Doctor Who_ The Power of the Daleks Part 22

Valmar held the control unit. He tapped a b.u.t.ton on the unit and tapped the Dalek on the dome. 'Fire at the screen,' he ordered.

The gun-stick spat. The air was filled with a tingle of electricity. The screen on the stand glowed, then shattered into a million shards.

The rebels were stunned by the demonstration. They all began to talk at once, a mixture of alarm and fascination.

Only the figure who sat in the shadows remained still and silent.

'Quiet!' Janley glared at her comrades angrily. 'You must keep quiet! We're still vulnerable, even here.'

'You can't control a thing like that,' Kebble said. 'It'll turn on us'

'No it won't,' Janley insisted, clearly annoyed by his lack of faith.

Kebble ignored her a.s.surance. 'I wouldn't tell any of my group to go anywhere near it.'

It was clear that this sentiment was shared by most of the other leaders. Glaring around, Valmar stepped forward, holding up the small unit. 'I can can control it,' he insisted. control it,' he insisted.

'Prove it,' Kebble challenged. Then he shook his head.

'You daren't! I'm not talking about that thing firing at walls or bits of metal or anything.' He glanced contemptuously at the dusty remains of the sheet. 'I mean people. Have you tried testing whether you can stop it killing people? Our people?'

Valmar held out the unit. 'Look,' he said urgently, 'I can show you what I've done here. Explain how '

'Forget it,' Kebble said flatly. 'How do you know that Dalek can tell the difference between the Governor's people and our people?'

' I I know the difference, you fool,' Valmar snapped. 'And I control it.' know the difference, you fool,' Valmar snapped. 'And I control it.'

Kebble shook his head. He could see that he had the support of the others. 'We want something better than words'

Janley was clearly worried that she was losing control of the group. She stepped forward. 'Test it on me,' she suggested. 'Will that satisfy you?' She gave Kebble an insolent stare.

All eyes were on Kebble. It was obvious to everyone that Kebble had been pushed further than he'd expected to go.

If he had been angling for control of the group, he'd quite clearly lost it. He licked his lips, nervously. 'Well, yes,' he finally agreed. 'But '

Janley ignored him and walked over to where the screen had once stood. Behind the drums, Ben grabbed the Doctor's arm. 'She's out of her mind,' he hissed.

The Doctor shook his head slightly. 'Desperate courage, Ben.'

The Dalek focused in on Janley. The gun-arm rose.

Kebble leaned forward, clearly wondering whether he'd see Janley's vindication or her death. The tension in the room was incredible. Valmar's hands twitched on the control unit. Then he looked over at the person in the shadows.

'Is it all right?'

It was clear that the unseen leader was pondering the decision. The one hand visible tapped uncertainly on the table. Then it raised and gestured for Valmar to go ahead.

Valmar was shaking. He was almost certain that he controlled the Dalek fully. But now he was being asked to gamble a life on that certainty. Was he up to it? 'When I tell you to fire...' he said to the Dalek, stalling for time.

'I am your servant,' the Dalek informed him. Valmar nodded, uncertainly. Then he screwed up all of his courage. Tapping the disarm key on the pad, he rapped on the Dalek's dome with his free hand.

The gun-stick spat again. This time, however, there was no acrid smell, no electrical charge in the air.

Janley remained standing, a faint bead of perspiration on her brows.

Kebble, Thane and the others all breathed again. They began to crowd around Valmar, congratulating him.

Valmar let the control unit slip from his nerveless fingers.

He was smiling nervously, though with obvious relief.

'Get back to your places,' Janley snapped, crossing back to the table. No one questioned her right to command.

They instantly leapt back to their seats. Kebble wiped his forehead.

'Are you all right?' he asked.

'Of course.' She gave him a withering look. 'I do not take needless risks.'

Valmar stepped forward. 'Well done, Janley,' he said. He was still shaking slightly.

'You haven't disarmed the Dalek,' she told him curtly.

Everyone looked at the Dalek, which was studying them all in its turn. The control pad hung over the gun, rocking slightly. 'Go on,' Janley ordered him. 'Take the gun away.

We want no accidents! Isn't it enough I trusted you, Valmar?'

Nodding, Valmar crossed to the Dalek. It remained still while he began disconnecting the gun from the mounting.

He gave Janley a look. Even hidden as he was, the Doctor could see that Valmar was hopelessly infatuated with Janley. Only Janley seemed oblivious to the fact.

Turning to Kebble, Janley said: 'What about the girl?'

'We've got her safely locked up, never fear.'

Ben tapped the Doctor's arm. 'Hear that?'

The Doctor nodded. 'Listen,' he whispered. 'They may say where she is.'

'They'd better not harm her.' Disturbed by the thought, Ben s.h.i.+fted his position slightly. His foot caught one of the empty drums, and it gave out a hollow boom.

Instantly, the rebels all whirled around to stare at the drums. 'Who's there?' Janley snapped. She and the others started forward.

'They'll find us,' Ben whispered. 'You stay here. Find out where Polly is. I'll make a run for it. Distract them.'

The Doctor tried to stop him performing this foolish act, but he wasn't quick enough. Leaping out, Ben darted for the main door of the room. Instantly, the Dalek spun about, smacking Valmar aside. The gun, still connected, whipped up to cover Ben.

'No!' Janley shouted, stepping in front of the gun.

'Kebble!'

The Dalek froze. Ben reached the door and moved to open it. With surprising speed for a man as rotund as he was, Kebble reached him. His hand snapped down in a karate chop, catching Ben at the base of his neck. Without a sound, the young sailor collapsed to the ground.

