Doctor Who_ War Of The Daleks Part 13

'You are no longer in command,' the Red Dalek replied. 'The Daleks own this vessel. You will prepare your crew to be confined. Any resistance will be met with retaliation.'

'That is understood,' Cathbad agreed, bowing his head.

'Good.' The Red Dalek surveyed the corridor. 'Where is Davros?'

'In one of our storage rooms,' Cathbad answered. 'He was being guarded.'

'That is now unnecessary. We shall take charge of Davros.' The Red Dalek moved off. Its warriors were spreading about the s.h.i.+p, moving to where they could check on key command stations. 'Your flight crew will prepare to receive new instructions,' the Red Dalek grated. 'You will follow instructions exactly or die.' It began to glide down the corridor. 'Accompany me.' The Thal did so. The Red Dalek was not concerned with the possibility of treachery. The Thals were humanoids, and, like all humanoids, weak. They had surrendered, and would keep their word.

They were stupid.

The Red Dalek halted as it suddenly saw something totally unexpected. 'The Doctor's TARDIS,' he stated, staring at the familiar blue box standing in the corridor. It swivelled his eye stalk to stare at the Thal. 'You have the Doctor aboard?'

Cathbad licked his lips and nodded nervously. 'Yes. He is a prisoner in a holding cell.'

Standing orders flickered into the Dalek's mind: Kill the Doctor... It opened a direct channel to the Black Dalek on the killcruiser and relayed the information silently. A moment later, the response came through. The Red Dalek stared at Cathbad again. 'Take me to the Doctor,' it ordered.

The silence now was very unnerving. Sam wanted to pace about the small cell, but this would be impossible without walking into one or more of the others. What was happening? The Daleks had to be on board by now. She glanced at the Doctor again. He appeared to be deep in melancholic thought, making him look more like a consumptive poet errant than ever. But there was no despair in his eyes. She couldn't fathom what he might be thinking right now, and she knew he would never tell her. She wished there was something she could do or say to make this easier for him, but she was completely out of her depth.

There was a metallic clang, and the door shuddered.

'They're here,' Chayn whispered. She was shaking slightly, and looked across at the Doctor. He stood taller, and moved to the front of the group.

'I wish I could think of some terribly brilliant final words,' the Doctor murmured. 'But all that comes to mind is: I'm sorry, Sam.'

'It's OK,' she told him, a catch in her throat. She wasn't going to break down and cry. Not yet, anyway. But no other words came.

The door suddenly clanged open, and Sam's blood froze. In the doorway stood a red Dalek, its blaster raised and pointed directly at the Doctor.

'You are the Doctor,' it stated. 'You are the enemy of the Daleks.'

Sam saw the hatred and loathing in her friend's eyes, saw his face set in a sneering defiance. 'Yes,' he agreed, at last, a hint of resignation in his voice.

Sam tensed, and then, to her complete shock, the Dalek lowered the barrel of its gun. 'You will wait here,' it ordered. 'You will not be harmed while you stay in your cell.' The eye stalk surveyed Sam, Chayn, and Ayaka in turn. 'It is known that you travel with companions. Do these humanoids accompany you?'

'Yes,' the Doctor agreed, somewhat faintly.

'They will be safe also, provided they stay here,' the Dalek said. It added, 'A Dalek guard will be posted in the corridor to see that no harm comes to you. I shall return when the s.h.i.+p is secure.' It spun about and glided away. Cathbad shrugged helplessly and followed it. A grey-coloured Dalek took up station outside the open door.

Sam collapsed back on to the bunk, shaking with terror and relief. The Doctor was alive! They all were! And the Daleks were guarding them from trouble. 'You know,' she said, almost laughing, 'I think I already like these Daleks better than the Thals. They seem a lot more civilised.'

The Doctor turned to face her. To Sam's shock, he looked worse than he had before.

'What's wrong?' she asked him, confused. 'You don't seem to be very happy that the Daleks have spared your life.'

'I'm not,' he said bluntly. 'They have standing orders to kill me on sight. Since they haven't done that, obviously they've received fresh orders about me. If they're spared my life, it's because they've got something far, far worse than death planned for me.'

