Koral frowned.

    `Don't mention it.' The Doctor murmured, and then he

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turned to the mother and daughter. `I'm sorry,' he said. `Idid my best...'

    `I know,' said Jenifa. She smiled weakly. `Thank you.'

    The Doctor nodded.

    A door opened and Bowman walked through, coveredwith ugly bruises and cuts but still standing tall. TwoDaleks glided in behind him. `MOVE! WAIT IN THECENTRE OF THE ROOM!'

    Bowman sneered at them and then crossed over toKoral. She suddenly seemed to be filled with renewedhope, her eyes glowing strongly.

    `Bowman!'

    `Didn't think you'd get rid of me that easy, did you?' heasked.

    `Are you OK?' asked the Doctor.

    `Yeah. They pushed me around a bit but they never gotas far as the knives.' Bowman gave the Doctor a wry look.`I take it you're to blame?'

    `He's cut a deal with the Daleks,' said Cuttin' Edge.`Like some sorta collaborator.'

    `Easy, kid.' Bowman placed a hand on Cuttin' Edge'sshoulder. `You're still breathing, aren't you?'

    `Yeah, but for how much longer?'

    `PROCEED TO LANDING PORT!' Dalek Xinterrupted them loudly.

    The Command Dalek and its guards started to herd theDoctor and his friends towards the exit. `MOVE!'

    The Doctor, Bowman, Koral and Cuttin' Edge marchedout in sombre formation. Dalek X watched them go. Thenhe turned to follow, his head swivelling to address the elite

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Daleks that were still guarding the other prisoners.

   `RETURN THEM TO THE CORE MINES,' he said.

   `WE OBEY!' screeched the Daleks. Instantly, theyturned back to face Jenifa and Kuli.

   And the dark shape of Dalek X glided smoothlythrough the door as Jenifa broke down and wept.

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    The interior of the Dalek cruiser was typical in its

    design: dark and functional, studded with control pillars

    and instrument banks, and teeming with Daleks. It was

    difficult not to see it as a kind of giant nest, with the

    Daleks crawling and hovering busily around the vaguely

    honeycombed interior.

       The Doctor, Bowman, Cuttin' Edge and Koral were

    transported from Arkheon to the Exterminator via

    antigravity discs large circular platforms fitted with

    handrails suitable for the transportation of individual

    prisoners, equipment or even Daleks that were damaged

    beyond their ability to fly.

       Then they were led from the vast docking slot on the

    edge of the huge saucer through several levels until they

    reached the central command dome at its very heart.

       `It stinks in here,' growled Bowman.

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   Koral, who had not left his side since they had beenreunited, agreed. `The stench of metal and hate.'

   The Doctor was rather more impressed. `Look at it thisway,' he said. `Very few human beings have ever beenaboard a Dalek saucer, let alone one as big as this.'

   `And we're bein' taken right to the top spot,' notedCuttin' Edge ruefully. `Guess they must really like us.'

   Two guard Daleks herded them into a small area to oneside of the circular flight deck. Then the ever-presentassault Daleks, outriders for Dalek X, took up positions oneither side of the raised podium. A section of the deckplate in the centre of the dais ground open like a steel irisand the now-familiar black-and-gold shape of the DalekInquisitor General rose slowly up through the aperture.

   `SET COURSE FOR THE PLANET HURALA!' DalekX ordered. `MAXIMUM SPEED!'

   `WE OBEY,' chorused the bridge crew, turning to facetheir individual flight stations. From his raised position atthe centre, Dalek X could easily watch all of theinstruments by simply swivelling his head.

   Bowman watched the Daleks at the control panelscarefully, but the Doctor shook his head. `Don't bothertrying to memorise what they do,' he warned quietly. `Thecontrols can only be activated by Daleks they each havea code signal aligned to the ship's computer systems toallow them access.'

   Bowman raised an eyebrow. `Is there anything youdon't know about the Daleks?'

   `Yes,' the Doctor admitted. He kept his voice low. `Idon't know how we're going to stop them.'

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   `I don't think we can.'

   `You didn't think there was any way to get out ofArkheon,' the Doctor reminded him. `And yet here weare.'

   `On a Dalek battle cruiser. Not exactly free.'

   `Well it's a start.'

   The Exterminator`s huge engines fired up and a heavyrumble passed through the ship. The deep, persistentbackground throb of the control room rose in pitch as, onthe main viewscreen, the broken orb of Arkheon began tomove slowly away.

   Then the saucer powered up, suddenly leaving theplanet behind until it was little more than a shimmeringwhite dot.

   `That's some acceleration,' marvelled Cuttin' Edge.

   `Yeah, hardly felt a thing,' Bowman agreed. Even hewas struggling to keep a note of admiration out of hisvoice.

   `Superb inertia-dampening fields,' explained theDoctor. `Whatever you think of the Daleks, they arebrilliant scientists and engineers.'

   `This must be the pride of the fleet.'

   `Yes,' the Doctor said thoughtfully, looking up at DalekX. `It must be.'

   The Exterminator paid scant attention to the laws ofphysics that governed normal space flight. The immenseion thrusters warped the space around the saucer to a pointwhere time could, temporarily, be condensed. It wasn'ttime travel per se, the Doctor told the others, but it didmean the ship was incredibly fast. It made the Wayfarer on

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its best days look like a complete sluggard.

    The journey took no more than an hour. The cruiserslammed out of maximum speed on the edge of the Huralasolar system, and again no one inside the craft coulddiscern any real change. Space simply warped back intoits normal shape around the vessel. Even decelerating, theship took only another twenty minutes to complete thetrip.

    Hurala quickly filled the viewscreen, swelling up like aball of dried mud. The Exterminator and its outridersaucers burst through the thin atmosphere and sweptacross the deserted terrain until they reached the oldLodestar depot.

    The battle cruiser was too big to land, so it remainedhovering over the rusting hulks and abandoned refinerybuildings like a giant metal hand poised to crush a spider.Squadrons of Daleks flooded out of the saucer towards thedesolate settlement, flying in strict formation. The Doctorand his friends were transported on antigrav discs onceagain, to be joined on the surface by the Command Dalek.Dalek X and his elite guards arrived moments later.

    `WHERE IS YOUR TARDIS?' demanded Dalek X.

    `I'm not sure,' replied the Doctor, turning slowly on hisheel and scanning the surrounding buildings. `All thesealleyways look the same to me.'

    Dalek X turned to one of his subordinates.`INSTRUCT THE COMMAND SHIP TO SCAN THEAREA.'

    The Doctor laughed softly. `It won't be that easy to findthe TARDIS,' he said. `It's designed to blend in with its

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surroundings, to come and go like a whisper in the night.'

    `TARDIS LOCATED,' grated the Command Dalek as itreceived the response signal from the Exterminator.`GRID         COORDINATES            TWELVE-ZERO-NINE-GAMMA.'

    `Ouch,' said the Doctor.

    `MOVE!'

    The Daleks glided effortlessly over the scrubby earth,leaving little trails of dust floating behind them in thewake of their gravity repulsors, as they marched theirprisoners into the town.

    `Never did like this dump,' muttered Cuttin' Edge,kicking at the dust. `Back end of nowhere and smells likeit too.'

    `Stella said it reeked of death,' noted Bowman. `I thinkI see what she meant now.'

    `We're not dead yet,' the Doctor reminded them.

    `CEASE TALKING!' ordered a nearby Dalek.

    `I trust you have a plan,' whispered Bowman after afew minutes.

    `Who, me?' The Doctor shook his head. `Nah. Haveyou?'

    `Not a clue.'

    `At least we're thinking along the same lines, then.'

    They arrived at the TARDIS soon enough. The oldpolice box was waiting for them at the end of the littlealley where it had originally materialised several daysearlier.

