h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

DOCTOR
WHO

BURNING CAGE

EPISODE ONE:

The electronic pulse filled the ears of beings close at hand as many strange and highly complex instruments whirred and bleeped.
'Report?' ordered the Black Dalek as it glided into the central laboratory.
'The Core of control is ready to be tested' replied a Red Dalek.
'Continue' the Black Dalek replied and glided to the side to observe the proceedings.
The Red Dalek glided towards a vast central console where other silver Daleks worked.
'Initiate Central Core control!' the Red Dalek ordered. 'We Obey' chorussed the many silver technicians.
The light faded from the room as the console lit up, a holomatrix, three dimensional light frame glowed into action.
'Core controls responding' reported a silver Dalek.
'Initiate Phase two' ordered the Red Dalek.
'I Obey' replied the silver Dalek.
Immediately the holomatrix started to flutter out of existence.
'What is happening?' the Red Dalek asked.
'Unknown presence detected in Central Core, it is absorbing temporal energy' reported the silver Dalek.
'Cut all power!' the Red Dalek commanded and as it swivelled round the Black Dalek glided forward.
'Report your reason for cancelling the experiment?' it demanded.
'We have detected an unknown disturbance in the vortex, it is attempting to influence temporal control of the core' the Red Dalek replied.
'Explain?' the Black Dalek screeched.
'Insufficent data present. This influence must be investigated if work on establishing the Skaro Core is to be completed' the Red Dalek replied.
The Black Dalek was still for a moment before answering.
'I will report your information to the Supreme Dalek, continue analysis of the systems, ensure that all errors are removed!'
'I Obey' the Red Dalek replied before turning back to the console.
The Black Dalek was still for a moment, it seemed to be having some slight trouble with its motive units.
Eventually it turned about gliding out of the laboratory doors.

As the Black Dalek entered the central command control, it had noticed many Daleks too seemed to be having a little trouble moving.
The huge metallic double doors opened before it, admitting the Black Dalek into a vast room. There were huge screens on many sides, while at consoles worked many dull, silver Dalek technicians.
As the Black Dalek turned, there stood many Black Daleks on a vast raised platform and at its centre stood the gleaming, golden Supreme.
'Report your progress Black Dalek?' the Supreme grated.
'Work on the central Core has been delayed' reported the Black Dalek.
'Why?' questioned the Supreme abruptly.
'An external disturbance in the time vortex is affecting the success of the operation' the Black Daler replied. 'Scientific division will complete the work, there is trouble occuring here' replied the Supreme.
'Chief Scientist reports that unless the influence is investigated then the disturbances to the operation will continue' replied the Black Dalek.
'Prepare a Time Ship immediately, the scientific division will investigate this influence. With the data compiled the op-er-ation will... be com..pleted' the Supreme stuttered.
'I O-bey' the Black Dalek replied and as it tried to move it shuffled before gliding away.
The gleaming Time ship, a perfectly smooth sphere stood in the central laboratory. As the line of Dalek technicians glided into it, the Black Dalek glided forward towards the Chief scientist.
'You are to record data on this unknown obstacle, with it you will complete the operation on the core' the Black Dalek ordered.
'I Obey' the Chief scientist replied.
'The Supreme Dalek requests that the TARDIS units are to be completed when Core is finished' the Black Dalek added.
'I understand. Samples will be taken from the obstacle, estimated time of operation will be one hundred and fifty rels' reported the Red Dalek.
'It... is un-der-... stood' the Black Dalek stuttered.
'Are you experiencing a systems malfunction?' inquired the Red Dalek.
The Black Dalek's eye slowly moved towards the Red Dalek. Its vision was blurred, clouded before forming back into the Red Dalek.
'I... do not... know. Contine your operation!' it replied slowly and jerkily glided away.
'I Obey' answered the Red Dalek as it swung away towards the ship.
The Black Dalek gazrd at the blurring image before it, its motive units were slowing down as the door to the ship closed.
There was a strange distortion in the air and then the orb vanished away.
Around it the other Daleks were wobbling and shuffling along, their movements were slowing.
Inside the central chamber the Supreme stood unsure of what was happening.
'All... sec-tors... report?' it stuttered.
'Un-kno-wn eff-ect o-ccu-ring, sev-ere l-oss of po-wer... unable to transmit.... further' slurred the reply.
Following came a series of other metallic grunts.
'This... is... not... possible? None... of this... should be?' the Supreme exclaimed.
Slowly from its view, the image of the control centre blurred away before turning to dark.
All around Skaro Daleks slumped, their movements grew increasingly slower until finally a deadly peace broke out across the Skaro.
While out within the vast ocean of the Time Vortex sat the Dalek Time Ship, it crew seemingly unaffected continued their work.

With the seemingly small Time ship a vast circular control room worked many silver Daleks. At the centre of the room was a round console extending into the ceiling.
'Hold this position' ordered the Red Dalek as it glided away from the view screen, which displayed the vast swirling darkness of the void.
'I Obey' replied the Dalek pilot, which sat locked into a bulky looking console.
Gliding around to inspect all of the others the Red Dalek stopped.
'Unknown source detected' reported a silver Dalek.
As the Red Dalek glided forward to investigate, its eyestak fixed on the controls. 'Direct the image to the view screen!' the Chief scientist ordered.
'I Obey!' responded another technician and as it adjusted a control the Red Dalek swivelled around to face the viewscreen.
As the Red Dalek glanced up, it appeared to be a fading image amongst the darkness.
'Enhance the image, make prepartions to deploy probe!' the Red Dalek ordered.
'We Obey' chorussed many Daleks.
As the screen changed, the strange phenomenon became a swirling grey fog shifting in and out of the void.
'This is the influence? Launch collecting probe begin full analysis!' the Red Dalek ordered.
'We Obey' the technicians replied.
From the outside of the sphere a strange claw-like device was launched. As it shot towards the fog, the clips opened out.
'Collecting probe secured' reported a technican.
'Begin analysis, all data will be recorded' ordered the Red Dalek.
A Silver Dalek with gold livery glided forward.
'Everything is ready, however I have unable to secure a communication from Skaro control?' it replied.
'That is not possible! You will continue to connect with Hyperlink!' ordered the Red Dalek.
'The hyperlink does not function, it defies our instructions?' the Dalek replied.
'Explain?' the Red Dalek asked.
'Communications from Skaro ceased in mid-transmission. We have been unable to re-establish control?' the Communication Dalek replied.
'Analysis of influence is complete, partial organic components have been identified within its centre' reported a technician.
'A life form? Do readings suggest that it block transmissions?' the Red Dalek asked.
'Insufficent data available' reported the technician.
The Red Dalek considered the action carefully.
'Signal the probe to collect a sample and return to Time Ship immediately, as soon as the probe is aboard, make preparations to leave this temporal orbit!' the Red Dalek decreed.
'We Obey' replied the remaining Daleks, the second in command stood waiting.
'Continue to re-connect with hyperlink!' the Red Dalek ordered.
'I Obey' replied Communications and glided back to the console.
A life form. A free floating life form in the vortex, why had they never encountered such a being before, the Chief scientist thought.

