DOCTOR WHO - DEATH TO THE DALEKS

by Terrance Dicks

  Most of it was being done by the three humans. Terrified as they were of the Daleks, the Exxilons lacked the capacity for methodical, organised tasks of this kind, and worked slowly and inefficiently. When the Daleks discovered that threats simply made them work less efficiently than ever, they had ordered the three humans to join in the digging. Galloway had blustered and protested, but in the end he had set to work with the others. There was no alternative. Much of the Parrinium-bearing rock had been covered by drifting sand, and the Exxilons had been put to work digging down to it. They had dug out an enormous pit in the sand in their efforts to reach the ore.

  Three Daleks supervised the digging from a vantage point high on the dunes. Soon the Dalek leader appeared from the direction of the ship, and joined them for a conference. He had left the fifth Dalek, the expedition's scientist, hard at work in the ship's laboratory. 'Explosive charges will shortly be completed,' he announced importantly. 'They must.be placed on the beacon on the summit of the City and then detonated. A Dalek patrol will enter the City to investigate scientific installations while the charges are being positioned.'

  'Agreed.' This was the second in command. 'Will destruction of the beacon restore electrical energy to the ship?'

  'Logic circuits suggest this is the source of interference.'

  There was a sudden commotion below them, and the Exxilons at the bottom of the pit began climbing from the hole with shrill cries of panic. One of the Daleks glided down the dune towards them. 'Return to work or you will be exterminated!'

  The panic-stricken Exxilons dashed past, and began scrambling up the face of the dune.

  Intrigued by the commotion, Galloway, Hamilton and Jill Tarrant ran to the edge of the crater and looked down. Nearly all the Exxilons had fled by now, and only one solitary straggler was still climbing desperately up the side of the pit.

  Puzzled, Jill stared down into the crater. There seemed to be no reason for the sudden panic—then she noticed that the sand at the bottom was rippling, as if something underneath was struggling to get out...

  Suddenly an enormous metal snake shot out of the sand and reared high in the air. The lens set into the blunt head glowed like a single fiery eye.

  Peter Hamilton reached down to help the cowering Exxilon worker, but it was too late. The metal snake reared up, hovered for a moment then lunged at the terrified Exxilon. There was a sizzle of power and the Exxilon screamed and fell back dead into the crater.

  Hamilton and the others backed hurriedly away, just as the first of the Daleks appeared and opened fire.

  If any of the bullets hit the metal snake, they failed to harm it. It lunged forward in a blur of speed, blasting at the Dalek with an energy-bolt. The Dalek spun round, rushed blindly forwards, then toppled over the edge of the crater, smoke billowing from its metal casing. As the Dalek exploded, the snake retreated into the sand as quickly as it had come. High on his dune, Jebal turned and scuttled away.

  Sarah's head nodded on her chest as Bellal's voice droned on and on. The Doctor had developed an obsessive curiosity about the City, and he was engaged in pumping Bellal for every possible scrap of information. Half-dozing, Sarah saw that Bellal was scratching in the cave floor with a pointed stone. 'Thus is the design, Doctor,' he was saying. 'Though I do not understand why it is of interest to you.'

  'All knowledge is valuable,' said the Doctor. 'And as a matter of fact these signs are particularly interesting. just look at this, Sarah.'

  'What?' Sarah shook her head to wake herself up.

  'Bellal says markings like these are cut into the walls of the City.'

  'That's right, I saw them myself. Do they mean anything?'

  'Indeed they do, Sarah. And I've seen them before too.'

  'Where?'

  'On the walls of a temple in Peru!'

  'That's impossible.'

  The Doctor beamed. 'That's what they said about the Peruvian temple. It's one of the great mysteries of Earth. All your scientists said no primitive race could possibly have built such a structure. Well now we've solved the mystery.'

  'We have?'

  The Doctor turned to Bellai. 'You said your ancestors were space travellers when Earth was still primitive?'

  'That is so.'

  'Then they must have visited the Earth at some period and taught its people to build. They left traces of their culture behind them.'

  Sarah found it difficult to share the Doctor's enthusiasm. 'This is all very fascinating, but it isn't going to help us get off this planet. What about the power-drain? What causes that?'