    `Is that it?' asked Cuttin' Edge, disappointed. `TheDaleks have come all the way here for that?'

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   `It may not look like much, but... oh, forget it.' TheDoctor brushed some dust off the doors and regarded hisship sadly. `What do they know?'

   Dalek X glided forward. `THIS TARDIS WILLPROVIDE THE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THEARKHEON            THRESHOLD!            SUMMON          THETEMPORAL RESEARCH TEAM!'

   Moments later a number of Dalek scientists descendedand approached the police box. Their eyes glowedhungrily. `Open it!' demanded the leader.

   `Say please,' the Doctor said. `Oh, sorry, I forgot. Thatword isn't in the Dalek vocabulary, is it? Along with"thank you", "joke" and "blancmange". You lot must beso miserable.'

   `STOP WASTING TIME,' said Dalek X menacingly.`OPEN THE TARDIS.'

   `All right, all right.' The Doctor fished in his pocket forthe key. Then he tried another pocket. Hurriedly he wentthrough all his pockets, looking more and more worried. `Ican't find it!' he said. `The TARDIS key it's gone...'

   `BLAST OPEN THE DOORS,' ordered the CommandDalek.

   `NEGATIVE!' Dalek X countermanded. `THETARDIS IS PROTECTED BY A TEMPORAL FORCEFIELD. DALEK WEAPONRY WILL NOT PENETRATETHE SHIELDING. IT MUST BE OPENED WITH THECORRECT KEY!'

   The Doctor was still checking and double-checking hispockets, handing various bits and pieces to Bowman andCuttin' Edge in an effort to minimise the clutter. `I don't

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understand it...' he complained. `How could I lose theTARDIS key? I've never lost it!'

   `HURRY!' ordered Dalek X. `THE TARDIS MUST BEOPENED!'

   `It's not that simple,' the Doctor insisted. `It's a triple-curtain trimonic lock. It's got twenty-seven differenttumblers in four separate dimensions. If I don't find thekey, I'm absolutely stuck, never mind you.'

   There was a ridiculous few seconds while Bowman,Cuttin' Edge, Koral and all the assembled and variousDaleks watched the Doctor going through his pockets onelast time.

   `It's no good,' he said eventually, slumping in defeat.

   Dalek X was starting to twitch. `WHERE DID YOULAST HAVE IT?'

   `I don't know.' The Doctor suddenly leapt up straightwith a sharp cry. `Wait! I know! It was here on Hurala. Iwas trapped in one of the cellars down below. I must havedropped it there!'

   `YOU ARE LYING,' stated Dalek X.

   `No, honestly!' The Doctor looked at Bowman andCuttin' Edge. `Don't you remember? You had to open thedoor to the cellar. I'd been locked in by an automatedtrap.'

   `He's right,' said Cuttin' Edge.

   The Doctor looked earnestly from one Dalek toanother. `We were all chased off the planet by a Dalekscout team,' he explained.

   `It's true,' said Koral. `We had to run for our lives.'

   The Command Dalek turned to Dalek X. `THERE IS A

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REPORT FROM A DALEK SCOUT UNIT THATSEVERAL          HUMANOIDS             WERE       RECENTLYDISCOVERED HERE AND PURSUED. THEY MATCHTHE DESCRIPTION OF THESE HUMANOIDS.'

   `That's it,' nodded the Doctor. `It was a close thing, too.I didn't exactly have time to check my pockets properlybefore I left.'

   `One of our crew was killed by a Dalek,' addedBowman darkly. `We were rather preoccupied with her atthe time.'

   `WHERE IS THE KEY NOW?' asked Dalek X.

   `It must still be in that cellar,' said the Doctor carefully.`Wait here, I'll go and get it.'

   He started off but Dalek X stopped him with his suckerarm. `HALT! YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TOLEAVE.'

   `OK. Why don't we all go?'

   `I WILL LEAD THE WAY.'

   `Of course. After you. It's that way.' The Doctorpointed. `The more the merrier we'll stand a betterchance of finding it then.'

   Dalek X led, with the Command Dalek and the eliteguards behind. The Doctor, Bowman, Koral and Cuttin'Edge brought up the rear with a number of assault Daleks.They filed into the building that housed the Lodestar'scomputer core. The Doctor recalled his first trip in here,when he had been investigating the dormant computersystem and allowing his sense of curiosity to get him intotrouble again. There was a metal stairwell leading downdeep beneath the surface.

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    The Doctor turned to Dalek X and pulled an apologetic,slightly embarrassed face. `Sorry. Stairs.'

    `ELEVATE,' commanded Dalek X. He and the otherDaleks started to lift off the ground slightly, floating downthe steps after the Doctor and his friends. It was anawkward journey in such a confined space, but the Daleksmanaged the descent with irritating ease. A couple of themventured out into the space between the stairwells,lowering themselves slowly down while keeping carefulwatch on the prisoners.

    Cuttin' Edge was limping badly, and one of the Dalekswatched his painful progress with great attention.

    `What you lookin' at?' asked Cuttin' Edge. He hadstopped for a rest, flexing his swollen knees andgrimacing. Nearby a number of heavy chains rattled andclanked as the others filed slowly past. The chains werestill attached to ancient pieces of machinery, left behindby the station's original owners.

    `MOVE!' ordered the Dalek.

    `When I'm ready,' said Cuttin' Edge. `My legs are stillsore after you lot shot me.' He started to pull himself upusing some of the chains, his biceps bulging as he allowedthe chain to take his weight. He looked back at the Dalek,which had remained stationary, floating next to the steps.

    `Wait a second,' said Cuttin' Edge quietly. Such was thetone of his voice that everyone else on the stairs stoppedto look back at him. The Doctor, Bowman and Koral hadreached a landing where there were a number of narrowmaintenance hatches. Cuttin' Edge glanced down at hiscompanions and smiled at them.

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   `What is it, Cuttin' Edge?' asked Bowman. `You'reholding us up.'

   `I know this guy,' said Cuttin' Edge, pointing at theDalek. `I recognise his itty-bitty eyestalk tag.'

   The Dalek said nothing.

   `You're the one that killed my pal Scrum,' Cuttin' Edgesaid. His tone was serious, quiet. `You shot him down incold blood just to make a point.'

   Still the Dalek said nothing.

   `Scrum was my best friend,' Cuttin Edge said. `I ain'tnever had a friend before him.'

   `Hey, kid...' said Bowman. He sounded worried. Therewas a grim light in Cuttin' Edge's eyes that only he couldsee.

   Cuttin' Edge held up a hand for Bowman to be quiet.His attention was still fully focused on the Dalek. `I madea promise,' he said. `I said I'd get you for that. And Imeant it.'

   `PROCEED,' the Dalek ordered, gesturing with its gun-stick for Cuttin' Edge to carry on down the stairs.

   Cuttin' Edge had been holding himself up by thechains. Now, with explosive force, he suddenly moved.He wrenched the chains off the wall, looping them aroundthe Dalek's head and yanking it tight with one huge jerk,forcing the eyestalk hard up against its armoured housing.The Dalek squawked and pulled back, its balance shiftingslightly.

   Bowman started back up the steps to help, but theDoctor caught hold of his arm fiercely. `No!'

   `Cuttin' Edge!'

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    `HALT!' The Daleks on the stairwell were also startingto turn, but there wasn't much room to manoeuvre.

    Cuttin' Edge, his teeth bared in a savage grin, kickedout at the machinery attached to the chains. It flipped overthe stair rail and plunged heavily down into the darkness.The chain snapped taut and the Dalek was suddenly pulleddownwards after it, tipping over, the blue glow from itsunderside strobing across the walls. With a terrible clatter,the machinery, the Dalek and the chains tumbled down thestair well. Then the Dalek struck another that had beenrising up from below to help, and together they bangedand crashed their way down into the shadows.

