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

INTERLUDE: DECEPTION

Work continued on Gallifrey, the wreckage was being hauled away quickly towards the vast wastelands outside.
With the aide of their TARDISes most Time Lords had been able to contact other races to come and aid their cause.
Among the group reconnoitring with the aliens was the tall man dressed as a mandarin with long black hair, Taseth. He was talking with the Quesellians over making room on their ship for possible refugees if the Index returned.
Within the vast data library, one of the few buildings that stood intact Katyen worked, she was attempting to reactivate the transduction barriers without much luck.
As she worked, she became aware of a presence behind her. Turning, her eyes met the form of the Red Dalek.
'What do you want?' she asked loudly in a tone that denoted pride.
'I have brought news from a work crew, the damage sustained during the invasion in the smaller settlements has proved drastic' it grated.
'I see. A shame you cannot help us, after all with you, the only Dalek left alive and we need all the help. Would you help us or does that go against your Dalek creed?' Katyen asked but the Red Dalek simply viewed her coldly.
It could kill her, kill many but that would achieve nothing.
'You are attempting to raise the transduction barriers, We... I possess the correct codes but value is it to you?' the Red Dalek grated and received an immediate snap from Katyen.
'You idle monster! My race is almost dead and yet you still cling to a thread of superiority! Where is it? Where?' Katyen snapped hard.
'I will give you the correct information. Now searching data banks?' it grated and immediately its eyestalk twitched about.
Lowering it, the Dalek spat a code to Katyen, who activated the keyboard.
'Frequency code nine-seven-three-three-two-five'.
As Katyen typed, the lights overhead came on and all the shut doors slid open. This section of the Panoptican was finally reactivated and with it traffic section-which meant the transduction barrier!
'At last! You're actually good for something?' Katyen muttered as she went to analyse the screens.

As Taseth stood on the bridge of the Quesellian ship all the instruments blinked into existence. 'What is going on?' Taseth asked and the leading Quesellian glided forward.
'The instruments indicate the presence of an energy shield closed the sky?' gurgled the glowing jellyfish.
'The transduction barriers must be operational? Good. We still need to discuss terms about this auction Admiral?' Taseth asked and gurgling creature prodded a tendril at him.
'We paid for the item under auctioneer Phillips, since we're unable to pay then transaction is void. Take the monitor satellites' the Admiral gurgled.
'Thank you Admiral, could I speak to Katyen, she is in the data library?' he asked and the Quesellian gestured to the other jellyfish at the consoles.
'You can go ahead' responded the Admiral and Taseth spoke into the communicator.
'This is Taseth, can you hear me Katyen?' he asked and a moment later came Katyen's voice.
'I hear you Taseth, the barriers are back, full power to the controls' she said claiming the credit.
'I know, we can detect it. The Admiral here has allowed us to take back the monitor satellites, we will require some help?' he asked knowing full well what it meant, she nodded at the console.
'I understand Taseth, I will be there in a moment' she said and walked away past the Red Dalek and out of the room.
Alone, the Red Dalek glided to the screen and started to flick switches, the monitors flicked through various pictures. The data it was receiving would aid the Dalek race.
As it flicked, a blurred star chart flashed up with various planets and then it froze.
The Red Dalek stared at an object on the screen; it was an object it knew well! Changing the screen it glided silently away seeking out a non-descript communications console.

As a work crew of Time Lords and aliens helped to shift piles of masonry the Red Dalek glided by, it went unnoticed by all.
As it approached a vast chamber holding a large, flat table with many chairs, the Red Dalek noticed what appeared to be a console. A security console.
Gliding further into the room it activated the console and waited patiently as the screen came into focus. The image was a ground plan of the Panoptican, pressed a series of controls; the same picture came up. It was a ship.
'This is Chief scientist, last survivor of temporal squad Gamma to ship, report status?' the Red Dalek grated and as the screen changed to a silver Dalek.
'This is pursuit ship nine, where is your current location?' the Dalek asked.
'On the planet Gallifrey, where is your Commander?' the Red Dalek inquired.
Just then the Silver Dalek glided away and a jet-black Dalek moved into view.
'I am the Commander of this pursuit ship, do require assistance?' the Dalek leader asked.
'Yes. I possess important information that will aid the Daleks. You have lost all contact with Skaro control?' the Red Dalek asked.
'Correct. All attempts to re-connect hyperlink have proved unsuccessful' the Dalek leader replied.
'Skaro has been destroyed by a life impervious to our firepower, however the remainder of the Time Lords have made a sanctuary here on their planet, we can restore the Dalek race here!' the Red Dalek grated.
The Black Dalek swivelled around to face the instruments.
'Our scans indicate that their energy barriers are raised, we cannot penetrate their defences?' it grated.
'I am transmitting the correct codes, we will take over Gallifrey, we shall become the new Lords of Time! Nothing can stop the Daleks!' grated the Red Dalek.
The Red Dalek typed in the correct code and a moment later:
'Codes received, we will meet planetfall in five hundred rels, have all defences lowered!' ordered the Black Dalek.
'I Obey' responded the Red Dalek.