The probe slid back quickly from the fog. It slid back into the correct socket. 'Sample has been collected' reported a technician.
'Transmit sample to container store, ensure all seals are fixed in place!' ordered the Chief scientist.
'I Obey' replied a Dalek at the vast probe control console. The creature pressed a control and the claw-like probe slid into view.
'Beginning decontamination of Probe' it said and pressed a control. Immediately from above a series of large rings surrounded it. From the edges, a green liquid squirted onto the silver surface.
'Decontamination complete, transferring sample' replied the Dalek. There was a heavy rumbling as the end of the probe connected with a long, translucent pipe. There was a hiss as the pipe linked up and then down the pipe course the strange looking fog.
The Red Dalek stood observing the Communications Dalek trying to re-connect to Skaro.
'This is Time Ship, zero five to Skaro control?' it said but there came no response. 'Alter the frequency' ordered the Red Dalek. 'I Obey' the Communications Dalek replied.
'Pilot, activate all drive units prepare to leave the temporal orbit!' the Red Dalek commanded.
'I Obey, drive units activated. We are moving. Skaro co-ordinates are locked, preparing to re-materialise!' the Pilot replied.
As the sphere ship moved away from the massive swirling fog, its inky tendrils swarmed towards the ship, wrapping itself around the ship.
'Report?' grated the Red Dalek.
'We are trapped in an unknown gravitational influence?' replied the Pilot.
'Increase power to drive units, we must break free!' the Red Dalek grated.
'Power increasing to drive units, we are not moving?' exclaimed the Pilot.
'This is not possible?' the Red Dalek retorted.
Suddenly many Dalek voices could be heard screeching! 'Exterminate the creatures! Exterminate the creatures!'
'What is happening?' the Red Dalek snapped.
'I do not know? Instruments indicate source of disturbance, Skaro!' the Dalek replied.
'Alien creatures must be exterminated! Destroy and Exterminate!' came the reply.
'Pilot will divert all supporting power to the drive units!' the Red Dalek frantically screeched.
'I will Obey' replied the Pilot and frantically it worked, the light dimmed considerably within the room as the pitch of the engines grew stronger.
Finally as the power grew stronger the fog-like substance released the ship, the time ship sped away.
'We are released from the unknown force' reported the Pilot.
'We will return to Skaro immediately! All units to prime weapons immediately for immediate action!' the Chief scientist ordered.
The Dalek race required help, it was not going to be ignored! So decreed the Red Dalek.

The great plain stood grey and vacant, the scene of Skaro with its grey ridged mountains. The ground was weak and brittle and as the strong gales whipped into the valley it cast up great masses of white dust into the air, while dark evil clouds hung low over the scenery.
The City of Skaro stood empty, a metallic skeleton coated in decaying fibres stretching far into the distance. The once powerful infamous city was strong and now decay and corruption had set in.
Within what had once been the central labratory the grey sphere materialised.
The ramp slid down and the Red Dalek glided down.
It stood in shock as its eye glanced around it. The chaos and destruction. The once gleaming instruments were now burnt out, blackened panels covered in thick rust. The central Core control Console was grey and rusted covered in thick cracks.
Glancing around it, there were no Daleks present, the doors had collapsed at the end.
'All Scout units will disembark' the Red Dalek ordered and immediately four Daleks glided out.
Turning to face them it grated:
'Search the city for Dalek life, all inferior life forms discovered are to be exterminated!'
'We Obey' the scouts chorussed and promptly glided away.
The Red Dalek glided back into the Time Ship and awaited their report.
In the control centre on the viewscreen were various eye views.
The Red Dalek focussed on one of the screens- central command and at its centre there stood rusted screens, coated in dust.
'Analysis of the external atmosphere indicates the presence of temporal particles' reported a technician.
'Temporal particles? Skaro was invaded but how is that possible? Where are the survivors?' the Chief scientist questioned.
'All external sensors have analysed the rate of decay, it is expected at five thousand years' reported the technician.
'Then the Dalek race on Skaro is dead. What of the voices we heard?' the Red Dalek grated.
'Possible delayed messages blocked by the unknown influence in the vortex' the Dalek replied.
That was impossible! The Dalek race could not be dead, it could never die out!
'All scout units will return to time ship immediately, make preparations to return to the Vortex!' the Red Dalek snapped.
'I Obey' replied the Pilot.
Within minutes the scouts boarded the ship and the ramp sealed itself off.
'De-materialising, I await location co-ordinates?' the Pilot asked.
But as the Red Dalek was about to reply the Time Ship suddenly shook violently.
'Report?' the Red Dalek snapped.
'Unknown influence affecting us, I cannot control. Cannot control!' squawked the Pilot as the lights faded, the ship shaked rapidly as it continued...

How cool and relaxing it was here, the Doctor thought as he lay back in the sun. The sun lounger was quite comfortable on his tired form.
His coat and hat lay next to him on a table as he closed his eyes and relaxed.
Trelon IV- the paradise hot spot of the galaxy, the secluded spot far from the heavy tourist lanes, available to to only a selected clientele.
The vast green sky that hung over his head while twin suns poured down on the white beaches and the cool red water lapped at its edges.
As he licked his dry lips he looked up towards the white hotel situated in the canopy of large palm trees.
To some, might have considered the place as the Bahamas but not the Doctor, he hadn't saved the Bahamas from the Jlib fungoid infection.
As a reward he was given life time access to the world.
'Excuse me?' he called and immediately a small squat robot that looked unlike a Smash robot with a little bow attached, hovered over.
'You require something Sir?' the robot squeaked.
'Just another another gingerbeer please, chilled if that's too much trouble?' the Doctor asked.
'Certainly Sir, I shall get one for you immediately' it squeaked and hovered away quickly.
'Nice chap, very polite as for that I think he deserves an extra large tip!' the Doctor replied and fumbled in his trouser pocket and brought out a series of strange looking shiny buttons.
As the waiter returned it held on a plate a chilled icebucket with a bottle of gingerbeer that steamed slightly. Lowering it to his table, the robot extruded two flexible arms and heaved free the cork, it camway with a pop!
Pouring it slowly into the glass it lower the bottle and removed the tray.
'Thank you very much, here I hope you enjoy them?' the Doctor said and held out the buttons.
'Thank you, Sir. If there is anything else I can do to make your stay more pleasant do not hesitate to ask?' the robot replied excitedly.
'Well just one thing then?' the Doctor said and gestured down the beach to a green box and some distance figures moving about.
'Who are they, if that's not a rude thing to ask?' the Doctor asked pointing.
'That would be Mr Artrem and his female friend Nicole, I believe he is a Time Lord like yourself?' the Waiter explained.
Artrem. That name rang bells in the Doctor's head. He knew that man, a young Gallifreyan. An explorer, the son of the high librarian Ishtor. So he finally left home, finally decided to become an explorer like he said he would.
'Really? Whatever their next drink, it's from me. Would you pass on an invitation from me to them?' the Doctor asked.
'Of course Sir, I will' replied the little robot, bowing respectfully it left his side.
Smiling to himself, he took a sip from his ginger beer before sitting up and making his way along the beach towards them.