    `EXTERMINATE!' screeched Dalek X. His blaster rayfound Cuttin' Edge and lit him up for all to see, bonesglowing, head back. He clenched his teeth and refused toscream, his eyes staying wide open in their sockets. Thenhe reached out, grabbing the nearest Dalek in both arms.The paralysing neutronic flare engulfed the Dalek as welland there was a startled metallic yell from within.

    The extermination beam ceased abruptly. The Dalekdropped to the steps with a loud clang as its elevation unitfailed and it started to topple down the stairs, threateningto knock the others down like skittles. They were forced tolevitate higher, moving clear of their stricken comrade asit bounced and banged down the stairs, dragging Cuttin'Edge's dead body with it.

    `This way!' yelled the Doctor, grabbing Bowman andKoral and hauling them across the landing towards themaintenance ducts. He kicked open a hatch and pushedthem through. `Move! Hurry!'

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   They tumbled into a narrow passage, pitch black andfull of dust. They ran through a curtain of sticky cobwebs,dislodging spiders as big as hands.

   Bowman crashed into a solid wall and swore. Koraldragged him away, pushing him to the left, along anothernarrow passage. Bowman's shoulders banged and jarredalong the rough walls, his legs scraping against pipes andelectrical ducting. Eventually they fell down a step into asmall, rectangular bay. The Doctor switched on a pockettorch and checked they were all right.

   `What the hell--' began Bowman, coughing up alungful of dust.

   `Service hatches,' said the Doctor, sweeping the torchbeam around. They could see old, discarded tools andjunction boxes covered in spiders' webs. `Maintenanceducts. You know the kind of thing. Used by robots to helpkeep the place running in the old days. Luckily for us theaccess tunnels are too narrow for Daleks.'

   `But Cuttin' Edge...' began Koral. `Why did he dothat...?'

   `He saw where we were,' said Bowman. `Standing rightnext to the hatches. He made a diversion so we could getaway.'

   `It cost him his life,' Koral said numbly.

   `Then let's not waste it,' said the Doctor.

   Bowman looked carefully at him. `You've got a plan,haven't you?'

   The Doctor grinned widely. `Oh, yes! Do I have aplan!'

   Neither Bowman nor Koral could manage a smile in

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return; they were still in a state of shock after Cuttin'Edge's sacrifice. But they both felt a surge of hope.

   `There is one small snag, though,' the Doctor warnedthem. `The plan does rely on us staying alive.'

   `We're trapped underground with a squad of angryDaleks on our tails,' Bowman noted.

   The Doctor winked at him. `I never said it was going tobe easy.'

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    Dalek X did not spare a glance at the dead Dalek as it

    crashed down the stairwell, dragging the human's corpse

    with it. No Dalek was capable of lamenting a loss or

    wasting time rueing an error, the Inquisitor General even

    less so.

       He was, however, furious. And anger was something

    that every Dalek knew.

       `THE DOCTOR HAS ESCAPED!' exclaimed Dalek

    X. `INITIATE EMERGENCY TRACKING SCAN!'

       Two Daleks approached the maintenance hatches. One

    of them was an assault Dalek, and it immediately began to

    cut away a large section of the wall around the nearest

    hatch. The other extended its sucker arm, scanning the

    dark recess beyond.

       The Command Dalek had descended alongside Dalek

    X. `TEMPORAL SCIENCE TEAM ARE STILL

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UNABLE TO PENETRATE THE TARDIS.'

    `WE NEED THE DOCTOR! HE MUST BEFOUND!'

    The Dalek scanning the maintenance tunnel swivelledits head around. `HUMANOID LIFE FORMS TRACEDIN STATION SUPERSTRUCTURE,' it reported. `THEYARE       FOLLOWING         THE       MAINTENANCECONDUITS.'

    `ASSEMBLE ALL SEARCH UNITS!' ordered DalekX. `SEEK! LOCATE! EXTERMINATE!'

The Doctor, Bowman and Koral moved through thetunnels. They wanted to move quickly, but it was difficultin the darkness. The space was claustrophobically narrow,and they kept snagging clothes and skin on sharp, oilyledges and bundles of wire.

    `So what's the plan?' asked Bowman, bringing up therear. He couldn't see anything apart from the jerkymovement of torchlight up ahead as the Doctor and Koralstruggled on.

    `I brought the Daleks to Hurala for a good reason,'replied the Doctor, his voice echoing dully along theconduit. `And it wasn't the TARDIS. That was just thelure Dalek X is so greedy for success I knew he'd comehere if I gave him a good enough reason. But this placewas a refuelling station, remember. There's a number ofimmense astronic energy piles buried underground.Chances are there is still a lot of residual energy in them it's impossible to fully drain the tanks.'

    `Astronic fuel is extremely volatile,' Bowman noted.

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`So we're effectively sitting on a giant bomb.'

   `A ginormous bomb,' agreed the Doctor. `If we can finda way to detonate it, the explosion would not only destroyDalek X and all his mates, but the Command Saucer andsupport vessels as well.'

   `That would make for quite a dent in the Dalek warmachine in this sector of the galaxy,' Bowman realised.

   `So hurrah for Hurala,' the Doctor said.

   `But it is a suicide mission, surely,' said Koral. `We willnot survive the blast either.'

   The Doctor avoided a direct reply, suddenlyexclaiming, `Aha! Here we are...' as he emerged into awider access area. It was a small chamber, dimly lit by anumber of low-level phosphorous strips, and at last theycould stand up straight.

   Bowman stretched, his joints creaking, but he wascareful to avoid meeting Koral's gaze.

   `If we must lose our own lives to defeat the Daleks,'she said, `then so be it. We must avenge the deaths ofStella, Scrum and Cuttin' Edge.'

   `I'm hoping it won't come to that,' said the Doctor. Hetook out his sonic screwdriver. `First things first, though.Let's find the fuel silo controls. They can't be far.'

   As the Doctor began to focus the screwdriver and scanfor the control systems, Bowman checked someequipment stacked against one of the chamber walls.There were a number of tools lying around, presumablyleft by the original contractors who had built the Lodestarstation. They were old and dirty and forgotten, but someof them still had functioning power packs.

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   `Listen,' hissed Koral suddenly. She held up her handfor silence and the Doctor snapped off the sonicscrewdriver.

   They all heard the distant sound of Dalek voicesgrating out orders. The harsh words reverberated throughthe metal tunnels. Echoing, far away, but clearly drawingcloser, they heard metallic cries of `SEEK! LOCATE!EXTERMINATE!'

   The Doctor looked serious. `We're gonna have to fight.We can't let them stop us.'

   `But we have no guns,' Koral said. `How can we fight?'

   `Guns are not the only weapons,' said Bowman, withthe slightest of smiles at the Doctor. He lifted a heavypiece of equipment, blowing a thick layer of dust off itscontrol module. It was shaped like a large, two-handedpower drill. `This is an ion bolter. It uses focused particlestreams to propel ion bolts through plate steel. Crude buteffective.'

   The Doctor searched quickly among some of the otherdiscarded equipment and came up with a device thatlooked like a heavy steel hubcap. `And this is amagnetronic condenser.' He tossed the metal disc towardsBowman, who caught it easily. `Could be useful.'

   There was a loud bang and crash from the adjoiningtunnel and suddenly part of the wall began to glow afierce cherry red. `HUMANOIDS LOCATED!' grated avoice on the other side. `WALL PENETRATION IN TENRELS!'

   `Move!' said the Doctor, leading the way out of thechamber.

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   The exit tunnel was much wider than the service ducts,and the Daleks would not have a problem following them.They all heard the wall caving in behind them.

