Doctor Who And The Dalek Invasion of Earth

by Terrance Dicks

  Already a whip-carrying Roboman was moving towards their part of the mine. "Move," he shouted. "Continue with your task."

  Barbara went on tossing rocks into the basket. "We can try to find their main control room. That's what the Doctor would do."

  Jenny sniffed. "And what do we do then?"

  "I don't know, jenny, but at least we could try to do something . If we don't succeed, we'll just end up back here."

  From his hiding place nearby, Ian saw one of the Robomen address a crouched over slave worker. "You! Collect more containers from the nearest storage section."

  The man straightened up, and started moving towards Ian. To his joy he saw it was Wells, the man who'd helped him and Larry earlier. As Wells passed his hiding place Ian hissed softly. "Wells, it's me, Ian."

  Wells pretended to have trouble with his shoe, bent to fix it. "Ian? Should have thought you'd have been out of here by now."

  "That tall girl over there - I know her. See if you can get a chance to speak to her. Tell her I'm here."

  Wells picked up the last bucket. "I'll try. But I've got to get the buckets first." He trudged off along the tunnel and Ian settled down to wait for his return.

  On the work line, Jenny was still objecting. "They'll never let us get near their control room."

  Something crackled inside Barbara's coat as she bent down for another rock. "Jenny, I've just realised. I've still got Dortmun's notes."

  "A lot of use they are!"

  Barbara suddenly lost patience with Jenny's pessimism. It was time to act. A Dalek was coming towards them. Deliberately Barbara straightened up and stepped out in front of it. The Dalek stopped, eye-stalk swivelling round in astonishment. "Continue work."

  Barbara stood her ground. "I have important information for you. Rebels are planning a revolution against the Daleks."

  The Dalek's reaction was immediate. "There will be no revolution. The Daleks are masters of Earth."

  "You don't understand. This is no ordinary uprising. They have scientists working with them."

  "You are lying. It is a trick."

  "No. I have proof." Barbara held out Dortmun's notes.

  The Dalek scanned the first page. "These contain details of the acid bomb used in the unsuccessful attack on the Dalek spaceship."

  "There's more," said Barbara quickly. "We know the names of the rebels, the places where they plan to attack."

  "You will tell me immediately."

  Barbara shook her head. "No, I must speak to some-one in authority. You'll have to act at once on what I tell you, and it's all very complicated."

  The Dalek paused, considering. Barbara held her breath. Then the Dalek spoke. 'very well. I will take you both to the Dalek Supreme. If you are lying you will be killed. Follow me."

  The Dalek set off down the tunnel, Jenny and Barbara following behind.

  Ian watched all this from hiding, not really understanding what was going on. Wells came back down the tunnel, loaded with buckets. "All right. Take some buckets, and follow me. I'll try to get you to your friend."

  "Too late. The Daleks have just taken her off."

  "They've probably taken her to the control room for questioning."

  "Then that's where I'm going. Just you point me in the right direction. Come on! Give me some of those buckets."

  Ian stepped out boldly behind Wells, and walked along the line of workers handing out buckets. The Robomen didn't seem to notice him. Wells took him to the far end of the line and pointed. "That tunnel at the end there, runs towards the control area. Good luck."

  Wells turned back towards the line of workers, and Ian ran off down the tunnel.

  Very soon the nature of the tunnel started to alter. Earth and rock walls gave way to metal. There was better lighting and the hum of powerful machinery nearby.

  At the end of the tunnel was an open door, and through it Ian could see a long room lined with banks of strange machinery and complex control panels. Daleks glided to and fro, tending the instruments. Ian crept quietly to the door and slipped inside.

  The place was so enormous, the Dalek scientists so absorbed in their many tasks, that Ian found it easy to slip from machine to machine and work his way to the centre of the area. He saw no sign of Barbara. What he did see was a circular hole in the centre of the area, about the size of a large well. From the concentration of Daleks and instruments around this spot, something very important was going on. Ian crept closer, looking for a good hiding place, near enough to allow him to eavesdrop.