As the Doctor advanced up the beach there came a low groaning. A rumbling like low thunder and as the Doctor stopped, looking around him, there was not a cloud in the sky.
Shaking his head, he advanced onward but as he walked the air before him distorted. Suddenly it was there, a gleaming white box hurrying towards him; the Doctor fliched as the box flashed forwards through him.
'Madman!' the Doctor shouted as the box appeared a few feet behind him. The Doctor turned to look, he was angry. The madman should been watching where he was going!
Looking back to the distant figures, seemingly talking to the waiter, the Doctor was about to carry on when the door opened behind him.
'Oh, come to say you're sorry have you?' the Doctor replied harshly as he turned.
Since silence met the Doctor's reply, this seemed to aggravate him more so.
'Is that it then Doctor, is that all I can say?' he said to himself and then shook his head.
'That's a TARDIS, if I'm not much mistaken type one hundred and fifty, if I'm not much mistaken?' he murmured and if that was the case who was at the controls.
Approaching the TARDIS slowly the Doctor raised his hand and tapped the door cautiously.
'Hello? Is anyone in?' he asked but as stillness met his answer he shrugged as he entered it, finding himself in metallic, cold looking finish.
He glanced around the console room before he suddenly noticed a body.
In two quick bounds, he was there at her side. A woman dressed in the padded red and white uniform- The livery of the Chancellory guard- essential to the security of Gallifrey!
'In Rassilon's name- a noble Chancellory guard, no wait this tag on her breast pocket, her helmet. She was a Commander of the official security battalion. Why is is she here?' the Doctor muttered and felt to her wrists.
She was stone cold. None of her hearts were beating.
'Impossible? Regeneration brings constant re-adjusting of the molecular stability of the Time Lord frame but her uniform still fits perfectly, not too tight, not loose. How could this have happened?' he murmured as he glanced around the room and noticed the side of the console.
Its edge had been burned, the matrial of the console had melted, there were scorch marks surrounding the controls.
'She was shot by someone that inhibited the regenerative process but why is she here? What could have happened?' the Doctor muttered and as a wave of panic took over the Doctor returned to her body.
There was some scorching on her uniform but as he unclipped her top, revealling her battle cover vest.
Pressing down on her stomach, he felt something, a hollow, pressing further his eyes widened.
Her insides were scrambled the result of only one known race.
Something had happened on Gallifrey, something of great horror, this TARDIS he believed must have been sent out to find other Time Lords.
'Daleks!' he spat and raised a hand to the Commander's eyes and closed them.
His eyes glanced to her breast pocket- to a name: Valen.
He knelt there composing an ancient Gallifreyan prayer before rising up.
His holiday was going to be cut short- his people needed him and with the Daleks concerned anything was never to be taken lightly!

As the Doctor stormed into his TARDIS he became unaware of the hovering robotic waiter.
'Excuse me Sir but I am afraid that Mr Artrem and his guest is busy?'
'So am I, I have to go something very important has come up!' the Doctor replied.
'I understand Sir' it replied and hummed loudly for a second, this caught the Doctor's eye.
'Are you all right?' he asked.
'Apologies Sir, I was correlating your bill. Fifty Trelons?' the waiter squeaked.
'Have it billed to my account, I've very sorry but I do have to go!' the Doctor said and watched as the hovering robot bowed before floating out of the doors.
'Gallifrey, how long has it been since I last saw you? More to the point how did the Daleks kill the Commander of the Presidential guard?' the Doctor muttered as he set the controls.
As the Time rotor started to rise and fall, the Doctor slid on his coat.
Suddenly the TARDIS pitched forward and the Doctor fell against the hard floor.
'Old girl, what are you playing at?' the Doctor muttered as he pulled himself to the console.
As he adjusted the control, he pulled down the scanner to see a vast wave of pulsating grey mist.
'Hello? Now that definitely looks odd? However if I wasn't in such a hurry I would stay around and give this more thought but I cannot!' the Doctor replied and carried on but once again the TARDIS shook violently.
'By Rassilon's star! What has got into you? We must get to Gallifrey!' the Doctor snapped.
But the TARDIS had other ideas as it suddenly swirled around knocking the Doctor into a well placed game of chess scattering the pieces into the air.
'Some veritable time barrier you've run yourself into?' the Doctor muttered as he climbed to his feet.
'Look all you need to do is pull yourself free of this barrier? Quite simple, so just reverse your engines, like so!' the Doctor replied as he adjusted the control but the TARDIS gave out a deep groan and knocked the Doctor back, hard.
From the console many sparks shot out and immediately after there came a loug distorted gong.
'Oh no! The Cloister bell! I'll have to affect an emergency landing' the Doctor said quickly and hurriedly pressed every control in sight.
The TARDIS shuddered hard as it spun free of the mist and into a landing...

The grey sky hang above the dark, cold ground below.
A cold tundra, a bleak moorland stretching far as the eye could see.
A small hut was the only feature. Crafted from flints into a crude looking farmhouse, across the windows were roughly hewn curtains while a small tuft of smoke puffed hard from the chimney.
Inside there were two rooms, in one a fire had been lit, while next to it were many logs left piled up. Rough looking tables and chairs stood by the windows while sacks of wheat lay beside the walls.
In the other room there lay a woman with her seventeeth year covered by a dark, rough blanket. Her forehead was covered with sweat beads, her eyes shut as a candle sat on a table on far away.
Just then the heavy door crashed open and in walked a tall, bold man dressed in rough rags, his grey hair was a shock to his still youthful looking skin and as he closed the door, he sighed hard.
'It's getting colder out there now, really cold' the man grumbled.
'Are you all right dear?' he asked as he strode into the room dumping the sack that clattered hard on the floor.
Entering the room, he knelt by her side, his watchful eyes glanced over body.
'My poor child, the devils have you! How long has it been since you lay here, five days and the fiends still never leave you?' the man muttered and raised a cool hand to her forehead and gasped as he felt her fever.
Pausing to a bucket by the wall, he gripped the handle and pulled it towards the bed.
Within was some water and a rag. Taking it from the bucket anging it out, he lowered it onto her her forehead.
'Pray, I do pray every night that these devils will leave your form?' he whispered.
'I found many good things at the site today, useful things. In town I got some more wood but I found something that you'll love. When the devils leave your body and you're better then I will show you something you will love?' the old man whispered.
As he re-soaked the rag, the girl's eyes opened weakly.
'Father?' the girl cried out and quickly the man looked to her and smiled.
'My daughter, you speak yet you are in their thrall?' the man replied.
'Father... I' was all she could say before she closed her eyes.
'Wait there! I will show you he said leaving her but returned with something else. It was a shining capsule of some sort?
Passing it to her, he closed her arms around, hugging it to her.
'I hoped that you'd like it?' he said and smiled at her form.
He wiped free a tear and leant his head across her and sobbed.

The fire continued to crackle and splutter, the flames seemed to dance in the light draft.
'Father? I want something to drink?' the girl gasped as the man sobbed but on lifting his head he sniffed hard and smiled at her.
'I have no water here, I shall get some from the well' he said and stood up slowly. His daughter managed a weak smile as he left her.
Looking down at the strange capsule in her hands, although her vision was slightly blurred, she could feel how smooth it was.
As she handled it in her weak arms trying to raise it high, the sheer weight of it was too much and down it went, rolling along the bed and down onto the floor, hard.
The capsule lay still as the girl gasped, her eyes watched the tiny candle flame twist on the wick, while from a slight crack in the capsule's side came twisting, pulsing mist that ever so faintly coiled its way into mouth of the girl.
As the man crossed the courtyard, over the rogh ground he shivered as he reached the flint covered well.
He breathed hard as the biting wind caught at him and as he took hold of the chain with his fingerless gloves, he heaved hard as the bucket on the end swung into the light.
Not far away from the house, there came a low groaning as the TARDIS wheezed into being. The door opened and out stepped the Doctor, straight into the path of the biting cold.
'Not very nice, quite inhospitable by the look of it?' the Doctor said aloud through gritted teeth.
'How long do I stay here? Gallifrey calls but you just can't do that can you, old girl? There's something wrong here?' he muttered and left the shade of the TARDIS.
'Hmm, something is definitely wrong, I can feel it in my hearts. Why here of all places?' the Doctor sighed and dug his hands into his pockets.
As the Doctor looked around, he spied the distant form of the farmhouse.
'Ah, a sign of civilisation! I wonder if they can help me?' the Doctor pondered and slowly he started to walk towards the gloomy farmhouse.