   A pair of assault Daleks glided through the burninggap. They scanned the surrounding area and set off inpursuit. `SEEK! LOCATE!'

   The Doctor scrambled out of the tunnel onto a widemetal gantry overlooking a vast, black chasm. Koral andBowman ran straight into him, and the three of thempeered over the edge of an old, rusted railing. They couldsee nothing but blackness.

   `Empty silo,' said the Doctor, his voice echoing madlyin the darkness. `No use. Come on!'

   They ran to the left, heading around the curved insidewall of the vast silo, just as the Daleks came into viewbehind them. `VISUAL CONTACT ESTABLISHED,'reported the first.

   `HALT!' yelled the second Dalek. `SURRENDER!YOU ARE PRISONERS OF THE DALEKS!SURRENDER OR YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!'

   `Hurry!' shouted the Doctor as he raced around theperimeter. `Run!'

   The Daleks followed them, trying to manoeuvre for aclear shot. One Dalek rose up from the platform and flewafter them, screeching instructions.

   Bowman whirled, a look of grim intent on his face.With a heavy grunt, he hurled the magnetron condenser atthe flying Dalek like a discus. It whirred through the airand hit the armour casing with a satisfying clang,clamping tight. The Dalek just had time to lower its

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eyestalk, attempting to locate the device on its body, whenthe condenser activated and a low whine started toemanate from the disc.

   `UNDER          ATTACK!'     squawked       the   Dalek.`LOCALISED MAGNETIC FIELD CONDENSING!'

   Suddenly the Dalek imploded, as if crushed by a giant,invisible fist. It was squeezed so hard and so fast that thecreature inside was forced through the splits in the metalarmour. It squirted away into the darkness in a screamingfountain of slime.

   The second Dalek watched the remains of its comradeplummet into the shadows. Then it swivelled its eyestalkback to the fugitives. `HALT OR YOU WILL BEEXTERMINATED!'

   But Bowman was already running again, hurrying afterKoral. The Doctor was sprinting with the sonicscrewdriver held out in front of him. The tip glowed abrilliant blue and the doorway ahead of them swung openon old, grinding hinges.

   They dived through, and the Doctor hit the deck, rolled,came up and fired the sonic screwdriver back at the hatchin one motion. The door rolled shut just as the Dalekreached it.

   `Come on!' The Doctor scrambled down a stairwell,Koral close behind.

   Bowman followed, a little slower because he wascarrying the ion bolter. The muscles of his shoulders andneck stood out like cables, shining with sweat, but histeeth were bared in a savage grin of delight.

   The stairwell went down three levels and then they

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were in a wide, curved corridor. There were several doorsset in the walls.

    The Doctor slowed to a jog, scanning with the sonicscrewdriver. `Not far now... should be just through here.'

    He opened one of the doors and they went through.

    `This silo is still in use,' the Doctor said. `At least, itstill contains astronic fuel. The controls system can beaccessed from that panel over there.'

    He led the way across a wide gantry that stretchedtowards a large, central dais suspended over what lookedlike a bottomless pit. The acrid stench of astronic fuel roseup in sickening waves from far below.

    `The Daleks will be closing in,' Koral said. `They'llsignal our position and converge on this spot. We'll betrapped.'

    `Yes,' said the Doctor. `I know.'

    `Never mind that,' ordered Bowman. `Let's get towork.'

    The Doctor busied himself at the controls, poppingopen an access panel and delving into the circuitrybeneath. `The Daleks will get here any minute,' he saidquickly. His brows furrowed as he concentrated on thework. `I've got to bypass the override and set up afeedback loop on the fuel containment field. It'll take ooh, too long probably so I'd appreciate it if you couldbuy me just a little time...'

    `You've got it,' said Bowman. He grabbed hold ofKoral's hand. `Come with me.'

The Daleks were tearing the Lodestar station apart looking

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for the Doctor and his friends. The Command Dalekbarked out orders to several different search parties asthey spread through the refuelling complex.

    Dalek X floated in the centre of an empty silo. Hiseyestalk revolved slowly, examining his surroundings,analysing, calculating, extrapolating. He scanned thestructure using X-ray vision, infra-red, thermal imaging,spectronic diffusion. He compared the information withdata absorbed from the sensor apparatus in his sucker arm.Then he downloaded a complete schematic of theLodestar station from the Exterminator for comparison.

    Less than a minute later, Dalek X moved across the siloand examined the access door. It had been locked usingsome kind of sonic recalibration code. Dalek X extendedhis suction arm and manipulated the locking mechanism,burning through the simple computer it contained usingseveral million potential combinations in less than asecond. The door slid slowly open.

    Dalek X knew where the Doctor would be. He knewwhat he would try to do. He realised that he had beentricked into coming here and that the Doctor wouldattempt to destroy him and the Exterminator. This was adesperate ploy and doomed to failure.

    But a deep, overriding hatred boiled inside the blackand gold armour. Dalek X was determined to stop theDoctor, to destroy him at all costs.

    And he would do this alone.

                          * * *

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The access gantry was a wide, thick construction withmetal floor grilles covering a ditch full of cables andpipes. Bowman prised up one of the lattice panels andjumped into the narrow channel beneath, beckoning Koralto join him. Together they crouched down in the gap andBowman slid the grille back into place over their heads.

   It was cramped and uncomfortable but they could seeclearly up through the flooring.

   `The Daleks will have to come this way,' whisperedBowman. `We stay here and attack when the first onepasses overhead. You strike first, disabling it. Then I'll dothe rest.'

   Koral opened her mouth to ask a question but a grating,metallic voice suddenly echoed across the silo.

   `DOCTOR!' The word was spat across the void withcold purpose.

   The Doctor looked up from his work, sonic screwdriverclamped between his teeth. He raised his eyebrows andgave a little wave when he saw Dalek X approachingalong the access gantry.

   `STAND AWAY FROM THE SILO CONTROLSYSTEM,' ordered Dalek X.

   The Doctor removed the sonic screwdriver from hismouth. `Sorry! Bit busy right now. Why don't you comeback a little later?'

   `STAND         AWAY      OR      YOU        WILL       BEEXTERMINATED.'

   `I wouldn't open fire in here if I were you,' the Doctorcautioned. `Astronic fuel vapour boom!'

   `STAND AWAY!'

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   The Doctor turned his back on the Dalek, working withfeverish haste at the controls with the screwdriver. `I'll beright with you,' he called over his shoulder. `Just waitthere a sec.'

   `DOCTOR!'

   The Doctor let out a huge, impatient sigh and turnedaround. `Look, what is it? I've already told you, I'm busy.'He waggled the sonic screwdriver to show how busy hewas.

   `YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS TO STAND AWAYFROM          THOSE       CONTROLS           BEFORE         IEXTERMINATE YOU!'

   `Don't be daft. Exterminate me and you'll never get theTARDIS.'

   `WE WILL BREAK INTO THE TIME VORTEXWITHOUT IT!'

   `I doubt that.'

   `THEN WE WILL FIND A WAY TO PENETRATETHE TARDIS DEFENCE SYSTEMS WITHOUT YOU.DALEKS ARE NEVER DEFEATED!'

   The Doctor's eyes widened. `Wanna bet?'

   The grating slid away beneath Dalek X, and Korallunged upwards, claws extended. She ripped into theantigravity mechanism under the Dalek's base, tearingthrough the metal and plastic in a shower of angry sparks.There was a flash of energy and the Dalek shuddered,visibly sinking as his power to levitate faded.

   `MOBILITY IMPAIRED!' shrieked Dalek X as hecrunched down heavily onto the walkway. His gun andsucker arm waved around in sudden panic as he searched

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for his assailant. `I CANNOT MOVE!'