  The Doctor smiled. 'I'm coming to that, Sarah. The City gets its energy in two ways—through roots in the ground, and by absorbing it directly from the air. As soon as anything on the planet produces energy, the City drains that energy from the atmosphere—my guess is that it's done by that beacon on the tower.'

  'And that's what mucked up the TARDIS?'

  'Well, putting it crudely, yes. So, what we have to do is—'

  One of Bellal's people came running into the cave. 'One of the machine creatures at the diggings has been destroyed by a probe.'

  Bellal was not surprised. 'The City must see the mining as a threat. It is fighting back.'

  The Doctor said, 'Well, I must say it's being quite helpful at the moment. So another of our Dalek friends has been disposed of, eh?' He got to his feet. 'Come on, Sarah. We'll take a look at this City. Bellal, will you be our guide?'

  At the Parriniurn diggings an agitated conference was taking place. After repeated threats of extermination from the Daleks, the Exxilon workers had been herded together again. But they flatly refused to resume work at the same site, insisting that it was too close to the City. Not even Dalek machine-guns could make them change their minds.

  At last the Daleks had been forced to give way, and a new deposit, much further from the City, had been located. Now the Daleks were about to send the workers on their way.

  The Dalek leader's eye-stalk swivelled towards Jill Tarrant. 'The female will go with Exxilon workers. Male humans will remain here.'

  Peter Hamilton moved to Jill's side, and put a protective arm around her shoulders. 'Oh no you don't. We stay together.'

  Immediately, Dalek machine-guns swung round to cover him. 'Obey, or you will both be exterminated.'

  Jill Tarrant moved away. 'It's all right, Peter, someone's got to sort out the ore. Don't worry, I can take care of myself.'

  Peter Hamilton knew there was no alternative. He had to obey, or die. He moved over to Galloway, and Jill went over to the group of Exxilons.

  The Dalek Ieader turned to the remaining Daleks. 'Patrol will now leave. Two Daleks will enter City and carry out scientific survey.'

  'We obey.' Two of the Daleks moved off.

  The leader swung round on the remaining Dalek. 'Male humans will accompany you to the City tower.'

  Galloway scowled at the Dalek leader. 'Why us?'

  The Dalek leader indicated four small metal cylinders with instruments set into the top. They had been brought from the Dalek ship some time ago, and piled up dose to the diggings. A roll of magnetic tape lay beside them. 'You will carry explosive charges to City and fix them in position around the beacon.'

  Hamilton looked ironically at Galloway. 'It seems they want us to do their dirty work for them. You're in command. What do we do?'

  'We do what we're told,' snarled Galloway. Under his breath he added, 'For the moment!'

  The Dalek leader moved off after the working party and Galloway picked up two cylinders.

  Pocketing the roll of magnetic tape, Hamilton did the same. Followed by their Dalek guard, they set off towards the City.

  The Dalek leader turned to Jill Tarrant and the group of Exxilon slaves. 'Work will commence at new diggings immediately. Move!'

  The Doctor stood at the edge of the rocky plain and stared admiringly up at the towering white bulk of the City. 'There's no doubt about it, that must be one of the seven hundred wonders of the Universe!
/>   'Wait till you get closer,' said Sarah. 'It's even more impressive!

  'I'm sure it is. But you're not going any closer—not this time.'

  'Now look here, Doctor—'

  Cutting across her protest the Doctor said, 'I've got a very important job for you to do.'

  'You're not just trying to get rid of me?'

  'Certainly not. Remember if the Earth ship doesn't get away from here with the Parrinium, millions of people in the outer worlds are going to die.'

  'What do you want me to do ?'

  'Contact the Earth expedition and make Galloway co-operate. Somehow he's got to load a supply of Parrinium into his ship, and be ready to blast off the instant power is restored. And remember, the Daleks will get their power back too, and they'll do everything they can to stop the Earth ship taking off. I know the Daleks of old, and they're definitely not medical missionaries.'

  Bellal had gone on ahead, and he was waving impatiently. Bellal seems to be getting worried, Doctor. You'd better be off.'