  Facing him, and just on the edge of the area was a curious container, rather like half of a giant metal egg. Cables ran into its top. It was partly filled with machinery, but there was just room for Ian to duck inside and crouch down out of sight. He was near enough now to hear the voices of the Daleks as they moved busily around their instruments.

  He saw the Daleks in the group wheel round as a large Black Dalek approached. "Give me your report."

  "The main drills have penetrated the final strata. We are within four miles of the Earth's outer core."

  "When will final breakthrough occur?"

  "As soon as the slave workers have finished clearing the top of the fissure, we shall put into position the penetration explosive. The charge is already prepared in the capsule."

  The Black Dalek addressed those around it, rather like a professor delivering a lecture to students. "The charge will be timed to detonate in the fissure in the Earth's crust. The fissure will expand and the molten core will be released. We will then control the flow until all the gravitational and magnetic forces in the Earth's core are eliminated. I shall now announce to Dalek Earthforce the near completion of Project De-gravitate."

  The Black Dalek moved across to a communications console.

  Ian listened eagerly. He had arrived at a crucial moment, just as the secret of the Daleks" plans was to be revealed. He heard the voice of the Black Dalek once more, this time echoing through a whole series of loudspeakers. Clearly the announcement was being relayed over the entire control area.

  "This is the Supreme Controller. Our mission to Earth is nearly completed. We were sent here to remove the core of this planet. Once the core is removed we shall replace it with a power system. This will enable us to pilot the planet anywhere in the Universe. All that remains is to put into position the penetration explosive capsule. Daleks controlling this device will now report."

  There came another voice. "The device is ready."

  "Capsule to closed position."

  Inside his hiding place, Ian's mind was reeling at the sheer audacity of the Dalek plan. To steal an entire planet, to steer it around the Universe as a moving base for conquest... No doubt something about the structure of the Earth had made it exactly the kind of planet the Daleks needed. They weren't taking anything from Earth - they were stealing Earth itself!

  Lost in thought, it took Ian a moment too long to notice that something was happening. The container in which he had hidden was gliding across the floor. Another identical metal shape, its opposite half, was moving towards it. The two halves clicked together to form a giant metal egg, shutting Ian inside.

  The capsule glided across the control room floor until it was suspended above the central well. The overhead cable was paid out and the container slowly descended into the bomb-shaft.

  The Black Dalek's voice rang out in triumph. "Once the capsule has been guided into position, it will be released. It will travel to the fissure in Earth's crust and then explode."

  The penetration explosive capsule was on its way - and Ian was trapped inside.

  12: Rebellion!

  Inside the capsule Ian was struggling frantically. The metal container was completely sealed, the only possible exit a small hatch in one side. Ian set his back against one side of the capsule and kicked frantically at the hatch with his heels. The capsule swung violently to and fro on the end of its cable.

  Suddenly it jerked to a halt.

  In the control room above there was pa
ndemonium. A panic-stricken Dalek scientist reported, "Capsule oscillating violently, due to operation of unknown forces. Descension mechanism has ceased to function."

  The Black Dalek was in a fury. "Recover capsule and re-check immediately."

  "Descension mechanism now jammed. Capsule must be drawn up manually. Alert Robomcn working party. Emergency!"

  Soon the capsule began moving upwards again, more slowly now, as a party of sweating Robomcn heaved on the cable. It was still spinning to and fro as Ian inside kicked frantically at the hatch.

  In the control room a Dalek scientist announced. "Capsule now arrived at sub-station immediately below this level. Still vibrating violently."

  The Black Dalek decided to take no chances. "Arrest capsule at sub-station. Ascertain cause of breakdown."

  The capsule jerked to a halt, just as Ian finally kicked the hatchway open. He peered out of the hatch.

  He was at a point where an intersecting tunnel cut at right angles across the vertical shaft. Down that tunnel a Dalek was speeding straight towards him.

  Ian jumped from the capsule and looked round for an escape. There was only one way to go - down.

  A coil of rope lay amidst a jumble of timbers at the edge of the shaft. Ian tied the rope round a pit prop, threw the other end into the shaft and started climbing down.