    Bowman rose up behind the Dalek, clutching the ionbolter. He rested the barrel against the neck grille as thehead spun around and Dalek X's eye focused on him.

    `HUMAN ASSAILANT!' cried Dalek X, his voicerising in pitch. His shoulder section began to turn,bringing the gun-stick round to bear on Bowman.

    Bowman held the Dalek's gaze for a long moment,leaning in so that his face filled the creature's vision.Then, very carefully, he said one word: `Exterminate.'

    And pulled the trigger on the bolt gun.

    The gun was set to automatic. A succession of heavyion bolts rammed through the barrel and into the Dalek'sneck.

    `ALERT! ALERT! CASING BREACHED!' yelledDalek X, shuddering as each bolt shot home. `FORCESHIELDS INOPERATIVE!'

    Smoke and flames began to spew from the rupturedgrille and the living thing inside suddenly let out apiercing yell of agony. Bowman switched position,ramming the bolt gun against a different section of theneck, and squeezed the activator. More ion bolts rattledinto the Dalek and the whole machine seemed to shakeunder the impact. Dalek X's cries rose above the crackleand spit of the fire, and Bowman was forced to step backas the skin on his hands began to burn.

    But the ion bolter was empty. Every round had beenstamped into the Dalek's neck section, disrupting theelectrical controls and skewering the creature inside. Witha snarl of disgust, Bowman raised his boot and pushed the

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blazing Dalek X off the gantry. He tipped and then fell,trailing smoke and a bloodcurdling shriek until hedisappeared into the darkness.

    `Ex-Dalek,' muttered Bowman, dropping the emptybolt gun after it. Then he sank to his knees, exhausted,blood pouring from his leg.

    Koral crawled across and helped him up. `We're notfinished yet,' she told him. `Come on...'

    `Good work,' said the Doctor as they joined him by thecontrols. `Clever, too. The underside of a Dalek can't beproperly force-shielded because of the gravity repellers.Take those out and you'll short-circuit the rest of thedefensive fields. Well done.'

    `Never thought I'd be the one to KO Dalek X,' gruntedBowman.

    `Well now we've got the chance to KO his CommandShip and every other Dalek here as well. I'm almostdone.' The Doctor made a last adjustment to the wiring onthe control panel and then snapped the access hatch shut.He clicked off the sonic screwdriver. `There.'

    `Will it be enough?' Bowman asked. `I mean theExterminator is one big ship, Doctor.'

    `You'll be able to see the explosion from the other endof the solar system,' the Doctor promised. `Believe me,it's more than big enough.' He paused. `But there is aproblem.'

    Koral looked up, recognising a grave note in theDoctor's voice. `What?'

    `The detonation relies on the safety override failing tofunction. I can't do that by remote control, and nor can I

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set a timer on it.' He looked at them grimly. `Someonewill have to stay and hold the manual override lever downuntil the silo reaches critical.' He tapped a metal lever onthe control panel. `It's a failsafe measure.'

    `We knew this was a suicide mission,' said Bowman.

    Koral agreed. `What are we waiting for? Let's do it.'

    Still the Doctor hesitated. `By my reckoning, theTARDIS is parked directly up there...' The Doctorpointed upwards. `And... well, we could have made a runfor it. Just.'

    `You still can,' said Bowman. `I'll hold the failsafelever. You can go with Koral.'

    `What? No!' said Koral, horrified.

    `I'm injured anyway,' Bowman said. `Get going withthe Doctor, and leave me here.'

    `No!' Koral argued, stricken. `I will not leave you! TheDoctor can--'

    `He already risked his life once for me, Koral. Andanyway, only he knows how to fly that ship of his. At leastthis way you and he both get to survive. Now go on, getgoing...'

    But Koral was having none of it. `No! You go! I'll stay,I'll hold the lever! I won't let you die, Bowman! I loveyou!'

    The last three words were blurted out. Bowman gapedat her but then clamped his mouth shut. The Doctorlooked desperately from one to the other.

    Then Bowman grasped Koral by the shoulders andkissed her, hard. `I love you too,' he growled. `Which iswhy there is no question of me going while you stay here.

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What would be the point?'

   `Um, excuse me...' said the Doctor.

   `No!' Koral choked. She held Bowman's face in herhands and looked up imploringly. `No, I can't let you go,not now...'

   `Running out of time here...' warned the Doctor.

   Bowman rubbed a tear from Koral's face with histhumb. `Don't cry. You'll set the Doctor off you knowwhat a wimp he is.'

   `What?' the Doctor frowned.

   `See, he's cryin' already...'

   Koral looked at the Doctor, and Bowman quicklyshifted his hand to grip her neck and shoulder between hisstrong fingers. He squeezed on the nerve junction thereand Koral stiffened, suddenly losing consciousness.Bowman caught her as she fell, then, hoisting her into hisarms, held her limp body out to the Doctor. `Here takeher and go.'

   `Bowman...'

   `At least this way she survives!' Bowman's voice wasragged with emotion. `And so do you. Now go!'

   The Doctor took Koral in his arms. `I'll look after her.'

   `You'd better.'

   There was a clang from the far side of the silo and agroup of Daleks filed through the doorway. The Doctorturned, hesitated for a moment. Looked back at Bowman.

   `Give us as long as you can,' he said.

   Bowman gripped the failsafe lever. `Get outta here.'

The Doctor hurried across the gantry to the far side of the

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silo and started up the steps. It was hard going with Koralin his arms but he was determined to escape. He owed JonBowman that much at least. Koral was regainingconsciousness, murmuring as he pounded up the metalsteps, heaving for breath.

   At the top he lost his footing and collapsed, crashing tothe floor. He held on to Koral but she had suddenly wokenup to what was happening. She struggled against him asthey got up. `Let me go! Let me go back to him!' shecried.

   `No! Koral! You've got to run! We only have secondsleft!'

   `Bowman!' screamed Koral.

   The Doctor held her back. `It's too late! We've run outof time! He wants you to live, and that's the least you cando!'

   He dragged her along the corridor but she fought himevery step. Eventually he turned and grabbed her by theshoulders, shaking her. `Stop fighting me! Think whatBowman would have wanted! If you go back now we alldie. Is that what you want? Is that what you think he'dwant?'

   She sobbed, then allowed herself to be pulled alongafter him. The Doctor opened the door at the end of thepassage and they burst out into the cold Hurala night.There were stars above them and, directly ahead, theTARDIS, big, bold and blue. The Doctor almost yelledwith delight and relief.

The Daleks glided across the gantry. Bowman watched

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them come, a grim smile on his bloodied lips. They hadn'teven seen him yet, leaning over the control panel, onehand gripping the failsafe lever. Indicator lights on thecontrols were flashing intermittently, lighting his facespasmodically with a hellish red glow.

   `ALERT!' screeched the first Dalek. `HUMANPRISONER IDENTIFIED!'

The Doctor and Koral staggered towards the TARDIS.

    `HALT! EXTERMINATE!'

    They heard the Daleks behind them. The heard theshrill whine of the extermination beams and the alleywayflickered with light. The Doctor zigzagged, pushing Koralahead of him. The air was filled with a sharp, hot tang ofozone.

    `Run!' the Doctor bellowed.

    `What about the key?'

    `What about it?' The Doctor held up his hand and thekey flashed as he inserted it into the TARDIS lock. Thepolice box doors snapped open and they both shot straightinside.

The Daleks converged on Bowman.

   He stood, unsteady but unbeaten. One hand remainedon the lever, sticky with blood. He grinned defiantly at theDaleks as they approached.

   `So long, suckers.'

   And he pulled the lever.

   Instantly the whole world seemed to shake, as if a gianthammer had laid a deathly blow deep inside the planet.