As the old man entered the house, he help in his firm grip the cold metal battered bucket.
Walking into her room he set the bucket down by her bed, taking from the table next to the candle, he took hold of a crude goblet and collected water.
As he was about to pass her the water, his eyes noticed the silver capsule nestled by the bucket.
'You must have dropped it?' the man replied and picking it up, he deposited it next to her.
Raising her head steadily, he bid her to drink but as she started to drink she sputter and coughed.
'The devils would stop you enjoying the purity of the water! You must fight them child?' the man urged but she shook her head.
'Is there anything I can do for you?' he asked.
'I love you father' she whispered before her head fell back and he lowered her slowly.
Demons! Fiends of hell, five days she lay here and still they would not give her up?
'I promise you my daughter by dawn, you will free of the evil' he simply said and clutched at her cool hand before leaving her.
He knelt before the fire, gazed into its burning rapture and started to pray aloud.
As he did so there came a loud knock at the door. Cautiously the man rose and crossed to the door.
'Excuse me? Is anyone home?' called the Doctor as he stood on the doorstep.
The man reached up and pulled away a heavy bar and as the cold emerged so did the stranger. A young man dressed strangely?
'Ah, Good evening, I'm the Doctor, I appear to be lost? Could you tell me where I am?' he asked but the man eyed him suspiciously.
'This is my house, you are half a day's walk from the town Karasta, where are you from?' the man asked.
'Oh, here and there. Could I come in, my horse threw a shoe it's awfully cold out here?' the Doctor said quickly.
The man pulled back the door and admitted the stranger. As the Doctor walked through, the man closed the door hard.

'Thank you, most appeciated' the Doctor replied as he breathed in the warmth.
'Your home is is very, nice, very quaint' he added as the man motioned for him to take a seat. The Doctor smiled pleasantly and sat down, while the man walked to the fire, proding it with the poker.
'Karasta? No I don't think I've heard of it? Perhaps you could tell me the name of this planet?' the Doctor asked.
'This is the world of Scarlos, everyone knows that. Why do you not?' the man asked.
'Well, I'm a traveller of sorts, this way and that? This house of yours is wonderful, very... sheltered' the Doctor replied.
'Are you a demon?' the man suddenly asked.
'A demon? Forgive me but why do you ask?' the Doctor asked.
'This is the lair of them, of fiends and ghouls. No one comes out here but you are lost?' the man muttered.
'I can assure you that I'm no demon, spectre or monster, I mean you no harm?' the Doctor replied reassuringly just as the man turned, his eyes burning as was the end of the poker he held.
'I'm not a demon but you might say I have faced many in my lives, Mister...?' the Doctor said quickly and thankfully he lowered the poker.
'Havlok, Arnol Havlok. I ask if you were demon because this place is a haunt for them. My daughter lies in their grasp' Havolk replied grimly.
'Really? Is there anything I can do for her?' the Doctor asked but Havlok eyed him slowly.
'You said you were demon hunter?' he asked.
'I have fought such creatures but I am a doctor, a healer? Could I see her, please?' the Doctor asked.
Havlok replaced the poker and ushered the Doctor to follow him into the second room.
It was a cramped affair but the moment the Doctor saw her, he started an examination.
Touching her forehead, he could feel her temperature.
'How long has she been like this?' he asked.
'Five days, the demons will not release her?' Havlok murmured.
'Five days! You didn't think to get her to some Doctor, healers. There are some in this town?' the Doctor asked.
'There are but she would not make the journey, the dark would take her away from me' Havlok muttered.
'The dark? Mr Havlok, this is a high fever, plenty of warm and food should keep her well and her forehead too must be kept cool' the Doctor replied then his eyes focussed on the capsule in her hands.
He'd seen that somewhere before, something so familiar. His face almost scrunched up as the memories hit home. Home, Gallifrey!

'Where did this come from?' the Doctor asked as he picked up the capsule.
'Leave that! It's my daughter's!' Havlok snapped and snatched from the Doctor's grip.
'Where did you find that capsule?' the Doctor asked.
'In the place of howls' Havlok said simply.
'Place of howls?' the Doctor repeated and looked decidedly confused.
'Beyond the house, over the low ridge there are howls, demons crying out to steal my mind! There lies evil things, shiny things like that!' Havlok explained.
'Interesting? Could I see this place?' the Doctor asked but Havlok shook his head.
'I ain't going now, not at dark!' Havlok replied quickly.
'Father? Father?' cried the girl and as they both looked, the girl twitched and shook.
'The fiends!' Havlok cried and grabbed her, shaking her hard.
'Fight them, fight their evil!' he cried but was pulled off by the Doctor.
'Mr Havlok control yourself. She is sleeping, she doesn't need you waking her up. She's very weak' the Doctor replied and helped him away.
'Father! I hear you, you and your words, what do you mean? What do you want?' the girl suddenly screamed, her eyelids fluttered and she convulsed hard on the bed before lying still.
'Roska!' Havlok cried but the Doctor held him back.
'Allow me?' he said and walked forward to investigate further.
She was sweating, yet her forehead felt cold, icy cold.
Suddenly she sat bolt upright and coughed hard before her eyes fluttered and then her eyes grew black, black fluid trickled from the corners of her mouth as she spoke 'Manotok Reacel Tu'Merof Raal ek Taar!' her voice was many, over layed and hollow sounding.
'Now will you understand, the demons choose her!' She must be saved from this horror!' Havlok yelled but as he rushed forward, she raised a dainty hand and he found himself flung back hard against the wall.
'Weatel Nor raseth, Ve sorrr!' she spat and as she frowned, all the objects in the house started to vibrate strongly.

As Havlok rubbed his head, Roska, his daughter roared a strange rasping howl to the air and as everything continued to rattle harder.
Just then the Doctor pressed down with his index finger onto Roska forehead, she simply cried out and fell silent.
'Now do you see Doctor! The demons have her!' Havlok cried but the Doctor wasn't having that.
'Whatever's happened to your daughter, it isn't the work of supernatural forces! This will stop your daughter from a repeat performance for at least a couple of hours. Mr Havlok, I think it's time you showed me this 'place of howls'?' the Doctor finally breathed.
'She will be allright then?' he asked but the Doctor shook his head.
'Somehow I don't think it is that simple, Mr Havlok. Your daughter has just shown latent telekinetic abilities and that speech she said, I've heard it before and I think it has something to do with that cannister?' the Doctor explained.
Havlok scratched his head and watched in horror as further black fluid dripped over her chin and down her front.
'You best come with me' Havlok replied and led the Doctor from the room.
Out in the cold Halok led the way wrapped up in the huge fur coat, while the Doctor hurried along beside him.
They had been walking for ten minutes and in that time the Doctor had learned much, a primitive medieval society descended from space colonists. Havlok and his daughter were farmers and now as winter was approaching, he would sell things from the Place of howls to the towns' folk for things.
As they crossed over the ridge, the Doctor gasped at the site before him. Ruined spacecrafts lay half buried in the ground, bits and pieces lay scattered about in the sheltered valley.
'The place of howls!' Havlok gestured.
'Interesting? A spaceship graveyard, presumably these must be the colonists' ships?' the Doctor asked and Havlok nodded.
'Theirs and others, others come here' Havlok replied.
'Could you show me the ship that you found the capsule in?' the Doctor asked and Havlok nodded.
Leading the Doctor down the slope, they crossed between many strange ruins, the wind caught at his trousers as they finally stopped and Havlok pointed.
'There! That be where I collected last' he simply said and as the Doctor looked, he could see a partial dark grey sphere buried half in the ground.
It was a ship that he had seen money times. It was a Dalek Timeship and from its side a hole of a door was crudely forced open.
Suddenly a crazed metallic whistle cut through the air, the two of them shivered.
'The Devil's cry!' Havlok breathed and as the Doctor stared, the cry seemed to emanate from the ragged hole in the ship's side.