  'One more thing, Sarah,' said the Doctor awkwardly. 'If by any chance I don't get back you must return to Earth with the expedition. At least it will be your own world, if not your own time. Sorry I got you into all this.'

  Before Sarah could answer, he turned and hurried after Bellal.

  It was a long and tiring journey across the baking heat of the rocky plain. Bellal moved surprisingly quickly, darting across the sun-baked rock like a lizard, and it was all the Doctor could do to keep up with him. They reached the City wall at last, and the Doctor stood staring in admiration at the gleaming white walls that towered above him. 'It's beautiful,' he breathed.

  'To you, perhaps, Doctor. To me it is only evil. It sucks the life from our planet.'

  The Doctor put an ear close to the wall, heard the distant hum of mighty machinery. He touched one of the white bricks, and it glowed briefly into life beneath his fingers. 'Touch-sensitised. Brilliant. Simply brilliant.'

  Bellal led the way along to another section of wall. 'You wanted to see the symbols. Here they are.'

  The Doctor followed Bellal and gazed in fascination at the Aztec-like symbols carved deep into the walls. 'My belief is that they form some kind of message,' said Bellal. 'I have tried many times to interpret them, but the old knowledge is all lost. Do they hold any meaning for you ?'

  'Perhaps,' murmured the Doctor. 'Perhaps. Are there any more? Surely there must be more?'

  'They continue here,' Bellal led the way to an alcove set in the wall. It was just big enough for the two of them to enter, and it was covered with the strange symbols. This time they were low enough to touch. The Doctor studied them. 'I think I'm on to something here. This is a kind of intelligence test. One of these symbols doesn't conform...'

  Bellal watched for a moment as the Doctor brooded over the complex symbols, occasionally reaching out to run his fingers over them. Feeling there was nothing he could do to help, Bellal went to the edge of the alcove to look around. Two Daleks were heading along the wall, coming straight towards him. Panic-stricken, Bellal ducked back. 'Daleks, Doctor—coming this way!'

  The Doctor peered out, and a burst of Dalek machine-gun fire whizzed past his nose.

  He jumped back, pulling Bellal with him.

  Bellal was chattering with fear. 'We're trapped, Doctor. Trapped! As soon as they arrive they'll shoot us down—and there is nowhere to run!'

  11

  The Trap

  The Doctor stared at the symbol-covered wall, thinking furiously. What Bellal said was true enough. If they left the alcove they would be exposed to the Daleks' fire. It was hopeless trying to run. The bare white walls and the rocky plain offered not a scrap of cover. For the moment the alcove protected them, but as soon as the Daleks arrived...

  He stared at the carved symbols. 'Do be quiet, old chap. I'm trying to concentrate.'

  The Daleks swung round into the alcove, machine-guns blazing. They sprayed every inch of the confined space with bullets—and suddenly stopped firing. Their eye-stalks swivelled round in almost ludicrous surprise.

  The alcove was empty.

  Bellal was scarcely able to believe he was still alive. 'What did you do, Doctor?'

  'Pressed the right button, it seems. I simply picked out the symbol that didn't fit, and traced its outline with my finger.'

  'And that made the door slide open?'

  The Doctor shrugged. 'I can't imagine what else.'

  Bellal looked round, taking in his surroundings. They were in a small, bare, white-walled room. Humanoid skeletons lay sprawled about the floor. Bellal stared at them in horror. 'Doctor, what is this place? Can we get out again?'

  The Doctor nodded towards the skeletons. 'I'm not sure. They didn't.'

  'Then we have entered another trap?'

  The Doctor rubbed his chin. 'It can't be. That wouldn't make sense.'

  Bellal gestured towards the twisted skeleton forms. 'These must have been trapped, just as we were. Some of them may have lain here for centuries.'

  The Doctor was thinking aloud. 'Yes... they passed the first intelligence test, and got this far... and failed to pass the second!'

  'What test?'

  'I'm not sure. But there's got to be one. It's only logical!'

  His back to the sliding door that had admitted them—a door which had now completely disappeared—the Doctor walked across the room, picking his way across the gleaming white bones of those who had gone before him. He stopped at the opposite wall, raised his hand and pressed his palm against the smooth white surface. Immediately the wall lit up, revealing an immensely complicated design. 'Splendid, just as I thought!'