'It's so beautiful Artrem' Nicole replied as she gazed out at the Avalon peaks and the sea of Eshguard below.
'It is, I used to come here when I was a boy and sit just about here and watch the Mya birds flock and swoop.
They both sat on a rough rock while from around Nicole's neck, her necklace came loose and crawled over her shoulders.
'Is there something wrong with you?' she called to the untangled necklace that warbled slowly.
'Perhaps it too like me appreciates the life that you can feel in the air, if only I could feel it more so?' he rasped and lowered his head.
'It's all right Artrem, I know how you feel, I've seen it quite a few times? The Cybermen did this to you' Nicole responded and patted his shoulder.
'I could have a new body woven into existence, a new me but would that be right? To leave this, I could only have a new form once my life is fully extinguished?' he replied in a tone much like depression.
Nicole pulled the Cybermat from shoulder and bundled it into her pocket, where it continued to warble slowly.
'Look, perhaps we could go somewhere else? What's the farthest place on this world of yours?' she asked and Artrem slowly turned to look at her.
'The ice caves far below the capital, almost to the core itself' he replied.
'Could you show me them? I would like to?' she asked and Artrem looked her up and down.
'You'll be cold, if we attempt it?' he replied but she looked to his blank mask and smiled.
'It's all right Artrem, I'll be fine as long as it's with you' Nicole replied and stood up quickly, eager to go and extended a hand to him.
It wasn't needed but Artrem welcomed it as he hauled himself up and as they walked off Nicole gazed at the sky but saw something far in the distance.
'What is that Artrem? Is it a fallen star?' she asked but as Artrem looked, his enhanced vision told him something else.
'No, it's a ship trying to enter the atmosphere' he said aloud only the design of it didn't register in his history computers?
Instead it seemed to be getting larger, which meant it was increasing in speed!

As Katyen crossed the courtyard, Taseth appeared from the Quesellian battle cruiser.
'Lady Katyen! Katyen, the Quesellians have picked up a swift moving ship approaching Gallifrey. It fails to answer our warnings' Taseth replied and Katyen sighed hard.
'What now? A late arrival to the Vrellan's auction?' she hazarded but Taseth shook his head.
'Not possible judging by its design it’s not known to any of the races her!' Taseth replied but Katyen simply shrugged.
'We're protected by the transduction barrier, they won't get through. I've got quite a few operators in traffic now, if they want to get in, they’ll have to ask?' she explained but Taseth was not convinced as everyone else was.
As the crowd started to disperse he stepped forward and tapped Katyen and pointed at the sky.
'If we can detect the barrier is in place, then they too shall, so why are they accelerating?' Taseth pointed out and as others looked up, they too could see the vast ship getting closer.
'They must be mad! If they come any closer and they'll be destroyed!' spoke another Time lord.
Quickly the assembled aliens ran quickly for any sign of shelter while Katyen walked to a small golden pyramid and pressed her hand flat.
'I am Lady Katyen of the House of Ackdor, daughter of President Juvil require shelter' she said aloud and quickly a golden light shot up from the centre of the pyramid as did other similar pyramids, the light bonded forming a gleaming, golden pyramid over the Panoptican.
'Fear not! We're safe from destruction' Katyen announced. 'A presidential shield, I had no idea you could still summon it?' Taseth breathed.
'It will last as long as the Eye does and admit only Time Lords, so everyone else best stay inside' Katyen replied aloud but as silence was drowned by the vast roars of the ship.
It didn't explode; it passed harmlessly through the barrier coming to a stop a descent path some way away. The people were safe but Gallifrey was being invaded once more!

