Lost Souls (1)

Chapter 7 - Dalek

The Tardis materialised in dimly lit area with carpeting and display cases. They all stepped out of Tardis as Rose looked around. “So what is it? What’s wrong?”

“Don’t know. Some kind of signal drawing the Tardis off course.” The Doctor replied to her.

Maddie looked at the Doctor. “Where are we?”

“Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground.” The Doctor replied.

“And when are we?” Rose asked.

“Two thousand and twelve.” The Doctor replied as he looked at a display case.

“God, that’s so close. So I should be twenty six.” Rose comment.

“I would be 28, so suck it up. I’m older than you.” Maddie comment as Rose glared at her.

The Doctor found the light switch and things became more clear. Rose looked at it. “Blimey. It’s a great big museum.”

“An alien museum. Someone’s got a hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, Moon dust. That’s the milometer from the Roswell spaceship.” The Doctor told them.

Maddie made a face. “I don’t like it.”

Then Rose looked at an alien arm. “That’s a bit of Slitheen! That’s a Slitheen’s arm. It’s been stuffed.”

“Oh, look at you.” The Doctor noticed something.

Maddie made her over to him. “What is it?”

The head of a Cyberman. The Doctor looked at it. “An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I’m getting old.”

“Well you are old.” Maddie remarked.

“Is that where the signal’s coming from?” Rose asked.

“No, it’s stone dead. The signal’s alive. Something’s reaching out, calling for help.” The Doctor touched the display case and an alarm went off. Armed guards rushed in from all sides and cut them off from the Tardis.

Rose looked at the Doctor. “If someone’s collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A.”

---------------------

Adam was showing his boss the latest purchases. “And this is the last. Paid eight hundred thousand dollars for it.”

The Doctor, Rose, Maddie and Goddard entered into the office. Van statten looked at Adam. “What does it do?”

Adam looked at him. “Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel.”

Just then the Doctor spoke up. “I really wouldn’t hold it like that.”

“Shut it.” Goddard hissed to him.

The Doctor ignored him. “Really, though, that’s wrong.”

Adam looked at him confused. “Is it dangerous?”

“No, it just looks silly.” The Doctor reached for the item, and firing bolts click all around him. Van Stratton hands him the curved, palm sized object. “You just need to be...” The Doctor stroked the artefact and it make a note. “Delicate.” He played several different notes.

“Beautiful.” Maddie comment, looking at the Doctor.

Van Statten looked at the Doctor. “It’s a musical instrument.”

“And it’s a long way from home.” The Doctor added.

“Here, let me.” Van Statten’s touch was harsher. Not nice sounds were produced.

“I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision.” The Doctor comment. Van Statten finally got the hang of it. “Very good. Quite the expert.”

“As are you.” Van Statten casually tossed it aside, onto the floor. “Who exactly are you?”

“I’m the Doctor.” The Doctor replied. “And who are you?”

Van statten scoffed. “Like you don’t know. We’re hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake.”

The Doctor shrugged. “Pretty much sums me up, yeah.”

“The question is, how did you get in?” van Statten asked. “Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplice.” Then he looked at Maddie and Rose. “You’re quite a collector yourself, they are rather pretty.”

Rose glared at him. “She’s going to smack you if you keep calling her she.”

“And I will help.” Maddie crossed with her arms.

“They are English too!” van Statten looked at Adam. “Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a girlfriends.”

“No, I’m going to be his girlfriend.” Maddie scoffed, clearly angry.

Adam glanced at van Statten. “This is Mister Henry Van Statten.”

“And who’s he when he’s at home?” Rose asked, scoffing.

“Mister Van Statten owns the internet.” Adam replied.

Rose made a face. “Don’t be stupid. No one owns the internet.”

Van Statten looked at them. “And let’s just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?”

“So you’re just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum.” The Doctor looked at him. “Anything you don’t understand, you lock up.”

Van Statten raised an eyebrow. “And you claim greater knowledge?”

“I don’t need to make claims, I know how good I am.”

“And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?”

“You tell me.”

“The Cage contains my one living specimen.”

“And what’s that?”

“Like you don’t know.”

“Show me.”

“You want to see it?”

“Blimey, you can smell the testosterone.” Rose comment sarcastically.

“I agree to that.” Maddie added.

“Goddard, inform the Cage we’re heading down. You, English. Look after the girls. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet.” Van Statten told them all.

