'With the greatest of pleasure.'
The Doctor followed the eager Gharman, and Sarah and Harry hurried after them. At the back of her mind, Sarah was wishing Gharman had arrived a moment later. The Doctor might have decided to set off those explosives after all...
The big central laboratory was an impressive sight. Every scientist and security man in the Bunker had somehow managed to squeeze inside. They were all tightly packed on one side of the room. On the other Davros sat alone in his chair, Nyder by his side. The Doctor, Harry and Sarah watched from a position by one of the doors. Gharman stood at the front of the crowd, opposite Davros. 'Everyone is here, Davros,' he said. 'We are waiting to hear whatever you have to say.'
Davros began to speak. He described his years of struggle to develop the travel machine that would protect the creatures into which their race must evolve, of his desire that when the war was over, his own race should stand supreme. The assembled crowd listened in courteous silence, but it was clear that his words had no appeal for them. At long last the Kaleds were sickened of war and slaughter. They wanted no part of Davros's dreams of conquest.
Satisfied that the vote against Davros would indeed be a landslide, the Doctor whispered to Sarah and Harry, 'Let's get the Time ring while they're all occupied.'
They began working their way round the edge of the crowd toward the corner desk that had once been Ronson's. Progress was slow, since the crowd was densely packed. All the while they heard Davros droning on. By now the crowd was shuffling restlessly, impatient for him to end. 'At this very moment,' Davros was saying, 'the production lines stand ready in the workshops, on the lower levels. They are totally automated, fully programmed. The Daleks no longer depend on us—they are a power in their own right. Would you end everything we have achieved together?'
The Doctor and his friends reached Ronson's desk at last. The Doctor's possessions were still strewn on top of it, and he began stuffing them back in his pocket. But there was no sign of the Time ring! Frantically they began to search.
Davros had wheeled his chair over to a control panel set into one wall, the crowd falling back before him. He pointed his withered hand at a large red button. 'This is a destruct button. Press it and you will destroy everything in the Bunker, outside of this room. You will destroy the Daleks, and with them the future of our race. Which of you will do it?' The crowd shuffled uneasily. Such was the dominance of Davros's personality that no one dared step forward. 'You are men without courage,' Davros spoke scornfully. 'You have lost the right to survive.'
Stung by the contempt in his voice, Gharman stepped forward to address the crowd. 'You have heard Davros's case. What he does not tell you is that there is another way—to destroy his conditioned, conscienceless creatures and allow our mutation to follow its natural course. Our race will survive—survive with all the strengths and weaknesses we have ourselves, not as an unfeeling and heartless monstrosity. That is our choice. Now it is time to decide."
Most of this debate was lost on the Doctor and his friends, since they were frantically searching the area round the desk. It was Sarah who spotted the Time ring at last. It had fallen from the desk and had been kicked by some careless foot until it was almost out of sight beneath a work bench. Sarah wriggled underneath, scooped out the bracelet and handed it to the Doctor, who slipped it back on his arm with a sigh of relief. 'Bless you, Sarah. Now if we can only manage to find that tape recording and destroy it—we can all go home!'
Over the heads of the crowd they heard once more the voice of Davros. 'You have heard my case, and you have heard Gharmans. I will give you a few more minutes to decide. Then you must answer, not only to me, but to your future.'
Outside the blockhouse that led to the Bunker a small army of Daleks was grouped, silently waiting. Hidden in a trench nearby, Bettan, Sevrin and their little band looked on, wondering what was happening.
In the center of the laboratory, isolated amidst a largely hostile crowd, Davros was also waiting. He glanced at a digital clock set in one wall. As the figures clicked up to record the passing of another time unit, his finger stabbed down on one of the buttons on his console.
The metal gates of the blockhouse slid smoothly open.
Bettan and Sevrin watched as the army of Daleks glided through. The inner gates opened, and the Daleks disappeared down the tunnel that led to the Bunker. No sooner were they out of sight than Bettan and her ragged band of commandos ran through the gates after them.
Bettan gave swift orders. 'Right. Set charges there... there, and more there. Go as deep inside the tunnel as you can without being seen.' She turned to Sevrin. 'This is the only way into the Bunker?'
'It is now,' Sevrin said grimly. 'There was once a way in from the Kaled City, but your rocket buried that for ever.'