At that thought, all of Sam's newborn confidence and hope died in a second.

INTERLUDE.

DRACONIAN s.p.a.cE.

The Draconian captain sat immobile in the command chair. It was not proper to show emotion, even at a time like this. His eyes flickered as he scanned the image cast into the picture pit of his bridge.

Eight Dalek killcruisers...

And he had only five destroyers, along with his beloved s.h.i.+p Hunter Hunter... It would be no fight, merely a ma.s.sacre. But fleeing the enemy was literally unthinkable. If he was to die, he was to die.

Finally, he motioned to the communications officer. 'Send a message to the Home World,' he ordered. 'We have sighted Dalek intruders and are preparing to attack.'

'Understood, Captain.'

The captain studied the picture pit again. The Daleks had clearly detected him, and were intent on intercepting his small fleet. He had expected nothing less. Honour was unknown to them, and they thought nothing of attacking a weaker foe. Well, perhaps he could at least take some of them with him.

'Tactical?' he called.

He still could not get used to having females aboard his s.h.i.+p, but he knew that this was prejudice, and he supposed he was still behind the times. Well, that would likely cease being a problem very shortly. His tactical officer moved to his side, her skin flushed with antic.i.p.ation of the inevitable battle.

'They outcla.s.s us,' she said simply.

'I can see that,' the captain growled. 'What are our options? Aside from dying?'

'We are smaller, but more manuvrable,' she pointed out. Touching her hand control, she raised a schematic of the planetary system they were in. Four worlds and an asteroid field sprang up. 'We can reach the asteroid field before they can,' she pointed out. 'We can go where they cannot.'

There was a sour taste in his mouth. 'You suggest that we hide?' he asked her incredulously, all of his prejudices coming to the fore.

'No!' She glared at him, genuinely angry that he thought so little of her. 'I suggest that we prepare teams to seed the asteroids with proximity mines. The Dalek s.h.i.+elds are good, but are they good enough to withstand numerous impacts?'

The Captain felt ashamed of his suspicions. 'A good plan,' he conceded, bowing slightly to show respect. The officer flushed with pleasure. 'Organise it.' He turned to the navigation officer. 'Alter course for the asteroid field, maximum drive. I want to know how long we'll have there before the Daleks arrive. We must make every moment count.'

There was hurried but quiet activity in response to his orders. His small fleet moved as fast as they could towards the asteroid belt, and his crews began to prepare for their mission. They would not have long, but he had every confidence in his crew. If only he had more time!

The tactical officer moved to join him again. 'All is ready,' she reported. 'The EVA teams will be standing by. As soon as we enter the field, they will begin to exit and work.'

'Excellent.' He scratched the ridges of his forehead, something he did subconsciously when agitated. 'Do you think the Daleks will be expecting a trap?'

'Perhaps,' she acknowledged. 'What you said earlier about hiding...'

'I apologise,' he told her. 'It was wrong of me to think you meant that.'

'Thank you. But that's not what I meant.' She gestured at the picture pit, which showed the Dalek killcruisers closing in. 'The Daleks have no concept of honour. They cannot know that we would not hide from them. Perhaps if we made it look as though that was what we were doing, they would not be looking for a trap.'

Even the thought of hiding made the captain angry, but it had the merit of sense. The Daleks would believe the worst of their foes. Though it went against the grain, he nodded. 'Another fine suggestion,' he complimented her. 'If we survive this, I will make sure you will be commended.'

She inclined her head, her ears tinged yellow with pleasure. 'That is not necessary. I am only performing my job.'

'On my s.h.i.+p,' he informed her, 'when someone performs their job well, they are commended.' He turned from her, and concentrated on the task in hand.

The Hunter Hunter entered the field, and his officers began to report the release of the work crews. From the fleet, he had managed to a.s.semble ten crews, each with three mines. That meant thirty mines. Some of them would fail, without doubt. But, perhaps, some would succeed. The captain directed the navigator to burrow into the asteroid field and find a good, metal-rich asteroid to 'hide' behind. entered the field, and his officers began to report the release of the work crews. From the fleet, he had managed to a.s.semble ten crews, each with three mines. That meant thirty mines. Some of them would fail, without doubt. But, perhaps, some would succeed. The captain directed the navigator to burrow into the asteroid field and find a good, metal-rich asteroid to 'hide' behind.