As the Havlok finished climbing up the ramp, he joined the Doctor inside.
'Incredible? The Devil's lair!' Havlok muttered grimly and was astonished as his voice echoed around him.
'An appropriate term. I dare say that you've never met Daleks?' the Doctor guessed but Havlok looked confused.
'I shall take that as no. This is a Dalek Time vessel, there is a distinct lack of power present? These instruments all read neutral?' the Doctor murmured as he bent to examine a control panel.
'Whatever happened here, it must have catastrophic? Daleks, despite all their faculties are masterful pilots and tacticians. Whatever they come up against they're always determinded to succeed!' the Doctor explained but Havlok remained silent as he stared around him.
'What is this thing? I come acrossit often?' Havlok said but on seeing it the Doctor rushed across to him. 'Careful!' he said as Havlok approached the Dalek.
It didn't move. 'It's dead. I'm sorry but do be more careful? These are Daleks, this seems to be the pilot?' the Doctor replied.
'I see it often like the others, is it a devil?' Havlok retorted.
'Yes, more devilish that you can possibly imagine!' the Doctor muttered and as he carried on he caught sight of others, eight Daleks.
Their casings were covered in thick dust and some lay at strange angles...
'How very odd? It looks as though they had suffered some sort of trouble? How long's this ship been here?' the Doctor asked.
'Five months, once a shooting star and now this' Havlok gestured.
'Strange, I had expected something else? Daleks wouldn't use a ship like this without a reason?
'Through here, Doctor I found the thing in here!' Havlok replied and gestured for the Doctor to follow.
Leading the way through a wide open double doors, cautiously he sighed as the passed by another Dalek, dead to the world.
They followed the corridor round until they entered a large room, the surface glittered with silver while a complex drill-like instrument dominated the centre surrounded by many consoles.
'The central laboratory! Now we are getting somewhere? What were they up to?' the Doctor pondered as he stepped inside.
'Always believed that evil lay in here, I took the shiny thing from that' Havlok replied and as the Doctor stepped forward to investigate further there came a low rumbling.
The sound of something moving around in the shadows.

'What is this thing?' Havlok asked but the Doctor merely sighed.
'Some sort of deep space probe, it's been modified to act in the vortex but what we're they collecting?' the Doctor muttered.
'Space probe?' Havlok asked, his primitive mind saw only witchcraft and demons.
'What you'd call a jar, a large jam jar but I suspect they weren't collecting tadpoles? No, whatever they collected was in that capsule you have at your house?' the Doctor replied.
From the shadows dim light reflected off their sides.
'We must go now! Evil is here!' Havlok whispered but the Doctor was too engrossed.
'In a moment, I must analyse what these instruments say?' he murmured.
The creature's eye watched them closely, the iris focussed on the two of them- one was a primitive yet the other was intelligent.
Havlok caught a glimpse of something hurriedly pulled at the Doctor's sleeve.
'We must go Doctor!' he cried and as the Doctor straightened, his face betrayed a look of confusion.
'Yes, we must go!' the Doctor replied quickly.
Suddenly a gleaming silver creature glided forward, its gun fixed on them.
Havlok stared at the strange thing.
'Do not move! Stay where you are!' it screeched.
'You were right Mr Havlok, evil was here all along! Be very afraid!' the Doctor warned.
'They are Demons, from the pit!' Havlok yelled and as the Doctor raised his hands another gleaming creature scuttled out of the shadows.
Different though, in colour it was menacing red, with golden slats.
Its eyestalk swivelled round to face them, its weapon raised at them. They were trapped.
'You are our prisoners. You will obey our instructions are you will be exterminated!' grated the Red Dalek.
'Always the way!' the Doctor replied as the two creatures advanced towards them...

DOCTOR
WHO

BURNING CAGE. II

'What are you doing in here?' the Red Dalek asked.
'Just browsing' the Doctor said lightly as if he were talking to a interested shop steward.
'You were curious to determine what readings existed in the instruments' the Red Dalek grated.
'That's very perceptive of you, yes generally interested in what you are doing on this planet?' the Doctor replied.
'Do not move!' squawked the silver Dalek as the Doctor lowered his hands.
'Look I really want to scratch my ear, I couldn't attack you nor could I harm you, you have the weapons. So what are you doing here?' the Doctor asked.
'Silence! I am asking the questions!' thundered the Red Dalek.
'Doesn't sound like it does it Mr Havlok?' the Doctor muttered.
'You will remain still or...' the silver Dalek replied before it was interrupted.
'...You will be exterminated? Yes I've heard it all before?' the Doctor replied looking from the Silver Dalek to the Red.
'You are not native of this planet, you are intelligent unlike this primitive' the Red Dalek grated pointing to Havlok, who grunted angrily in return.
'Has anyone ever told you that it's rude to point? What happened to your Time ship?' the Doctor said quickly.
'It was caught in an unknown influence; we were propelled towards this planet. Some of us did not survive the impact' the Red Dalek grated.
'I think that is an understatement. They're all dead except for you two' the Doctor stared grimly at it.
'You were discussing a capsule?' the Red Dalek said abruptly.
'Eavesdropping now are we? I would have expected more from a Red Dalek?' the Doctor replied.
'You are an intelligent alien with knowledge of superior Dalek technology, you show keen interest in the Probe controls, you are a scientist?' the Red Dalek replied and the Doctor actually smiled.
'Fascinating, I've never been cross-examined by a Dalek before and particularly a Dalek like you' the Doctor breathed as he glanced at the creature.
'Explain yourself?' it grated.

The Doctor took it upon himself to walk away from the Dalek, encircling it slowly like a shark.
'You know my knowledge Dalek Hierarchy is a bit rusty? I've met the Emperor, my fair share of Black Daleks and the Supreme and the usual lot but never have I come across Red Daleks?' The Doctor explained and as he moved the Red Dalek moved too.
'Stay where you are!' it grated but the Doctor continued to move out of its aim constantly getting closer to it.
'You see your caste system would denote that you are important, all the other Daleks here are normal. Since you're not Black I would say that you are from a science section?' the Doctor deduced.
'That is correct. Stay where you are!' the Red Dalek warned as the Doctor continued.
'And your plating, gold must denote of high rank in the science section, leading scientist? No Chief scientist of the Dalek race!' the Doctor suddenly replied and stopped walking.
The Chief Scientist was still, it was contemplating what to say.
'So the big question I want asked is why are you so far away from home?' the Doctor asked.
'Who are you, answer!' the Red Dalek screeched.
'It wouldn't do you any good even if I told you?' the Doctor simply said.
'Answer or this human will be exterminated!' it grated gesturing to Havlok.
'Very well, there's no need for this? I am the Doctor, yes your enemy' the Doctor added quickly.
'Doctor, we developed a central Time Core to augment our own control over time but we developed unforeseen errors' the Red Dalek replied.
'Designs taken from Gallifrey when you destroyed it!' the Doctor hissed angrily.
'Gallifrey was destroyed, all technology referring to the Eye of Harmony was used to construct a device to grant us supreme power over time!' the Red Dalek explained much to the growing frown across the Doctor's face.
'I see. So what went wrong?' the Doctor snapped.
'An unknown influence was blocking our power, we investigated the incident to discover an unknown force within the vortex, we took samples and attempted to leave the vortex' the Red Dalek explained.
'I see, did you say samples?' the Doctor suddenly said.
'Correct, the analysis revealed it to be a gaseous life form' the Red Dalek replied.
'And you had it transferred to a capsule?' the Doctor asked and half-nodded as the Dalek replied and shuddered more so.
'Correct!' the Red Dalek answered.