Bettan nodded satisfied. 'Then if we do the same to this entrance, we can bury the Daleks with those who created them." There was no pity in her voice. The slaughter and destruction she had seen in her own city were too fresh in her mind.
'But surely you will give the Doctor and his friends time to get clear?'
Bettan shook her head. I can't. I must blow the tunnel as soon as the charges are prepared. If anyone sees what we're doing, we're too few to fight them off.'
'How long?' asked Sevrin.
'Thirty minutes, Possibly less.'
'Then I must go inside and warn the Doctor.'
'That's very brave of you,' said Bettan. She hesitated. 'You understand, I can't delay things? If you're not back by the time we're ready...'
"I understand,' said Sevrin. 'But I must try.'
Bettan nodded. 'Good luck. I hope you make it.'
It was clear that she never expected to see him again. Swiftly and silently Sevrin ran down the tunnel into the Bunker.
Sarah, Harry and the Doctor were waiting impatiently. 'How much longer?' asked Sarah.
'Not long,' whispered the Doctor. 'It's nearly time for the grand finale.' As yet he didn't realize the ghastly truth of his words.
Davros wheeled his chair to face the crowd. 'You have had ample time to decide. Let all those who are loyal to me and to the future of our race move forward to stand at my side.' The gap between Davros and the crowd seemed very large now. At first no one moved to cross it. At last one man moved. Then another. A handful more, and that was all. Davros looked round. 'No more?' he asked ironically. 'Kravos, will you betray me? Fenatin—my science saved your life. Do you turn against me?' The named men shuffled uneasily. But they did not move to join him.
The Doctor watched, almost with pity, as Davros appealed in vain to first one man then another. It was somehow degrading to see him plead. Why didn't he just accept defeat?
Harry noticed that Nyder had edged away from Davros and was slipping out of the laboratory. He nudged the Doctor. 'Where do you think old Nyder's off to?'
The Doctor gave him a thoughtful look. A strong feeling of unease was creeping over him. Something about Davros's behavior just didn't ring true, and Nyder's disappearing act made the feeling stronger. 'Let's find out,' he suggested. They slipped out of the laboratory after Nyder.
They followed him down one of the perimeter corridors that ran round the laboratory and up some steps, catching up with him along an upper corridor. At the sight of his unwelcome followers Nyder reached for a gun, but Harry tackled him hard, and sent him crashing half-stunned to the ground.
Nyder scrambled to his feet and started to run, but the Doctor reached out a long arm to grab him. Harry joined in and there was a wild three-cornered fight which ended with Nyder disarmed and subdued. 'Now, where were you off to in such a hurry?' panted the Doctor.
Nyder shrugged. 'I was getting out while I could. Davros is finished—that means I'm finished too.'
The Doctor shook his head. 'That doesn't ring quite true. Let's try something else. Where's Davros's office? I want the tape recording you took away.'
Nyder said nothing. Harry grabbed him by the throat and shook him till he choked. 'J
ust along there...' Nyder nodded to a heavy steel door along the corridor. They moved to the door. It was locked. Nyder produced a key to open it and they all went inside. Davros's office was small and functional, the walls covered with blueprints of early Dalek designs. The main feature was a small inner window which looked down on to the main laboratory below. They could see Davros haranguing the crowd, still with only one or two supporters beside him. The Doctor looked at Nyder. 'Where is it?' he snapped. Nyder said nothing, but instinctively his eyes flickered to a safe set in the wall. There was a combination dial in the door. 'Be a good chap and open it for us,' urged the Doctor.
'Only Davros knows the combination.'
The Doctor looked at the safe. It was set fairly high in the wall. He pushed a chair underneath and sat down. 'I doubt that. Davros has the use of only one arm.' The Doctor raised his own right arm. From a sitting position the safe dial was well out of reach. 'You must have to open the safe for him. So open it for us, Nyder, or I'll let Harry throttle you. We're desperate men, remember.' Harry did his best to look ferocious. He must have done pretty well. Nyder went to the safe and spun the dials. The door swung open, revealing the tape spool on a shelf in plain sight. The Doctor took it out and dropped it into a metal waste bin. 'Now, we need some way to destroy it."