All the time, he studied the picture pit, watching the killcruisers draw closer.

The Hunter Hunter shook, and the science officer reported, 'Minor collision. Our deflector grids repulsed it without damage. It is likely to get worse, Captain.' shook, and the science officer reported, 'Minor collision. Our deflector grids repulsed it without damage. It is likely to get worse, Captain.'

It did. The s.h.i.+p shook from the asteroid impacts every few minutes. Each time, though, the grid held up, and no damage was sustained. Then one of the smaller s.h.i.+ps lost an antenna to a collision.

And then they were in the lee of a large asteroid, and the Hunter Hunter matched velocity and direction with it, hugging close to the rocky surface. The captain had a satellite launched, since they were now out of sight of the Daleks. He needed to be able to continue to track them. matched velocity and direction with it, hugging close to the rocky surface. The captain had a satellite launched, since they were now out of sight of the Daleks. He needed to be able to continue to track them.

They were still closing in.

'The Daleks will enter the field in two units,' the science officer reported from his post. 'The first three s.h.i.+ps will all be in the vicinity of the mined asteroids. I cannot tell about the other five yet.'

'And the EVA crews?' the captain asked.

'Have finished their work,' Tactical answered. 'They are waiting for us to recover them once the battle is over.' She didn't need to say that they would not survive their air supply should the battle not favour the Draconians.

'Arm all weapons, and power up for attack,' he ordered. 'Order the fleet to follow. We shall attack first, and then they are all free to find their own targets.' He raised his voice and his arm in salute. 'For the Emperor and Empire glory and honour!'

'Glory and honour!' the bridge crew chorused proudly.

The captain nodded, happy with his team. They were the best. If Hunter Hunter was going to die, they would take as many of the enemy with them as they could. was going to die, they would take as many of the enemy with them as they could.

'Killcruisers entering asteroid field,' Science reported. 'They are slowing, but apparently not suspicious.'

'Good.' The captain studied the image in the pit intently. The mined asteroids were marked in green, and he could see that the first killcruisers were drawing closer... The tension that came before every battle held him immobile and entranced. Would their plan succeed? Or would the Daleks notice the trap? Would their s.h.i.+ps' s.h.i.+elds prove too strong for the rocks to penetrate?

'Detonation,' Tactical said softly, as one of the green lights flared.

'Magnify!' he ordered, and the picture focused in on the lead Dalek s.h.i.+ps.

Two asteroids had detonated almost simultaneously. As he had hoped, the fragmented rocks had been blasted apart at high velocity, and many of them had slammed into the Dalek s.h.i.+ps. 'Scan,' he called.

'They've sustained damage,' Science reported. 'The lead s.h.i.+p is holed, and a second appears to have lost some sensor power.'

'Good.' The captain turned to Navigation. 'Take us out of here in an arc. Intercept course on their planned trajectory. Prepare for engagement.'

The Hunter Hunter rose from behind the asteroid, and began the movement he'd ordered. The Dalek s.h.i.+ps were still penetrating the asteroid field, but at a much reduced speed. One of them was firing at asteroids as they approached, obviously hoping to destroy the rocks before the mines could. That might be a problem. rose from behind the asteroid, and began the movement he'd ordered. The Dalek s.h.i.+ps were still penetrating the asteroid field, but at a much reduced speed. One of them was firing at asteroids as they approached, obviously hoping to destroy the rocks before the mines could. That might be a problem.

'Detonate one-third of the mines,' he ordered Tactical. 'Some of the debris might get through. And it might make them think we've detonated them all.'

'Understood.'

There were nine flashes of green from the pit, and the Daleks ceased firing.

'Some minor damage from those blasts,' Science reported. 'Not worth speaking of.'