  'I don't understand, Doctor. This is just a pattern on the wall.'

  'No, no, it's much more than that. It's a maze... a test of skill and logic that we have to solve before we can move further into the City.'

  'And if we fail ?'

  'Presumably we stay here till we become like our bony friends.' The Doctor brooded over the maze. 'Now then, point of entry here, exit point here. Since the walls are touch-sensitised, I imagine that I simply have to move my finger along the correct route.' The Doctor stared at the maze in total concentration. Something told him that he would only be given one chance. If his finger strayed from the correct path, the maze pattern would fade, and the exit door be closed forever.

  He put his finger on the starting point and began moving it slowly through the maze.

  Meanwhile in the alcove, the two Daleks were tackling the problem of gaining entry to the City. Not with a single intuitive flash, like the Doctor, but with slow, remorseless Dalek logic.

  The first Dalek scanned the pattern with its eye-stick. 'Computer indicates that symbols contain simple logic test. We must deduce which symbol does not conform to the others.'

  The second Dalek too was methodically scanning the pattern. 'I will run computer check. All symbols have now been registered.' There was a faint whirring, clicking sound as the Dalek's inner computer processed the information. Then it announced triumphantly. 'Non-conforming symbol now isolated.' With its sucker-arm it indicated one of the symbols. 'This is key symbol.'

  The first Dalek glided closer to the wall and began tracing the outline of the symbol with its sucker-arm. There was a hum of hidden machinery and a door started to slide smoothly open.

  'There!' said the Doctor triumphantly. His finger moved to the maze exit, the pattern faded and a door slid back revealing a long white corridor. Bellal hung back in fear. Suddenly the door by which they'd first entered started to open. 'Come along,' said the Doctor. 'The Daleks are close behind us.' They stepped into the corridor, and the door closed behind them.

  A moment later the Daleks were in the room. Their eye-sticks swivelled to and 'Scan the walls,' ordered the first Dalek. 'We must locate next access point!'

  The corridor went on and on for what seemed a very long way—then suddenly it widened out into a kind of hall. The floor changed too. A complex pattern of glowing red and white tiles
marked with strange symbols stretched across their path. Bellal would have hurried across it, but the Doctor held him back. 'Stay where you are.'

  'What is it?'

  'Another test, I think. The people who built this place were hardly likely to go in for ornamental flooring just for the sake of it.'

  Bellal shook his head wearily. Ever since entering the City they seemed to have been beset by new and terrifying dangers. 'I don't understand. What must we do this time?'

  The Doctor smiled. 'Ever played Venusian hop-scotch? No, of course you haven't.' He produced his sonic screwdriver, and made a quick adjustment. 'This is where we cheat a little.' He knelt by the pattern and began scanning the tiles one by one. The sonic screwdriver gave out a low buzzing sound, which occasionally shot up to a higher pitch. The Doctor stepped on to one of the red squares, and knelt to test the tiles in front of him. 'Now then, I want you to follow me exactly. Step on the same squares as I do—and on no others.' The Doctor took another step forward, and turned to guide Bellal. 'That's right, old chap, take it steady. The red one first... now jump two squares to that white one... that's it, good...' Step by step the Doctor led Bellal through the pattern, weaving his way across the chess-board of red and white squares. With a final leap, he reached the other side, and reached out to help Bellal to safety. 'One last jump, old chap. There, that's it!' He slapped the baffled little Exxilon on the back. 'Here we are. Jolly little game, don't you think?'

  'I do not understand, Doctor,' said Bellal irritably. 'Was all that really necessary?'

  'Oh, I think so,' said the Doctor. He fished in, his pocket, produced an old coin and examined it. 'Do I need five piastres? No, of course I don't. Just you watch this!' The Doctor tossed the coin on to the giant chess-board, choosing a square they hadn't stepped on. There was a fierce crackle of electrical power, a shower of sparks, and a sudden explosion. The smoke cleared and the Doctor said, 'Look!' The little coin had been fused into a shapeless blob of metal. 'That might have been us, Bellal—now let's go and see what other pleasures they have in store for us!'