  The Dalek arrived at the shaft and spun round angrily, puzzled by the disappearance of its prey. Then its eye-stalk swivelled on to the knotted rope. It fired at the beam and the rope blazed and snapped in two...

  Ian began whizzing down the smooth metal shaft, scrabbling desperately at the sides. The edge of an-other tunnel intersection flashed by and he flung him-self forward frantically. He hit the edge with an impact that drove the breath from his body. Painfully, Ian pulled himself up into the lower tunnel. With the last of his strength, he crawled slowly away into the darkness. Halfway down the tunnel he slumped forward, unconscious.

  Barbara and Jenny heard the Dalek Supreme's announcement while they were waiting in the outer control area. Like Ian they were astonished at the scope of the Dalek scheme. Soon they were taken to the centre of the control area and ordered to wait until the Black Dalek was free. It was clear by the number of Daleks bustling about, and their evident agitation, that there was some kind of crisis.

  Barbara looked curiously at the opening to the bomb shaft. No doubt this was where the penetration capsule had been lowered. She whispered to Jenny, "See if you can get to one of the control panels and do some damage. I'll try to hold their attention."

  She could hear agitated Dalek voices. "Dalek unit reports human being discovered in capsule. Human fell down bomb shaft in attempt to escape."

  The Black Dalek was still issuing orders. "Every error must be corrected. The penetration explosive must strike the fissure correctly if we are to extract the molten core. Are all slave worker tasks completed?"

  "Only final clearance remains."

  "Once clearance is completed, you will confine all slave workers below ground level. When the molten core breaks through they will be completely exterminated."

  Completely unmoved by this order to commit mass murder, the aide moved to the communications con-sole. "To all Robomen. Herd all human slaves to lower galleries as soon as clearance is complete!"

  Jenny looked at Barbara in horror. "Did you hear what they're planning to do?"

  Barbara was thinking furiously. "That's where they control the Robomen..."

  "Maybe we can put it out of action," said Jenny eagerly.

  "Better than that - we can use it."

  A Dalek guard ordered them forward, driving them to stand before the Black Dalek. "Here are the humans who reported an imminent revolt."

  The Black Dalek scanned them. "Speak!"

  Barbara held out Dortmun's notes. "This is the bomb - "

  "We are not interested in the bomb. Give information on planned revolt."

  Barbara racked her brains for a sufficiently colourful story. "Well, it's planned to start quite suddenly, like the Indian Mutiny."

  "We have already conquered India."

  Barbara rattled on, ignoring the interruption. "I'm talking about Red Indians of course, in disguise, like the Boston Tea Party. General Lee and the Fifth Cavalry will attack from the North while Hannibal's forces move in from the Southern Alps..."

  While the bemused Daleks were listening to this historical mish-mash, Jenny made a sudden dash for the communications console. Immediately a nearby Roboman grabbed her - but the diversion gave Barbara her chance. She ran to the console. "Attention all Robomen. You will attack the Daleks. Attack the Daleks - "

  Like a huge metal dodgem car, the Black Dalek shoved Barbara aside. "Cancel last order. Resume normal operations."

  The order given, the Black Dalek swung menacingly towards Barbara and Jenny. An aide came forward, "They were lying to trick us. Shall I exterminate them?"

  The Black Dalek considered for a moment. "No. Hold them here for interrogation. I will deal with them later. There is still much to be done!" Moving to the communications console, the Black Dalek began issuing a further stream of orders.

  "Spaceship will hover above main crater, ready to evacuate all Dalek personnel. Repair capsule and descension mechanism. Return capsule to main control...

  As they were marched away, Barbara whispered, "Sorry, Jenny."

  "What for? It was a marvellous try - and it nearly worked."

  Their Roboman guard shouted, "Silence!" Robomen smartly grabbed Barbara and Jenny and manacled them to clamps on a nearby pillar. All around the bustle of Dalek activity continued.

  At the edge of an enormous crater, David and Susan were waiting while Tyler and the Doctor crawled round the rim of the excavation.