The Doctor swallowed nervously before answering, Havlok by this time had reached into his coat to remove a sharpened rusted spike.
These devils, whatever they may be were evil and he had to stop them.
'The capsule was loaded into the probe' the Red Dalek replied and as it looked over, all it could see was the empty socket.
'The capsule is missing! Where is it?' the Red Dalek demanded.
'Not far away, this substance, was it like a pulsating grey mist?' the Doctor asked slowly, knowing full too well that it was.
'Correct. It was a life form that drained temporal energy' the Red Dalek replied.
'Oh no, oh no! Mr Havlok, I believe you off these creatures an explanation?' the Doctor asked and as they turned to Havlok, he pulled free his weapon.
'No! These are evil fiends and must be destroyed!' Havlok roared and flashed the blade.
'Alert! Desist or you will be exterminated!' screeched the silver Dalek and quickly the Dalek intercepted himself between the two.
'Now look here, this is not the time for this! Mr Havlok put down the knife?' the Doctor said in a loud, clear voice.
'No! These creatures are evil fiends, my daughter, they've cursed my daughter, I must cut out their black hearts!' Havlok roared but the Doctor raised his hands again.
'Drop the weapon or you shall be exterminated!' the Silver Dalek screeched. The Doctor in turn grasped both of their weapons and slowly he lowered them.
'This is not the time for fighting! We have bigger problems at stake!' the Doctor said and looked to the Red Dalek.
'This gaseous life form. I believe it escaped into a new vessel?' the Doctor murmured.
'That is not possible? The primitive has taken the sample capsule!' the Red Dalek grated.
'Yes, yes he did and it's a fact! That life form that forced us both to planet has taken possession of this man's daughter!' the Doctor replied.
'Roska?' Havlok gasped and tears started to well up in his eyes.
'An enemy that seems to prevent us from lifting off this world, now I need you help, something I would not ask of but in the circumstances I believe we can help each other?' the Doctor said looking seriously.
'You suggest a truce?' the Red Dalek asked.
'I do, until this creature is dispensed with' he said and held out his hand, on force of habit.
'Very well, a truce will be made!' the Red Dalek grated.

Roska Havlok lay shivering on the hard bed, her eyes fluttered, flickering open to reveal massive dark orbs.
Within her mind the weak girl walked weakly across a dried hard ground. The sky above her was bleak and grey while vision around her was blurred.
'Father? Father where are you?' she called but her voice merely stretched far into the distance.
'Father? I'm so tired!' she called weakly and hugged herself against the wind.
'Roska?' someone called, it was the wind, the harsh biting wind catching at her.
'Father!' she screamed but instead the wind met her reply.
Suddenly the air around her fogged up and she found herself in the courtyard, looking around her she ran happily towards the house, she smiled as she arrived at the door then it suddenly went dark.
The light faded. 'Roska!' the wind called out and as she banged on the door. Looking over her shoulder she saw a distant looking figure standing by the well.
There was something horrifying about it. And as she banged on the door an icy cold hand touched her shoulder. Stiffened, she slowly turned to see a girl without a face, just a dark inky void in her head.
Gasping she quickly pushed the door open and bolted it. Gasping for air she saw a flickering by the window. The same figure looked in on her.
'Roska!' the figure howled, she hurried to her room and shut the door tight, crunching down she flinched as the door creaked open and then the footsteps advanced in.
'Roska!' the figure called out. Suddenly the house was gone and she was standing on the cold ground while a myriad of strangled screams, all deafening filled her ears, clutching at them she glanced up to see a vast dark tornado of human faces, skulls laughing and screaming their agony only they were speaking her name.
'Roska!' they called.
'What do you want?' she screamed and her eyes opened wide. She was lying on her bed and sighed as the nightmare faded. Just then there came the creak of boards and looking to the side, her eyes widened as pale, cold hands extended towards her.
'Roska!' the spectre called, calling in her voice.
The scream that followed was so loud that the house shook violently, blackened smoke poured from her room, snuffing out the flames, engulfing everything!

Thunder crashed high in a blackening sky over the low valley, lightning crackled across while the howling of wind roared at the landscape.
Within the ship, Havlok stood listening as the Doctor conversed with the Red Dalek.
How could this man, this demon hunter talk with these things? Then he thought of his daughter, his Roska, the demons had her yet all he could do was stand.
'Explain you plan?' the Red Dalek grated impatiently.
'Quite simply that we combine our efforts, I have seen the creature's power, you must know its weaknesses? There's a time barrier out there in the vortex and it's spreading! Unless we find a way to weaken this creature then we'll never be able to leave this world!' the Doctor replied.
'Why do we require the use of inferior creatures?' it replied harshly.
'Two hands, first hand experience not plunger politics! You're a scientist, consider this at a scientific approach?' the Doctor said.
'Very well, we agree. Lead on however any deception made will mean your immediate extermination!' the Red Dalek spat.
'You say that as though I forget? Follow me and no killing!' the Doctor ordered and walked to Havlok's form.
'Mr Havlok, we need your help in this?' the Doctor said gently but Havlok shook his head quickly.
'No, no they can't! I won't let them near my Roska!' Havlok grumbled angrily and quickly shook the Doctor away.
'My daughter. The fiends have my daughter and those will never take her away from me!' he said pointing to the Daleks.
'Mr Havlok, without these demons we cannot stop this evil from taking over your daughter, they must come with us?' the Doctor urged and as Havlok looked over his shoulder at the gleaming creatures, he sighed.
'This way' he said and without a second glance he walked on, the Doctor following close behind.
As they clambered out of the ship, the fierce biting wind caught at them.
'The storm! It should not be?' Havlok yelled but his reply was cast away into the vicious howls.
'What did you say?' the Doctor tried.
'The storm, this is evil work, it should not be!' Havlok roared.
As the Doctor looked up to the sky, the dark lightning amongst the black sky, he thought he saw a face staring down at them!
Then a scream met their ears, screams of many, twisted in grotesque agony!

'What is the cause of delay?' the Red Dalek suddenly grated, its voice cutting through the howling wind easily.
'The storm, it's wrong, even I can sense it?' the Doctor found himself replying.
'Initiate an analysis of the meteorological event!' ordered the Red Dalek.
'I Obey' replied the Silver Dalek. Its manipulator arm rose up slowly and then the half globes around its base lit up much to the surprise of the Doctor.
'Analysis completed. There are rapid alterations occurring to natural climate' reported the Silver Dalek.
'Telekinesis. The creature's doing this' the Doctor replied.
Havlok suddenly gripped the Doctor's arm.
'Doctor, there!' he suddenly yelled and as the Doctor squinted he could see a faint figure through the wind.
'The creature' he breathed but Havlok saw his daughter beckoning him. Unable to control himself he ran on through the wind leaving the Doctor behind.
'Lead on Doctor' prompted the Red Dalek.
'Yes, yes, yes, all right I wasn't forgetting you' the Doctor muttered and hurried on with the two Daleks following.
He found Havlok standing on the edge of the valley; he looked both frightened and angry.
'Roska was here, she was here!' he babbled.
'Incorrect. Scan identifies similar energy readings as located in the sample source' the Red Dalek reported.
'So it's awake, I thought we had more time?' the Doctor replied grimly.
'What? No, never this way? I never wanted it this way!' Havlok sobbed.
'I'm sorry Mr Havlok but we must go on?' the Doctor whispered and slowly Havlok nodded.
'Move forward! We do not need delays to our plans!' snapped the Red Dalek.
'Oh yes, we don't want to keep you waiting now do we?' the Doctor hissed and as he supported Havlok a form from the side of the ship watched them.
It was Roska but in place of her face was a swirling dark void, slowly it faded away into the storm!