In the distance the vast ship descended slowly, dust and earth was blown out of its place as the ship came to rest on the uneven ground. A vast ramp glided down to meet the ground, as twin doors slid open twenty silver Daleks glided down to secure the perimeter.
Inside the control centre the Black Dalek was conversing with the Red Dalek via communications console.
'We have met planetfall, scout units are securing perimeter against alien forces' it reported.
'The Time Lords have entombed themselves in a security field, which is resistant to our firepower. All units must take the Panoptican; the alien creatures present cannot open fire without destroying their own forces' the Red Dalek replied.
'All units will advance on the capital!' ordered the Black Dalek to a silver technician.
'I Obey' it responded and glided away.
'Inform scientific division to act on this information I transmit' the Red Dalek replied and activated the console command channel, intersecting itself with the console it transmitted the information electronically to the computer banks on board the ship.
'Information received, Dalek task force will arrive in central city in one hundred and forty rels' reported the Black Dalek.
'Excellent! I shall await them' the Red Dalek replied and deactivated the console and glided away.
Outside all was quiet, too quiet as the Time Lords and aliens stood or sat beneath the protective golden shield.
'We demand to know what is occurring?' the Admiral of the Quesellians gurgled angrily.
'As do we all, Admiral' Taseth replied calmly.
'An alien craft has penetrated our defences, you were right Taseth, they knew but how?' Katyen murmured.
'Did anyone else know about the codes?' he asked and Katyen shook her head.
'The Red Dalek told me it... where is it? Where is that Dalek?' she called and as they looked, there was no sign of it.
Suddenly an alien cried out hysterically and as everyone turned, they could see two silver Daleks emerging from the edge of the city.
More followed, they were encircling the city.
The Daleks had once more been successful!

'What is this?' Katyen called as the Daleks advanced closer to the shield.
'You are our prisoners! You will obey our instructions or you will be exterminated!' screeched the closest Dalek.
'The Red Dalek is responsible, what do you want here?' Taseth asked but the Silver Dalek simply raised it weapon.
'You will remain silent!' the creature ordered.
'Report?' came a familiar sounding voice as the Red Dalek emerged from the Data library inside the golden shield.
'All positions have been taken, we await command!' replied the Silver Dalek.
'Scientific division will report to the Eye of Harmony beneath the capital. Install control rig, we will take over!' it grated.
'I Obey' replied the Silver Dalek, which glided away.
'What are you playing at?' Taseth demanded as he crossed over to the Dalek but it raised its weapon.
'Do not move or you will be exterminated!' it grated.
'I don't suppose you've noticed something that you're on the wrong side and that we not only outnumber you but we also have weapons?' Taseth retorted angrily.
'We are in control of this planet, there is nothing you can do to stop us!' the Red Dalek replied.
'How can you do something like this?' Katyen snapped.
'What about the Index?' another Time Lord asked followed by mutterings.
'We will ensure that the new Dalek Race is not defeated, we shall take Gallifrey out of Time! There we will be safe to prepare!' the Red Dalek grated in response.
'The Index will penetrate the vortex and spread, we've already seen it do so, it will grow so strong it will fill out everything!' Katyen retorted angrily but the toneless voice carried on.
'The Dalek race will never be defeated, we will destroy the Shadow Index!' the Red Dalek roared.
'How many Daleks are on board that ship?' the Quesellian Admiral demanded.
'Fifty Dalek units!' the Red Dalek replied.
'It's lying' Taseth replied.
'How can you tell?' Yarsh asked.
'Never trust a Dalek, so at the least we have fifty Daleks to worry about?' Katyen finished.
'Where's Artrem?' Yarsh asked and looking around they also noted his absence.

The Ice caves glittered with a strange twinkling light. Each of the shiny rocks hummed in the dark passageway as the excited steps of Nicole hurried down the stone steps.
'Artrem? Artrem what that sound?' she called as she danced out of another crystal gallery.
'That sound is made by resonance of our voices, of the sound we make as we move and before you ask me- it's phosphorescent' Artrem replied as he joined her.
The sight was amazing, it was a vast cavern of light blue rock while arrange in places were twinkling stalagmites and stalactites of shimmering purple crystal.
It reminded Nicole of a place in her dreams as Artrem joined, he rested a silver hand gently on her shoulder.
'What do you think?' he asked, his metallic rasp echoed throughout causing the crystals to whistle on the air.
'It's... it's beyond words. I never even believed that somewhere so pretty as this could ever exist?' Nicole replied.
'Few outside Gallifrey have rarely been privileged to see such things, it is a revered place of harmony, used for teachings of the mind' Artrem explained but Nicole merely took it with a pinch of salt.
'How? How can anyone not view these caves for pleasure?' Nicole asked and Artrem shook his head.
'The High Council long believed that the great Rassilon meditated her often, it helped to clear his thoughts. There are some who take this place quite seriously' he replied as they went further in, Nicole admired a broken crystal.
'You mean like Abden?' she asked, her thoughts dwelled on that mad priest.
'No not as obsessive as him. Do you like it?' Artrem asked as he drew level with the crystal.
'It's very nice but I couldn't? It's a piece of your world?' Nicole replied but Artrem shook his head.
'Take it, it's of no use to me and I'm sure no one would mind?' Artrem replied and slowly Nicole pocketed it but the Cybermat slithered by her back and settled back into a necklace.
'This way to the central shaft!' screeched a metallic voice and as Artrem pulled Nicole aside four silver Daleks glided by ahead of them.
'We Obey' they chorused.