'The guards are bound to have heard that,' Janley said anxiously. 'Quickly! We must clear out of here.' She pointed to Ben. 'Take him with you,' she instructed Kebble. 'Lock him up with the girl.'

Kebble nodded. 'Right.' He and Thane picked Ben up.

Valmar opened the door, looking around. As soon as he was certain they were un.o.bserved, he gestured. The rebels filed out quietly.

The Doctor sat where he was. The Dalek remained behind, its gun still connected. So did the shadowy leader of the rebels. A mocking, familiar voice called out: 'And now - Examiner Examiner!'

The Dalek spun around and moved over to the drums.

The gun came up.

'You might as well come out,' the leader suggested. 'We know you're in there.'

Knowing when he was beaten, the Doctor rose to his feet. He held his hands up, not at all certain it would do the slightest bit of good. He eyed the Dalek cautiously as he walked across to the table, but it was apparently content to bide its time. Taking a chance, the Doctor glanced away from it and at the man who sat in the gloom. Closer now, he was able to make out who it was.

'Bragen!'

'Of course,' Bragen said, smiling. 'Who else is fitted to be the leader of the rebels?'

The Doctor looked nervously over his shoulder. The Dalek was moving slowly back and forth. In a human, he would have called it pacing. It was impatiently waiting for a chance to get at the Doctor, that was clear. But it was equally obvious that it didn't want to upset Bragen. It must still need the humans pretty badly to resist such a clear shot at the great enemy of its people.

'And you hope to be the leader of the Daleks too, no doubt?' the Doctor said, mocking Bragen.

'I am am the leader of the Daleks,' Bragen replied. the leader of the Daleks,' Bragen replied.

'You can't control even this one,' the Doctor replied.

'See if you can prevent it from killing me.' He spun about to face the Dalek. It had finally halted behind him, gun-stick at the ready.

'Stop!' Bragen ordered. 'Turn away.' The Dalek didn't move at all. The gun was still aimed, but it hadn't fired.

Bragen stepped forward and tapped on the dome, as he had seen Valmar do. 'You heard me,' he insisted. 'That is an order. Go and fetch my guards.'

For a moment, the Doctor was certain he was staring at his death. The gun didn't waver. But nor did it fire.

Eventually, the gun lowered and the Dalek turned away. 'I obey,' it grated. It moved off to do as it had been ordered.

The Doctor let his breath out. It had been a very close call that time. Then he raised an eyebrow. 'Did you say the guards?'

Bragen nodded. 'My guards. They will arrest you.'

The Doctor couldn't restrain a chuckle. 'You think you have it both ways, don't you, Bragen? But how will you look in front of the Governor when I explain your dual role to him?' Smoothing a slight crease in his jacket, Bragen shook his head slightly. 'The Governor will hardly listen to an imposter,' he replied.

'An imposter?' The Doctor made a long face. 'And how do you hope to prove that?'

'My guards are about to - find the body of the real Examiner near the mercury swamps. As soon as communications with Earth are resumed, I'm sure they'll send us a description of the Examiner.'

'The one you murdered,' the Doctor said.

'The one you pretended to be,' Bragen corrected.

'Murder's a far worse crime than impersonation,' the Doctor replied hotly.

'Ah, yes.' Bragen gave a nasty smile. 'But you see, you can't prove that I'm a murderer, while I can prove that you're an imposter.'

The Dalek returned to the room. It was followed by two guards and Janley. She observed the Doctor without surprise.

Bragen nodded at the Doctor. 'Take this man and detain him,' he ordered the guards.

The Doctor submitted quietly. He knew that if he didn't the Dalek would not spare his life a second time. For the moment, it was prepared to wait; well, then so was he. As he pa.s.sed Janley, he glanced at her. 'I don't much care for the company you keep,' he said. 'You have a poor taste in friends.' Then he marched out, flanked by the guards.

Janley's eyes lingered on the door. 'A dangerous man,'

she observed.

Bragen dismissed the thought. 'He's powerless now. All we have left is the Governor.'

Janley stroked the Dalek's gun-stick thoughtfully.

'Perhaps we should have... dealt with the Examiner,' she said. 'Or whoever he is.' She frowned. 'Who is he really?'

'It hardly matters now,' Bragen replied. 'I will deal with him in time. And Quinn also.'

Quinn sat in the cell he had been a.s.signed, chewing each mouthful of the food on his plate carefully. He had been given nothing to do while he was awaiting trial. His meals were the only break in the emptiness of the day, so he made them last.

Unexpectedly, there was the sound of footsteps in the corridor. Had the guards decided to amuse themselves by taking his food away now? If so, they'd find he wouldn't be quite so peaceful as they imagined.

One of the guards appeared. Then the battered-looking strange figure of the Examiner. He gave a cheery little wave. For a moment, Quinn's hopes rose. The Examiner had contacted the Earth and got him freed! Then there was a second guard. This one shoved the Examiner forward, shattering Quinn's illusions. As he watched, still chewing his food carefully, the first guard took a key-pad from his pocket and held it to the lock of the adjoining cell. There was a brief, high-pitched whistle and the lock clicked.

The guard pulled the door open. 'In you go,' he told the Examiner. The man skipped lightly inside, and the guard slammed the door shut. He and his comrade then marched back down the corridor and out of sight.

'You're the last person I expected to see here,' Quinn said, taking up another forkful of whatever the food was.