As the group finally arrived at the house, Havlok gasped and saw the door hanging open, the fire was out and in the rough ground there stood out human footprints.
'Roska!' Havlok cried as he hurried into the house, the Doctor knelt down to examine the footprints carefully, light almost unnoticed.
'Patrol the area, Exterminate any unknown beings. I will remain in this building to supervise the situation' the Red Dalek ordered.
'I Obey' replied the Silver Dalek and it promptly glided away into the shadows.
'What are you doing?' the Red Dalek demanded as it swung around to spy the Doctor.
'Examining these, by my calculations they were made sometime ago?' the Doctor pondered.
The Red Dalek extended its manipulator arm towards them.
'They were made twenty seven minutes ago' the Red Dalek replied.
'Doctor? Doctor?' Havlok called and as the Doctor hurried through, the Red Dalek glided through, staring about the primitive dwelling with contempt.
Havlok was sobbing over the now empty bed, as the Doctor came through; he stopped looking at the walls covered in black liquid.
'It is as I feared, I'm sorry Mr Havlok' the Doctor said quietly.
'They took her, the demons from hell took her! Took her to the darkness, to the shadows' Havlok babbled as he cried hard.
The Doctor blinked, that word 'Shadows' it was important. He knew that name, so distant like Gallifrey.
Snapping out of it, he looked to the shiny silver capsule and took it, walking out he saw the Red Dalek looking very comical in the house.
'Making yourself at home?' he asked.
'You have the sample container!' the Red Dalek squawked, its eye focussing on the silver cylinder.
'Indeed but that isn't the worst of it. Mr Havlok's daughter is gone, whatever this creature is, it has taken her body!' he replied grimly.
'If so then we can do nothing' replied the Red Dalek but the Doctor almost exploded.
'We have to do something, think? You're the Chief scientist!' the Doctor snapped.
'We do not know this mutation, we have no knowledge of the creature, our readings proved inconclusive' the Red Dalek grated.
'My people are dead because of you, this Man's daughter will die unless you do something?' the Doctor snapped.
'Do not threaten the Daleks!' warned the Red Dalek harshly.
'Or what? You'll kill me? Always the way with you creatures, you never think!' the Doctor snapped.
Just then, from outside came a frenzied screeching followed by laser blasts. Rushing to the door the Doctor looked out to see the Silver Dalek firing randomly into the air.
'Exterminate creature! Exterminate!' it roared and fired at a distant figure standing by the well.

As the Doctor squinted, the figure was indeed Roska wearing the strange grey working dress but of her face there was a fixed void.
'Exterminate!' the Silver Dalek screeched as it fired again but the figure faded, quickly the Dalek looked about it.
Suddenly it was there by the door, the Doctor was looking at her head but quickly he ducked as the Dalek blast caught at the wall. 'Exterminate!' it screeched.
As the Doctor crawled to the door, he pushed it closed and bolted it hard.
'We are under attack! We are under attack!' panicked the Red Dalek.
'Yes but that's your Dalek firing at us, the creature is trying to confuse it to destroying us!' the Doctor explained.
'Dalek, do not attack the building!' the Red Dalek ordered.
'It doesn't work like that? The creature is creating a semi-physical form, a target for your trigger-happy aide out there!' the Doctor explained.
Just then a Dalek blast cut through the curtains impacting with the flint wall behind.
The Doctor parted the remains of the smouldering curtains to reveal the scene. The ghostly figure was fading and appearing at many intervals as the Silver Dalek fired.
'Poor creature, so strong yet so helpless' the figure taunted in a mass of interlaid voices.
Then it advanced on the Dalek, weapons blasts just passed straight through the figure.
'Stay back! Stay back!' it screeched but instead the creature raised a pale hand and passed it into the Dalek's casing.
'So delicate, so fragile. Let me hear you scream?' the creature howled and immediately there came a strangulated gurgle and then a strange ball of light emerged from the casing into the figure.
A moment later the casing exploded, a burning pillar of twisted armour stood there.
The figure was still for a moment then it grew darker as the figure grew from a girl to a woman.
Turning to face them, in the midst of the void sat a blackened skull; it hideously smiled at them while around the storm the Dalek's echo could be heard.
'Tasty and now for more!' the creature howled in a slight Dalek tone.
Slowly the creature advanced on the house!

The Doctor stood by the door, listening and quickly passed into the back.
'Mr Havlok, Havlok, the creature is coming for us now, it has just devoured a Dalek and I imagine it wants seconds?' the Doctor replied quickly.
Havlock turned looking grim, sadness giving way to anger as he walked out of the room, slowly.
The Doctor on spying the creature moving hurried to the door.
Havlok stepped past the Dalek, his knife raised.
'Demon! You will not get in!' he yelled to the door but instead the Doctor sighed hard.
'Knock Knock! Let me in?' called the icy howl.
'Warning alien presence is directly outside the building!' warned the Red Dalek.
'You won't get in! Creature, demon or is it just plain Roska?' the Doctor muttered as he held the door.
'I have many names Doctor, what would you rather call me?' the creature whispered.
'Well I'd rather you went away and left us all alone?' he muttered.
'I could not do that? So much pain and agony to taste!
The Doctor stood by the door, holding the bar but slowly even as he tried, the bar slid back.
'Nothing to help you now, Doctor!' howled the creature.
As the door slid back, there standing on the bare ground stood Roska, dressed in her grey work dress.
'I'm so cold father, so very cold' Roska pleaded and Havlok dropped any guard and rushed to her.
They met on the threshold in a gentle embrace, his eyes watched over her as she hugged him hard.
Havlok wept as he held her to him, her sweet embrace was becoming colder and as he looked to her face he screamed silently as it changed to the void and he crumpled to the floor.
Roska stepped over the crumpled form and blurred, her image darkened into a living shadow, while in its centre screamed the voices of Roska, the Dalek and Havlok...
The Doctor looked on in horror!

'Ah! That was appetising' the creature hissed a ghastly parody of Dalek and human speech.
It then looked from Dalek to Doctor.
'And now for you but which one should I drink first?' it said aloud.
Instead its audience remained silent as it advanced into the room more.
'Nothing to add Doctor?' the creature asked.
'Not really, how are feeling, all three of you?' he asked and the creature gave a burst of three horrible laughs that coursed into one.
'Well done Doctor, you know then? I am death, all drown within me!' the creature spat but the Doctor shook his head quickly.
'You're not death, you're the start of a gestalt, you drain the life force from the being and the life essence and add it to yourself!' the Doctor replied and as they watched the shadow crept around him.
'Yes, I know you Doctor, Dalek. Both possess equal hate for each other. Both are delicious but which to taste first?' the creature hissed.
'You are an enemy of the Daleks! Exterminate!' the Red Dalek grated and fired, the blast hit the creature squarely on and dissipated.
'You never learn Dalek scientist! I know of you and Skaro and your quest, yes I know you and you Doctor!' the creature rasped.
'Then why don't you eat us or when you tasted one Dalek, you've eaten them all?' the Doctor replied wittily.
'Yes, very bitter but you Doctor, would interest me?' it said but the Doctor quickly crossed away from it.
'You will remain where you are!' the Red Dalek piped up. 'You've seen that it won't do any good?' the Doctor whispered.
'Exactly but wait? I can taste hate on the winds?' it suddenly said and glided to the door.
'I'm not surprised, that's all of you isn't it? The storm, your manifested presence in the air? What are you?' the Doctor called but the creature merely looked at him.
'You forget so easily Time Lord, I am known to you all, pity for Gallifrey. So much tasting, I must gorge!' it said and quickly it faded away.