As the four Daleks glided further into the caves, Artrem and Nicole followed them.
'More of those creatures?' she whispered.
'They seem to be heading for the Vaults beneath the Capital?' Artrem replied as they continued.
'Why? What's down there?' Nicole asked and Artrem instead looked on after them.
'The ancient entrance to the power source of Gallifrey, the Eye of Harmony!' Artrem replied but Nicole was none-the-wiser.
'Eye of Harmony?' she asked.
'The Eye is an unlimited source of power that we have used to power our TARDISes, the very power of the Time Lords lies within that energy and the Daleks are going down there!' He replied and gestured for her to follow him.
The Four Daleks emerged into a vast complex where a powerful eye-shaped statue sat in the ground.
'Eye of Harmony detected' grated the lead Dalek; each of the four surrounded it.
'Activate it!' ordered the lead Dalek and a second pressed home a strange crystal on its side and slowly there came a strange grinding as the eye lids parted casting a piercing light into every darkened corner.
'Eye of Harmony now activated' reported the second Dalek.
'We await the transport skimmer with Control Rig' replied the lead Dalek.
From hiding Artrem and Nicole watched in silence.
'We're in trouble' Artrem rasped.
'Serious trouble?' Nicole asked.
'What other kind is there? We must find the others!' Artrem replied as he led Nicole away just as a strange hovering platform glided through, escorted by another Dalek.
'Control Rig has arrived, orders from the Black Dalek, control rig to be deployed around the Eye of Harmony!' ordered the newcomer sporting a black dome.
'We Obey' chorused the four Daleks and they set about removing the strange ring-like console on a hinge around the beam of light. As the hinges connected, the stand came down to rest on the eye.
'Control rig established' reported a Silver Dalek.
'Initiate activation sequence' ordered the Black Dalek leader.
'We Obey' chorused the four Daleks as they set about word at the ring console.
At last, the Daleks would succeed, it would be victory!

When the darkness had absorbed Rassilon, it had drank well. It knew of Gallifrey's fair sweetness but knew that hate was hardly present on such a world.
Instead a man stood in time, a man bursting with deliciousness.
'Who's there? What do you want?' he asked as he nursed his hand.
'Phillips, I must thank you for unleashing me, for giving me freedom' rasped the Index. 'What? Who are you? Some foolish lackey of Rassilon's come to bully me?' he called but shuddered as the vast shining black shadow advanced towards him.
'Hardly. I am his greatest nightmare, his deepest scream and your worst agony. I am the Shadow Index, the force you disbelieved young Vrellan!' the Index rasped as it advanced.
He could see the many skulls in its body, hear the many voices on its tongue.
'What? What are you?' he babbled as he backed away.
'The Index, I am everywhere, I am darkness and agony and hate and yours is so strong. You're need for vengeance is strong Phillips. Feed me!' it howled but Phillips side-stepped it and grinned and laughed.
'You seriously think you scare me?' Phillips said mockingly and for a time the Index stayed still.
'What is this world you hate so much? Earth, yes Earth such a delicacy but first for hors d'euvrs!' creature rasped as it flew at Phillips but Phillips concentrated hard and quickly left the time vortex.
'Not this time, creature!' he murmured as he faded away.
The Shadow Index lashed its claws as it tried to ensnare him still.
'Gone but he has given to me a better gift the gorging of Earth, every single soul will I taste! Every soul will be mine!' it howled loudly and cast itself far the edges of time in a mind-shredding screech.
It coiled itself out of the vortex; the blue and green world lay beneath it. It could smell the hate, the agony. It would gorge well on this world!
'Taste and gorge!' it hissed as it cast its shadow high over the world omitting every speck of light from its surface...