Well, that gamble had failed. But did the Daleks believe he'd triggered all of his remaining mines? He'd find out if they started firing on asteroids again.

They didn't, and were now approaching the next block of mines. The captain permitted himself a small smile. They were going to get a nasty little surprise in a moment. The lead s.h.i.+p was approaching one of the larger asteroids that had been b.o.o.by-trapped. When this one went, it would be spectacular.

There was another flare of green in the picture pit, followed within seconds by a larger explosion.

'Lead killcruiser has been destroyed,' Science reported unnecessarily. They had all seen it go up. The captain smiled openly now.

'Our first kill,' he predicted.

The remaining seven Dalek s.h.i.+ps now began firing in all directions again, wasting their fire power on harmless rocks, but taking out four more of the mined asteroids.

'Detonate the remaining mines,' the captain ordered. The chances of causing more damage might be slender, but the Daleks would have no way of knowing that the mines were all gone. This time, they would a.s.sume that there were others, even after these exploded.

There was a burst of green light, and then spreading debris markers.

'More minor damage,' Science announced. 'One killcruiser seems to be crippled. Its engines are mistimed, and it's spinning.'

It was better than he'd expected one killcruiser destroyed and one out of the fight. Only six of them now. Still enough for the Daleks to win, but better odds. The Hunter Hunter was almost within striking distance now as it topped out of its arc and began to descend towards its targets. was almost within striking distance now as it topped out of its arc and began to descend towards its targets.

'Fire when ready,' he ordered. 'All s.h.i.+ps to independent action.'

And then they were in range, and the guns opened up.

The noise was intense, but satisfying. The two forward cannons raked across the closest killcruiser, which returned fire. The Hunter Hunter shook as the grids absorbed the energy bolts, radiating the effects away into s.p.a.ce. He could hear them whine, knowing they were under strain. Still, he kept the Hunter on path, and the firing continued. shook as the grids absorbed the energy bolts, radiating the effects away into s.p.a.ce. He could hear them whine, knowing they were under strain. Still, he kept the Hunter on path, and the firing continued.

At last, the Dalek screens gave way, and a great gash was opened in the bows of the killcruiser. Air and Daleks gusted out of the breach.

'Target the gap,' he ordered. 'Plasma missiles.'

Twin missiles streaked from the Hunter's Hunter's belly towards the gap. The Dalek fire power exploded the first at a distance. The second homed in. Defensive fire found it barely seconds before impact too close. The resulting explosion ruptured the gash wider, and engulfed one of the storage bays. belly towards the gap. The Dalek fire power exploded the first at a distance. The second homed in. Defensive fire found it barely seconds before impact too close. The resulting explosion ruptured the gash wider, and engulfed one of the storage bays.

The killcruiser erupted into a huge ball of plasma and flame that burst out almost instantly, leaving the charred wreckage floating dead in s.p.a.ce.

'Acquire next target,' the captain ordered, allowing no time for a victory cheer. The Daleks wouldn't hold back.

He glanced at the pit again. Two of his s.h.i.+ps were gone, floating debris marking their pa.s.sing. The rest were engaging killcruisers, and fighting for their lives. They didn't ultimately stand a chance, but with the Hunter Hunter to aid them, the odds brightened slightly. to aid them, the odds brightened slightly.

His craft swung about, and moved to the closest of the battles. Firing away, it closed in on the killcruiser. The other Draconian s.h.i.+p shuddered in the wake of Dalek fire, and then exploded. Another loss... The Hunter Hunter closed in, raking the killcruiser with all batteries. The s.h.i.+p shuddered about him as the Daleks returned fire. The grids were whining loudly now, and he knew they were taking a serious battering. closed in, raking the killcruiser with all batteries. The s.h.i.+p shuddered about him as the Daleks returned fire. The grids were whining loudly now, and he knew they were taking a serious battering.

Again, his weapons managed to find a small weakness in the Dalek s.h.i.+p, and a fissure in its side opened up. A small barrage of plasma missiles sealed the fate of the enemy s.h.i.+p. The Hunter Hunter accelerated away from the detonation, seeking another target. accelerated away from the detonation, seeking another target.