'We can relax, it's gone' the Doctor sighed.
'All readings indicate no presence of alien life form in the vicinity' agreed the Red Dalek.
'Good. Now what are we going to do?' he muttered.
'We will fight, we will annihilate it!' the Red Dalek grated.
'With what? Your weapon doesn't work on it, what we need to use is our minds, this creature is feeding at the moment and when it's finished it will come for us!' the Doctor pondered as he took to pacing up and down.
'You know where it is going? How then do we defeat a creature that defies death?' the Red Dalek asked.
'Firstly your dead comrades will be still serve as appetisers, there's enough hatred resting in their shells to keep it growing. As for our situation, perhaps you could shed some light?' the Doctor replied.
The Red Dalek sat still for a moment then it replied: 'There is nothing that can defy the Daleks yet this creature does. With each life force it takes in, it grows stronger, it cannot be harmed by weapons fire and it kills on contact'
The Doctor sighed as he glanced around him at the rough shelter and then had a thought.
'That creature can get through anything but not a phenomenon that exists outside this time zone? If we can get to the TARDIS then there might be a chance...?' he said and then looked to the Dalek.
To allow a Dalek into his TARDIS was unthinkable! This was a creature of hate, a vicious monster that would turn on him or would it?
'Agreed, we will proceed to your TARDIS immediately!' the Red Dalek decided.
'Now look here, I'm in charge! I will decide what we're going to do next!' the Doctor snapped.
'You will take me to my TARDIS or you will be exterminated!' threatened the Red Dalek but the Doctor shook his head in disbelief.
'If I don't do exactly that then it will simply kill you and take our energies! Don't you understand that your threats always mean nothing! You claim you want to exterminate me but you don't because you’re scared! Scared that I will always rise again and stop you!' the Doctor snapped.
'You endanger the Dalek race Doctor, your attempts to disrupt our natural place in the universe warrant immediate destruction. We are the superior beings, we crush inferiors because they are irrelevant!' screeched the Red Dalek.
'What's the point of all this? That's it- it feeds off anger, off negativity in or minds and even now we're feeding it!' the Doctor exclaimed loudly.
'How does this help us?' the Red Dalek grated.
'We're bitter enemies at heart but we're scientists. We can look at a subject in a neutral perspective, well I can and if you also can then we might stand a chance?' the Doctor announced.
The Red Dalek considered this action; it was the last Dalek alive. If it died then it was defeat-Daleks were never defeated!
'I accept your terms' the Red Dalek grated.
The Doctor clapped his hands.
'Good, now we must get to the TARDIS!' the Doctor replied.

As the two of them left the shelter of the house, the wind swept high into the Doctor's eyes. He could see no sign of the distant form of the TARDIS?
'It's no good! That creature's got the upper hand!' he exclaimed. However the Red Dalek extended its manipulator as it attempted to triangulate the source of fresh temporal instability left by the TARDIS.
Its sensor globes glowed as it moved this way and that.
'The TARDIS is in this direction!' grated the Red Dalek.
'Well done! Well lead on old chap' the Doctor commanded.
'I Obey' it replied and the Doctor blinked. Had it just said? No, no he was imagining things!
As they walked on the wind whipped up all around them while shrieks of an earthly origin cut at the Doctor's ears.
As they reached the noble blue box standing alone there came vast eruption!
Turning, they both stared as a mass of black earth and grey thick smoke crashed together in mid-air to form a swirling maelstrom.
At its centre there stood a vast black shadow, the many shrieks and screams were horrifying to hear.
'Doctor!' the apparition screamed.
'Feeling better now are we?' he yelled back and the force bowed its vast head.
'We are formed again. Karasta was juicy, so much raw anger and fear! We are returned!' rasped the many screams into the howling void.
'Returned? You sound as though you've been around before?' the Doctor asked.
'Indeed Doctor, we have always been. We are the end before the beginning. We are the Shadow Index' rasped the creature.
It suddenly hit the Doctor, the accursed memory.
'That's not possible? You are a nightmare to every living creature!' the Doctor yelled.
'Yes but we exist now, free once more to feast, to gorge on the universe! Pity us Doctor, pity us all? We are the damned, the dead and the lost! We deserve your pity!' the Index rasped.
'No, I will not mourn them. I will remain calm, I will not loose control!' the Doctor retorted calmly.
'Not even for Gallifrey, your home that this creature destroyed? You feel anger for me, release it!' the creature hissed.

'Especially not for Gallifrey, you feed off negative emotions. Well I'm going cold turkey, look elsewhere for your fill!' the Doctor replied calmly.
'You hate me, don't you Doctor. I who has preyed on living beings for millennia, I who devour souls, I am pain, I am hate, I am God!' the Index howled.
'You are no God! You are blight upon existence, even the guardians cower from you, legend says that you haunted Omega and Rassilon, that you take the form of darkness. You inspired the very concept of evil!' the Doctor retorted.
'Ah! Yes, the legends are true. Now I feed again! I the Index live! Got nothing to say Dalek? No insult, no agitation for the last of your kind?' the Index hissed.
The Doctor looked blankly. What did it mean?
'A thousand million cries of hate, of vengeance swallowed up by me!' the Index hissed.
'You are...' the Red Dalek saying when it got a tap from the Doctor.
'You are as gestalt life form, you are irrelevant to Dalek race! The Dalek will be defeated!' it grated in what the Doctor could have mistaken as pride?
'I see, so you refuse? No matter creatures, I have an entire existence to feed upon and will gorge!' the Creature hissed.
'Then go, leave us in peace!' the Doctor muttered.
'Very well Doctor I shall collect from you last, when you see what I will do to you universe!' the almighty force hissed then as the maelstrom swirled faster the dark force seemed to fade away to nothing.
The Doctor sighed as the storm faded away and then looked to the TARDIS.
'The alliance is over! You will obey me or I will exterminate you!' screeched the Red Dalek.
'Do you think I actually care about you threatening me? That creature is wreaking havoc through all of existence you are going to shoot me, then go ahead!' the Doctor cried but the Red Dalek simply stared.
'What was all that about being the last of your kind?' the Doctor asked.
'Skaro is dead, the Daleks are dead. I am the only survivor of the Dalek race' the Red Dalek explained.
'I'm sorry. The Index must have...' the Doctor simply said.
'I do not want this. I am a Dalek but my race is dead, if I do not do something to return then the Dalek race will die!' the Red Dalek grated.

The Doctor opened the door to his TARDIS then looked at the creature, it was a Dalek. The most ruthless of all creatures but he couldn't do it? He couldn't allow for their race to be wiped out?
'Won't you come in? I suspect you'll find nothing working in your time ship now?' the Doctor replied.
'Why are you doing this, Doctor?' it asked.
The Doctor eyed the Dalek slowly before holding the door open.
'I'll need some help. I know what you are, I know that in other circumstances you would kill me but here we face a new threat!' the Doctor replied.
'I understand but you would do better to leave me, we would do this it were you!' the Red Dalek replied and glided in.
Closing the door the Doctor crossed over to the Console while the Red Dalek surveyed the TARDIS interior.
A rare sight and profitable to make recordable observations, it thought.
'Right, I'm setting the co-ordinates now, that creature possesses an interesting energy signature. The TARDIS will lock onto it and help to track it down! If the Time Lords were here they'd be giving us all the help we need?' the Doctor muttered.
'However that won't happen, thanks to you! How did you do it?' the Doctor sighed as he walked towards his 'guest'.
'We were aided an unknown alien who supplied us with information to penetrate your inferior defences!' the Red Dalek squawked.
Unknown? A foe against Gallifery, there were so many? Sontarans? No, quite unlike them. The Master? Perhaps but to leave it in the hands of the Daleks, it was so unlike him?
'I see, then perhaps we should make a detour? To Gallifrey, I want to see the damage for myself!' the Doctor replied and left the Dalek.
It watched him operate the various dials and instruments. When the time came and it would, it would able to report everything to its superiors. The Dalek race would rise from the ashes in a triumphant blaze of glory!
The Daleks would become the true Masters of time and the Doctor; the Ka Faraq Gatri would give them this gift!