'How about this, Doctor?' Harry had picked up a Dalek gun from the desk. Evidently an experimental model it was plugged into a portable power pack.
'A Dalek gun,' said the Doctor, pleased. 'How very fitting!' With an appropriately ceremonial air, he raised the gun and fired it. The spool exploded into flames. They stood and watched it burn. Unfortunately they forgot to watch Nyder at the same time. Seizing his chance, he sprinted through the door, slamming and locking it behind him. Harry rattled the door furiously but it was no use. The Doctor was quite unconcerned. 'Let him go, Harry, he's not important. Our job here's over now anyway. The power of Davros has been broken. Old Gharman will see that the Daleks of the future are, well, humanized, you might say.'
'What about the ones Davros already has operational, Doctor?' Sarah asked. 'The ones you saw attacking the Thal City.'
"Gharman will have them recalled and destroyed,' said the Doctor reassuringly.
Harry thumped the door. 'Well, we're still locked in.'
The Doctor smiled. 'Doesn't matter in the least, old chap. We'll simply leave from here. All we have to do is stand in a circle and touch the Time ring...' The Doctor touched his wrist. 'Oh no!' The Time Ring wasn't there.
They stared wildly at each other. 'It's outside,' said Sarah suddenly. 'It's got to be. It must have come off in that fight with Nyder.'
Suddenly getting the door open became a matter of vital importance. Harry and the Doctor kicked at it to no avail. They tried the Dalek gun on it, but the power-pack must have been nearly exhausted. After charring the steel quite promisingly, the gun suddenly went dead. The Doctor produced a piece of wire and tried to pick the lock. 'It's no good,' he said disgustedly. 'He's left the key in the lock on the other side. Oh well, never mind. When the dethroning of Davros is over I expect someone will turn up to let us out.' The Doctor wandered over and looked at the scene in the laboratory below them. 'You know,' he said slowly, 'I still can't help feeling it's unlike Davros to give in so easily.'
The Doctor noticed a switch near a speaker-grille beside the window. He flicked it idly. Immediately they could hear the voice of Davros in the laboratory below. Isolated and alone, he was still talking as if he was the one who held power. 'This is your last chance. Join me, or suffer the consequences!'
No one moved. Pityingly Gharman said, 'Accept defeat. It is over for you, Davros!'
'No!' shouted Davros suddenly. 'It is over for you! I allowed this charade for only one reason. I wanted to know who was truly loyal to me.' He gestured at the small group around him. 'With these few faithful helpers, I shall continue my work.'
From his viewpoint above the laboratory, the Doctor saw Gharman shake of the head. 'You are insane to talk like this, you must see that you are totally outnumbered.'
'No,' said Davros again, this time his voice low and menacing. 'It is you who are outnumbered, Gharman, you and your traitor friends.' With an elaborate gesture, Davros pressed a control. Every one of the many doors around the laboratory slid open. Framed in each stood a Dalek.
The crowd fell back in terror as the Daleks glided into the room.
12 A KIND OF VICTORY
Davros and his supporters retreated into one corner of the room. The rest, the vast majority, were herded into a tightly packed circle, surrounded by a ring of Daleks. Tighter and tighter the circle was drawn until men were jammed one against the other. For a long, terrible moment Davros regarded his enemies. Then he said, 'Exterminate them!' Fire blazed from the Dalek guns.
The Doctor and his horrified friends had grandstand seats at a massacre. Bodies fell in swathes as the Daleks fired into the tightly packed crowd, and the room was full of screaming. Nyder entered from a door by Davros's side, and stood looking on with evident satisfaction. Not all of Davros's supporters were so lacking in feeling. One of them, an officer of the security Elite, recoiled in horror from the carnage. 'Stop them, Davros,' he screamed, 'you've got to stop them.' He grabbed Davros by the shoulder, but Nyder pulled him back, shoving him out into the crowd. Away from the charmed group around Davros, he was immediately shot down by Dalek guns.
Sarah turned sickened from the slaughter below and hammered hysterically on the door. 'Let us out. Please someone let us out!' she screamed.
Harry tried to calm her. 'It's no use, Sarah...'
The Doctor tapped him on the shoulder. 'Don't be so sure, Harry!' He pointed. The handle of the door was moving, turned from the outside. They heard the key in the lock. The door began opening slowly, and a gun muzzle appeared. The Doctor and Harry backed away—and Sevrin's hooded face appeared round the door.