  "Any idea what they're up to?" asked David.

  Susan shook her head. "The Doctor never explains anything. He'll tell us when he's ready."

  David sighed. "Well whatever it is, I just hope it works. The Doctor seems to be our only hope." He paused. "Susan - if we are successful - what will you do?"

  "Go on travelling with grandfather, I suppose, moving from place to place..."

  "Wouldn't you like to belong somewhere? Like here - with me?"

  Susan looked at him in distress. "Please, David, don't ask me that. I just don't know." She looked at his un-happy face. "I'm sorry, David, really..."

  They moved apart as the Doctor and Tyler came back to them. The Doctor rubbed his hands together briskly. "David, my boy, have you any of those bombs left?"

  "Just three, I think."

  "That will be sufficient. Now, you see that radio-mast over there with the cables leading away? I want you and Susan to destroy it. Use the bombs, you can detonate them from a distance with your gun. Off you go - and don't stop to pick flowers on the way."

  As David and Susan scrambled away. the Doctor turned to Tyler. "I don't think they'll run into any trouble - but I can't say the same for us! We're going down this crater. Come along!"

  The Doctor started scrambling rapidly down the steeply sloping sides. Tyler shook his head in reluctant admiration, and started climbing after him.

  Ian was never sure how long he'd been unconscious but it couldn't have been very long. He came to, suddenly, in the darkness of the lower tunnel, his mind still full of the Daleks" terrible plan. If there was only something he could do to frustrate them... He had just one advantage. He was still very close to the shaft down which the bomb capsule must pass. If he could only stop or divert it...

  Ian walked slowly back along the tunnel to the bomb shaft. He peered upwards, to where the light shone down from the Dalek control room. They'd hauled the bomb-capsule back up by now. Soon they'd have it repaired, and ready to drop. Released from its cable it would plummet down the bomb shaft, into the fissure and then explode. Unless...

  Just as there had been on the level above, there was a pile of timber close to the end of the tunnel. Ian looked thoughtfully at the heavy planks. Heaving and struggling, he dragge
d a plank off its pile and laid it like a bridge right across the bomb shaft. He pulled out another plank, and another... Some time later, his work completed, Ian ran back up the tunnel. He was looking for a way through to the upper levels. If his plan worked, the tunnel he was in now would soon be a very unhealthy place.

  Tyler and the Doctor stood by a massive metal door let into the side of a tunnel. The Doctor was rubbing his chin. "Since it isn't guarded , there's probably a photo-electric alarm..."

  He examined the lower edge of the door. "Ah yes, here... and here. One to trigger the alarms, one to open the door. Now, I need something shiny."

  Tyler produced his knife. "Will this do?"

  "Excellent." Using the shiny blade of the knife as a mirror, the Doctor reflected the light beam of one cell into the other. "By glancing one beam on to the other, we open the door and neutralise the warning system... so!" There was a crackle of electricity, a shower o sparks and the door sprang open.

  Tyler scratched his head. "I'll say one thing, Doctor, life with you is never dull!" They passed into the Dalek Base.

  Manacled and helpless in the control room, Barbara and Jenny watched as the re-checked capsule was swung out over the bomb shaft. The Dalek Supreme ordered, "Commence lowering capsule!"

  The huge metal egg, this time without a human passenger, was lowered slowly down to the bomb shaft.

  The Dalek scientist moved to a control. "Am releasing capsule - now!"

  (The penetration explosive capsule dropped only a short distance further down the bomb shaft, before it hit the wooden barrier constructed by Ian. Deflected from its intended path, the capsule rolled down the side-tunnel, hit the earth wall, then stopped, hidden in the darkness.)

  Proudly the Black Dalek announced "The Capsule is on its way to the core of this planet. When it reaches its destination it will detonate automatically. We shall go to the edge of the mine workings for greater safety. We shall remain in the Dalek spaceship until we are certain it is safe to return. All Daleks will now evacuate this base."

  Barbara gave Jenny an agonised glance. The Dalek plan looked like succeeding after all. And they were being left behind - to die.