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There was a distant, heavy reverberation from far below, agrowing roar as an unstoppable chain reaction began.

   The Daleks were vibrating, jerking around as the entireLodestar station began to shudder with a terrible finality.Pieces of rusting metal clattered from the ceiling and thegantry gave a loud, ominous crack. Far below, a greenlight suddenly flared into life.

   `EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!' cried one of theDaleks. `RETREAT!'

   Bowman just laughed.

The Doctor rushed madly around the TARDIS controlconsole. There was no time for Koral to ask any questions like why there was such a huge chamber containedinside such a small box and so she was just forced towatch him work. She gripped the railing, looking allaround her, numb with the realisation that everything hadjust changed for her, more than she could evercomprehend.

   `No time, no time,' the Doctor muttered, workingfeverishly at the controls. His teeth were gritted and hiseyes wild. The ground was shaking, rattling the metalfloor. Suddenly the Doctor let out a huge, `Ha!' andreleased the handbrake.

   The central column erupted into bright turquoise lightand an uncanny groaning noise filled the chamber.

   `Oh yeah!' shouted the Doctor. `Come on!'

The Daleks were rattling and squawking. The bright greenlight accompanied by a deep, thunderous roar

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suddenly increased in intensity as the chain reactionignited the astronic fuel below. A huge gust of windwhipped up from the depths of the silo, but Bowman kepthis eyes wide open.

   He'd never backed down from anything in his life. Hewanted to see death coming.

   But what he actually saw was a blue box materialisingout of thin air, right in front of him. It was difficult to seeproperly in the emerald glare of the oncoming explosion,but it looked like...

   The police box door opened, and there was Koral,standing inside, holding out her hand to him.

   The Command Dalek saw what was happening andswivelled its gun around. `EXTERMINATE!'

   With a gasp Bowman launched himself through theTARDIS door. It crashed shut behind him and the Dalekblast hit nothing but empty air as the entire station wasinstantly and catastrophically vaporised.

The explosion ripped the planet open. The Lodestarstation itself disappeared in the initial blast a stone,metal and plastic town one moment, a gaseous mass ofatoms the next. The exit wound spewed a glowing, fierystream of astronic radiation straight up into theatmosphere. Fragments of the deep silos and rock werehurled up like a hundred thousand tonnes of shrapnel,propelled at supersonic speeds. The force fields of theDalek Command Saucer hovering over the stationabsorbed the first wave, but they could not withstand thepoint-blank onslaught of the astronic blast.

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   The Exterminator took the blast amidships, crunchingunder the impact, flaring with a thousand secondaryignitions as the neutronic power source at its centreoverloaded. The ship was ruptured, disembowelled, firespurting from the rim. And then the vast saucer tipped,slowly at first, and slid into the broiling chasm below.

   The crash released final detonations which caught thesupport ships in a second chain reaction. Each exploded ina bright star of energy, popping like flashbulbs as theExterminator crashed.

   The astronic flare would be seen from seven light yearsaway.

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    It was a glorious day on planet Earth. High above the

    silver towers and walkways of London, flying cars and

    distant spacecraft crossed a clear blue sky. The sun glinted

    on the golden spires of Westminster, just visible inside its

    protective force bubble.

       The Doctor was standing by the TARDIS, waiting for

    Bowman and Koral. They'd been inside Earth Command

    Headquarters for the best part of a day, and he had agreed

    to meet them here. Part of him had wanted to just drop

    them off and go, dematerialise and disappear, for ever and

    a day. Pop up some place else, in another era, a million

    miles and years away. See what happened.

       But something compelled him to stay and see this

    through. Something at the back of his mind that he

    couldn't quite put his finger on. A lingering sense of

    comradeship, perhaps. Or maybe the fact that Bowman

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and Koral had both lost dear friends in this adventure, andthe Doctor remained their only link to them now. Sharedmemories and experiences. Friendship.

    The park was busy. The summer sun had brought thelocals out. Some things never changed. Men and womenstrolled along the walkways, warm and relaxed, taking atiny break from the stresses and strains of their workinglives. Children played on the grass. The Doctor was dimlyaware of their high, excited voices calling out to eachother in pretend battle: cries of `Exterminate!Exterminate!' and `You're dead!' followed by theinevitable `No I'm not. You missed!'

    He smiled and shook his head, thinking that the humanrace would never end its love affair with war.

    `I thought you'd be long gone,' said a rough voicebehind him.

    Bowman was there, standing on crutches, rugged andscarred and old. Koral was with him, one arm linkedthrough his.

    `Nah,' the Doctor said. `There's something about Earth.I just can't seem to stay away.'

    `Come on,' Bowman growled. `What's the real reason?Don't tell us you weren't tempted to just take off in thatTARDIS thing. What did you stay for?'

    The Doctor shrugged. `I dunno. Unfinished business, Isuppose. How did it go?'

    `Pretty good. The Dalek fleet is in complete disarray.The loss of the Exterminator has knocked them right back,along with any plans to use time-travel technology. TheSupreme Dalek's Temporal Research Team bit the dust

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along with everything else on Hurala.'

   `That's good. And the prison?'

   `Earth Command has a squadron of ships on its way toseize Arkheon and liberate the prisoners.'

   The Doctor watched the children playing. `That couldbe quite a battle.'

   `Yeah.'

   `They asked Bowman to lead the mission,' said Koral.She pulled him closer. `But he refused.'

   `I'm too old for that kinda thing now.' There was aslightly pained, regretful look on the old soldier's face.`That's what Koral says, anyway. Besides, I've got betterthings to be doing with my time.'

   `He's taking me to meet his parents,' said Koral.

   The Doctor laughed. `You old dog.'

   `Gotta start tying up some loose ends,' Bowman said.`Earth Command's given me a full pardon. Seems I'vepulled their fat out of the fire again. Now it's time to seemy folks.'

   `I'm glad.'

   No one felt the need to mention Stella, Scrum andCuttin' Edge. Each knew they were in their thoughts andin the quietness behind the smiles.

   `Well, talking of loose ends...' began the Doctor, `I'vea few of my own to tie up before I get the TARDIS backon the right time track.' He shook hands with Bowmanand kissed Koral goodbye. Then, with a final, ironicsalute, he turned and headed towards the TARDIS.

It was a forgotten world.

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   Dusty, torn and left in darkness. Nothing and no oneever came here.

   Deep below the surface of Hurala, beneath the vastblack crater where the Lodestar station had once stood, allwas now quiet. The carnage was silent, and there was nota sign of life.

   But deeper even than that, down in the caves, in acrevice beneath the mangled wreckage of the astronic fuelsilo, was a clutter of black and gold debris. It was burntand twisted and split, and it was all that remained of DalekX. The life-support system was smashed, the containmenttank fractured. Wires trailed towards the living creaturewhere it lay on the rocks, twitching feebly in the darkness.

   A light pulsed in the shadows. The Dalek's misty eyewidened fractionally, disbelievingly. A loud wheezing andgroaning noise filled the little cave as an old blue policebox materialised in the gloom.

   The Doctor stepped out wearing his long coat, the lightfrom the console room spilling out across the writhingremains of the Inquisitor General.

   `YOU... LOCATED... MY... TRANSMISSION...'the Dalek croaked.

   `Yeah, that was easy.' The Doctor sat down on a rock.`But there's no one else listening. You're finished.Arkheon is no more. The prisoners have been freed andthe Daleks there all wiped out. Thanks to Space MajorBowman, of course. Earth Command is on the offensive.Your lines are in disarray. You're beaten.' He paused. `Justthought you'd like to know.'

   `THE SUPREME DALEK...'