Sarah ran to him and hugged him, but he cut short her thanks. 'I was looking for you when I heard your voice. We have very little time. The Thals have set explosive charges at the entrance. They'll detonate as soon as they're ready.'
'Thank you, Sevrin,' said the Doctor. 'Now if I can just find that Time ring...'
They found the Time ring easily enough, in the corridor outside. Just as the Doctor snatched it up, a Dalek appeared at the end of the corridor. They set off at a run, only to find a second Dalek facing them at the other end. Skidding round they hurled themselves down a side corridor, relieved to see no more Daleks. They ran frantically down endless corridors, not pausing till the Daleks were far behind. The Doctor stopped in a wide corridor, buttressed by huge pillars. 'We are near the entrance now,' gasped Sevrin. 'If we can make it through the next section we'll be safe.'
The Doctor slipped the Time ring from his wrist and passed it to Sarah. 'Look after this for me, will you? Sevrin—I'm relying on you to get my friends out of here.'
Sarah stared at him. 'What are you going to do?'
'I'm going back to the incubator room. The charges are still laid. This time I'll blow the place up as I should have done before. Now, you three get out of here.'
Before anyone could argue the Doctor was sprinting down one of the side corridors. 'Come,' Sevrin spoke urgently. 'Time is short now.' Quickly he led them on their way.
Davros regarded the bodies of his fallen enemies. 'Now the traitors have been disposed of, the Daleks will take over security of the Bunker. The rest of us will go on, working to improve every aspect of Dalek design.'
Nyder ran back into the laboratory, stepping casually over the fallen bodies. 'Davros, the alien prisoners I locked in your office have escaped.' Davros could not bear that anything should mar his triumph.
'Then they must be found. Seek them out and exterminate them.'
Immediately there came a chorus of Dalek voices, 'We obey!' Daleks glided from the laboratory.
Bettan stood waiting in the blockhouse, looking nervously down the tunnel. A Thal soldier came running out of the tunnel, p
laying out flex behind him. He ran up to Bettan. 'That's the last charge in position.'
'Very well, prepare to detonate.'
The soldier began wiring the flex to a big portable field detonator. Bettan stood watching him,spinning around as she heard footsteps running out of the tunnel. It was Sevrin with Harry and Sarah. 'I'd given you up,' she said, amazed. 'Better move back, we're almost ready to detonate.'
Sarah clutched her arm. 'You can't, not yet. The Doctor's still inside...'
'Harry added his plea. 'Give him a few minutes more at least.'
Bettan hesitated. 'Very well, just a few minutes. But if the Daleks start coming up that tunnel-then I detonate!'
The Doctor crouched in the incubator room, rewiring the charges with nimble fingers, ignoring once more the horrors gibbering all around him. His work concluded, he backed out into the corridor, trailing the wire behind him. The wire from the wall power source was still stretched from the other side of the corridor. The Doctor grabbed it and was just about to bring the two wires together when a Dalek appeared at the end of the corridor. It fired, charring the wall by the Doctor's head. The Doctor leaped back letting go of both wires as he did so. He sheltered behind the wall buttress and peered out. The Dalek hadn't moved. The Doctor could see the ends of the two wires, tantalizingly close together. If he could only manage to join them. He stretched out a long arm, grabbed the nearest wire, and started edging it toward theother. The Dalek spotted the movement and fired again. The edge of its blast caught the tip of the Doctor's fingers and he snatched his hand back in pain.
A wild thought struck the Doctor. He looked at the ends of the two wires, so very near each other.... It might work, he thought. Suddenly the Doctor leaped from cover and zigzagged down the corridor in full view of the Dalek. It fired, missed, fired again. The second blast missed too, and the Doctor leaped into a side corridor out of sight. Angrily the Dalek started in pursuit. As it glided down the corridor the metal of its body casing, vibrant with static electricity, passed over the two wires and completed the circuit. There was a huge detonation and the wall of the incubator room exploded outward, burying the Dalek in rubble. The Doctor popped his head around the corner, took a quick look at the wreckage. He gave a satisfied nod and started sprinting for the main exit.
Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks Page 10