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    `Oh, he's given you up for dead. Besides, I doubt he'dbe in a forgiving mood if you did happen to turn up afterall this. You're better off down here to be honest.'

    `THE ARKHEON THRESHOLD?'

    `Sealed. One of the advantages of being a Time Lordwith a TARDIS. It's nice to be able to tie these loose endsup sometimes. The temporal fissure is gone. I put a stitchin time.'

    `VERY... THOROUGH. YOUR VICTORY IS...TOTAL.'

    `Almost.' The Doctor pursed his lips and frowned.`There's still you, of course. Still here, still alive. Youcertainly know how to hang on, I'll give you that.'

    `THE ASTRONIC RADIATION WILL KEEP MEALIVE...'

    `Yeah, I thought there was a smell.' The Doctorwrinkled his nose. `Never mind. It won't do you muchgood, trapped down here. There's a communications sealaround Hurala, part of the radiation quarantine. Fivethousand years at least before anyone will hear your criesfor help. But neither you nor your batteries will last thatlong, I'm afraid.'

    `I WILL FIND A WAY.' Dalek X glared at the Doctor.`I WILL SURVIVE! THE DALEKS ARE NEVERDEFEATED!'

    The Doctor shook his head. `You can never see it, canyou? You just don't get it. Daleks are always defeated.Always. Because you never learn. You never accept thesimple truth that every other life form in the universe isbetter than you.'

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   `INCORRECT! DALEKS ARE THE SUPREMEBEINGS!'

   `There's not a life form in the universe that wouldvolunteer to become a Dalek. Doesn't that tell youanything? Well, doesn't it?'

   Dalek X did not reply.

   The Doctor stood up and turned to leave.

   `DOCTOR!' gasped the Dalek. `YOUR FAILURE TODESTROY ME... WILL PROVE TO BE YOURDOWNFALL. I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN...!'

   `Yeah, well, good luck with that.' The Doctor paused inthe TARDIS doorway, silhouetted in the golden light. Hisface was stony. `Cos I'll be waiting.'

   The TARDIS door clicked shut behind him and then thepolice box faded away.

   And Dalek X was left to stare, unblinking, into thedarkness.

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                Acknowledgements

My family, first and foremost without whom this bookwouldn't have been half so much fun to write, or soworthwhile. And my old mate Pete Stam who never,ever believes that the book is going to be rubbish, nomatter how much I try to warn him.

   And, in no particular order Justin Richards and SteveTribe, and Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat and GaryRussell and all at Cardiff for doing what they do, anddoing it brilliantly. Thanks for asking me to write this one,and giving me the chance to play with the ultimate DoctorWho toy.

   And while I'm on the subject of the Daleks, it is onlyright and proper that I offer my heartfelt thanks to TerryNation and Raymond P. Cusick, and to all the otherwriters, designers, actors, artists and technicians who havehelped contribute to Dalek mythology over the last forty-five years. Here's to you.

   Finally, David Tennant a brilliant Doctor, who willlive on in the hearts and minds of kids everywhere for therest of their lives.

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           featuring the Doctor and Rose

    as played by David Tennant and Billie Piper:

               THE STONE ROSE

               by Jacqueline Rayner

         THE FEAST OF THE DROWNED

                by Stephen Cole

         THE RESURRECTION CASKET

               by Justin Richards

     THE NIGHTMARE OF BLACK ISLAND

              by Mike Tucker

          THE ART OF DESTRUCTION

               by Stephen Cole

            THE PRICE OF PARADISE

                 by Colin Brake

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             featuring the Doctor and Martha

    as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman:

               STING OF THE ZYGONS

                   by Stephen Cole

                  THE LAST DODO

                 by Jacqueline Rayner

                  WOODEN HEART

                   by Martin Day

                 FOREVER AUTUMN

                   by Mark Morris

                   SICK BUILDING

                     by Paul Magrs

                    WETWORLD

                 by Mark Michalowski

                   WISHING WELL

                    by Mark Morris

                 THE PIRATE LOOP

                  by Simon Guerrier

                   PEACEMAKER

                  by James Swallow

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                  Also available from BBC Books:

                    The Encyclopedia

                           by Gary Russell

                       ISBN 978 1 846 07291 8

                               £14.99

                 Do you know what was playing

                      on Cassanda's iPod?

                      What was the name of

                     Shakespeare's lost play?

     Where were the Slitheen planning to hide a tribophysical

            waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator?

      There's no need to search time and space it's all right

    here. From Autons to Anne Droid, from Cat Nuns to Canary

     Wharf, from Plasmavores to Pig Slaves... everything you

    need to know about everything you didn't know you needed

                   to know about Doctor Who.

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                   featuring the Doctor and Donna

          as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman:

                  Martha in the Mirror

                          by Justin Richards

                        ISBN 978 1 846 07420 2

                    UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

        Castle Extremis whoever holds it can control the

     provinces either side that have been at war for centuries.

      Now the castle is about to play host to the signing of a

     peace treaty. But as the Doctor and Martha find out, not

                  everyone wants the war to end.

    Who is the strange little girl who haunts the castle? What is

    the secret of the book the Doctor finds, its pages made from

      thin, brittle glass? Who is the hooded figure that watches

     from the shadows? And what is the secret of the legendary

                            Mortal Mirror?

    The Doctor and Martha don't have long to find the answers

     an army is on the march, and the castle will soon be under

                        siege once more...

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                   featuring the Doctor and Donna

          as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman:

                         Snow Globe 7

                             by Mike Tucker

                         ISBN 978 1 846 07421 9

                     UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

           Earth, 2099. Global warming is devastating the

               climate. The polar ice caps are melting.

     In a desperate attempt at preservation, the governments of

       the world have removed vast sections of the Arctic and

    Antarctic and set them inside huge domes across the world.

        The Doctor and Martha arrive in SnowGlobe 7 in the

    Middle East, hoping for peace and relaxation. But they soon

        discover that it's not only ice and snow that has been

                    preserved beneath the Dome.

     While Martha struggles to help with an infection sweeping

    through the Dome, the Doctor discovers an alien threat that

    has lain hidden since the last ice age. A threat that is starting

                               to thaw.

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                   featuring the Doctor and Donna

          as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman:

                     The Many Hands

                             by Dale Smith

                         ISBN 978 1 846 07422 6

                     UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

      The Nor' Loch is being filled in. If you ask the soldiers

     there, they'll tell you it's a stinking cesspool that the city

     can do without. But that doesn't explain why the workers

         won't go near the place without an armed guard.

      That doesn't explain why they whisper stories about the

    loch giving up its dead, about the minister who walked into

              his church twelve years after he died...

    It doesn't explain why, as they work, they whisper about a

                       man called the Doctor.

         And about the many hands of Alexander Monro.

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             Starships and Spacestations

                           by Justin Richards

                        ISBN 978 1 84607 423 3

                      £7.99 US $12.99/$15.99 CDN

    The Doctor has his TARDIS to get him from place to place

    and time to time, but the rest of the Universe relies on more

          conventional transport... From the British Space

    Programme of the late twentieth century to Earth's Empire

     in the far future, from the terrifying Dalek Fleet to deadly

     Cyber Ships, this book documents the many starships and

       spacestations that the Doctor and his companions have

                     encountered on their travels.

    He has been held prisoner in space, escaped from the moon,

     witnessed the arrival of the Sycorax and the crash landing

      of a space pig... More than anyone else, the Doctor has

      seen the development of space travel between countless

                                worlds.

     This stunningly illustrated book tells the amazing story of

    Earth's ventures into space, examines the many alien fleets

    who have paid Earth a visit, and explores the other starships

      and spacestations that the Doctor has encountered on his

                            many travels...

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                   featuring the Doctor and Donna

           as played by David Tennant and Catherine Tate:

                       Ghosts of India

                            by Mark Morris

                        ISBN 978 1 846 07559 9

                    UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

     India in 1947 is a country in the grip of chaos a country

      torn apart by internal strife. When the Doctor and Donna

       arrive in Calcutta, they are instantly swept up in violent

                                  events.

    Barely escaping with their lives, they discover that the city

     is rife with tales of `half-made men', who roam the streets

      at night and steal people away. These creatures, it is said,

    are as white as salt and have only shadows where their eyes

                                should be.

       With help from India's great spiritual leader, Mohandas

         `Mahatma' Gandhi, the Doctor and Donna set out to

                       investigate these rumours.

     What is the real truth behind the `half-made men'? Why is

     Gandhi's role in history under threat? And has an ancient,

     all-powerful god of destruction really come back to wreak

                     his vengeance upon the Earth?

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                  featuring the Doctor and Donna

          as played by David Tennant and Catherine Tate:

                     The Doctor Trap

                        by Simon Messingham

                       ISBN 978 1 846 07558 0

                   UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

    Sebastiene was perhaps once human. He might look like a

    nineteenth-century nobleman, but in truth he is a ruthless

       hunter. He likes nothing more than luring difficult

    opposition to a planet, then hunting them down for sport.

    And now he's caught them all from Zargregs to Moogs,

                   and even the odd Eternal...

     In fact, Sebastiene is after only one more prize. For this

     trophy, he knows he is going to need help. He's brought

    together the finest hunters in the universe to play the most

       dangerous game for the deadliest quarry of them all.

      They are hunting for the last of the Time Lords the

                             Doctor.

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                   featuring the Doctor and Donna

           as played by David Tennant and Catherine Tate:

                     Shining Darkness

                          by Mark Michalowski

                        ISBN 978 1 846 07557 5

                    UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

     For Donna Noble, the Andromeda galaxy is a long, long

    way from home. But even two and a half million light years

         from Earth, danger lurks around every corner...

      A visit to an art gallery turns into a race across space to

        uncover the secret behind a shadowy organisation.

        From the desert world of Karris to the interplanetary

      scrapyard of Junk, the Doctor and Donna discover that

      appearances can be deceptive, that enemies are lurking

      around every corner and that the centuries-long peace

    between humans and machines may be about to come to an

                               end.

    Because waiting in the wings to bring chaos to the galaxy is

                  the Cult of Shining Darkness.

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                   Also available from BBC Books:

           The Time Traveller's Almanac

                            by Steve Tribe

                        ISBN 978 1 846 07572 8

                               £14.99

         Who are the eminent artists of the 16th, 19th or 21st

      centuries? What are the mysteries of Carrionite science?

      Where do the Daleks come from? Answers to all of these

        questions and more are found in The Time Traveller's

            Almanac, the ultimate intergalactic fact-finder.

      The Almanac draws on resources far and wide, from the

       beginning of time to the end of the universe, to provide

         information on key historical events and great lives,

    important issues in science, technology and the arts, and the

                   stories that have defined each era.

         Fully illustrated with photos and artwork, The Time

     Traveller's Almanac provides an essential biography of the

                         Doctor Who universe.

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                 featuring the Doctor and Donna

        as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman:

                The Story of Martha

                           by Dan Abnett

            with David Roden, Steve Lockley & Paul Lewis,

                 Robert Shearman, and Simon Jowett

                      ISBN 978 1 846 07561 2

                  UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

     For a year, while the Master ruled over Earth, Martha

     Jones travelled the world telling people stories about

      the Doctor. She told people of how the Doctor has

     saved them before, and how he will save them again.

      This is that story. It tells of Martha's travels from

      her arrival on Earth as the Toclafane attacked and

      decimated the population through to her return to

     Britain to face the Master. It tells how she spread the

     word and told people about the Doctor. The story of

              how she survived that terrible year.

     But it's more than that. This is also a collection of the

    stories she tells the stories of adventures she had with

      the Doctor that we haven't heard about before. The

           stories that inspired and saved the world...

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                Coming Soon from BBC Books

                     featuring the Doctor

                 as played by David Tennant:

                      The Eyeless

                         by Lance Parkin

                     ISBN 978 1 846 07562 9

                 UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

       At the heart of the ruined city of Arcopolis is the

     Fortress. It's a brutal structure placed here by one of

    the sides in a devastating intergalactic war that's long

    ended. Fifteen years ago, the entire population of the

     planet was killed in an instant by the weapon housed

    deep in the heart of the Fortress. Now only the ghosts

                              remain.

     The Doctor arrives, and determines to fight his way

      past the Fortress's automatic defences and put the

     weapon beyond use. But he soon discovers he's not

    the only person in Arcopolis. What is the true nature

    of the weapon? Is the planet really haunted? Who are

    the Eyeless? And what will happen if they get to the

                 weapon before the Doctor?

    The Doctor has a fight on his hands. And this time he's

                        all on his own.

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                      featuring the Doctor

                 as played by David Tennant:

            Judgement of the Judoon

                         by Colin Brake

                     ISBN 978 1 846 07639 8

                 UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

    Elvis the King Spaceport has grown into the sprawling

     city-state of New Memphis an urban jungle, where

       organised crime is rife. But the launch of the new

     Terminal 13 hasn't been as smooth as expected. And

                 things are about to get worse...

    When the Doctor arrives, he finds the whole terminal

     locked down. The notorious Invisible Assassin is at

    work again, and the Judoon troopers sent to catch him

        will stop at nothing to complete their mission.

      With the assassin loose on the mean streets of New

    Memphis, the Doctor is forced into a strange alliance.

    Together with teenage private eye Nikki and a ruthless

      Judoon Commander, the Doctor soon discovers that

     things are even more complicated and dangerous

                    than he first thought...

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                      featuring the Doctor

                 as played by David Tennant:

               Prisoner of the Daleks

                       by Trevor Baxendale

                     ISBN 978 1 846 07641 1

                 UK £6.99 US $11.99/$14.99 CDN

       The Daleks are advancing, their empire constantly

       expanding into Earth's space. The Earth forces are

      resisting the Daleks in every way they can. But the

    battles rage on across countless solar systems. And now

         the future of our galaxy hangs in the balance...

     The Doctor finds himself stranded on board a starship

       near the frontline with a group of ruthless bounty

    hunters. Earth Command will pay them for every Dalek

      they kill, every eye stalk they bring back as proof.

    With the Doctor's help, the bounty hunters achieve the

     ultimate prize: a Dalek prisoner intact, powerless,

    and ready for interrogation. But where the Daleks are

    involved, nothing is what it seems, and no one is safe.

    Before long the tables will be turned, and how will the

        Doctor survive when he becomes a prisoner of

                         the Daleks?

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                   Coming Soon from BBC Books:

                 Companions and Allies

                             by Steve Tribe

                        ISBN 978 1 846 07749 4

                    UK £7.99 US $12.99/$15.99 CDN

      The Doctor has been travelling through space and time

      for centuries, showing his friends and companions the

     wonders of the universe. From Sarah Jane Smith and the

    Brigadier to Martha Jones and Donna Noble, Companions

    and Allies celebrates the friends who have been by his side

     and the heroes that have helped him battle his deadliest

                           foes. Find out:

    · How the First Doctor uprooted schoolteachers Ian and

    Barbara from their twentieth-century lives

    · Why the Third Doctor worked for UNIT

    · How the Fifth Doctor sacrificed his life for Peri

    · Who helped the Eighth Doctor save Earth from

    the Master

    · What became of Rose Tyler and her family

       And much more. Beautifully illustrated and including

          for the first time a complete story guide to the

      adventures of all ten Doctors, this is the definitive guide

                 to the Doctor's intergalactic family.

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