--------------

They walked into the Adam’s workshop. “Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods. What do you think that is?” Adam gave Rose an inch think piece of metal.

“Er, a lump of metal?” Rose asked to him.

Maddie looked at it. “Uhu.”

Adam nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, but I think, well, I’m almost certain, it’s from the hull of a spacecraft. The thing is, it’s all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist.”

“That’s amazing.” Rose smiled, she was impressed by him.

Adam smiled back. “I know it sounds incredible, but I honestly believe the whole universe is just teeming with life.”

“Urgh, i feel like i’m the third wheel.” Maddie comment sarcastically.

Rose glared at Maddie, before looking back at Adam. “I’m gobsmacked, yeah. And you do what, sit here and catalogue it?”

“Best job in the world.” Adam replied, grinning.

Rose looked at him smiling. “Imagine if you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real.”

Adam nodded. “Yeah, I’d give anything. I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. Not in our lifetimes.”

“Urgh.” Maddie groaned.

“Oh, you never know.” Rose comment. “What about all those people who say they’ve been inside of spaceships and things and talked to aliens?”

“I think they’re nutters.” Adam replied.

Rose nodded. “Yeah, me too. So, how’d you end up here?”

“Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit.” Adam replied.

Then Maddie stood up and started to look around as Rose comment. “Oh, right. You’re a genius.”

“Sorry, but yeah.” Adam told her. “I can’t help it. I was born clever. When I was eight, I logged onto the US Defence System. Nearly caused World War Three.”

“What, and that’s funny, is it?” Rose asked.

“It isn’t funny.” Maddie muttered. She was looking at the guns.

“Well, you should’ve been there just to see them running about. Fantastic!” Adam exclaimed.

Rose smiled. “You sound like the Doctor.”

“He does not.” Maddie exclaimed.

Adam looked at Rose. “Are you and him?”

“No, we’re just friends.” Rose sighed.

“Urgh.” Maddie groaned.

Adam nodded. “Good.”

Rose frowned. “Why is it good?”

“It just is.” Adam shrugged.

Rose looked at him. “So, wouldn’t you rather be downstairs? I mean, you’ve got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mister Van Statten’s got a living creature down there.”

Adam nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, well, I did ask, but he keeps it to himself. Although, if you’re a genius, it doesn’t take long to patch through on the comm. System.”

“Let’s have a look, then.” Rose comment.

Then Maddie looked at them. “I would have a look as well.”

Adam shrugged. “It doesn’t do much, the alien. It’s weird. It’s kind of useless. It’s just like this great big pepper pot.”

Then they watched the Dalek screaming as Simmons took a big drill to its casing. Rose looked in horror. “It’s being tortured! Where’s the Doctor?”

“That’s... That’s...” Maddie stuttered in shock.

Adam shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Take me down there now.” Rose ordered.

“Take me there too.” Maddie added.

---------------

They were outside of the Cage. Bywater looked at them. “Hold it right there.”

Adam showed him the paper. “Level three access. Special clearance from Mister Van Statten.”

The man nodded and they walked into the Cage. Adam warned them. “Don’t get too close.”

The door closed behind Rose, Maddie and Adam. “Hello. Are you in pain? My name’s Rose Tyler and she is Maddie Brown.” Rose pointed at Maddie. “We have got a friend, he can help. He’s called the Doctor. What’s your name?”

“Yes.” The Dalek replied.

Maddie stood behind Rose as she blinked. “What?”

“I am in pain.” The Dalek replied. “They torture me, but still they fear me. Do you fear me?”

“No.” Rose replied.

“Yes.” Maddie muttered as then she spoke louder. “I don’t like this.”

“Shush.” Rose shushed her.

“I am dying.” The Dalek told them.

“No, we can help.” Rose told him. Maddie made a face.

“I welcome death.” The Dalek told them. “But I am glad that before I die I have met a human who was not afraid.”

Rose looked sad. “Isn’t there anything I can do?”

“My race is dead, and I shall die alone.” The Dalek told them.

Rose reached for the Dalek’s head. “Rose, no!” Both Adam and Maddie exclaimed. A brief touch leaves a golden handprint which quickly faded.

The Dalek became more animated. “Genetic material extrapolated. Initiate cellular reconstruction!” It broke its chains.

Just then Simmons entered. “What the hell have you done?” He went to the Dalek, carrying his drill. The Dalek raised its sink plunger. “What are you going to do? Sucker me to death?” just then the sucker covered his nose and mouth and the Dalek created a vacuum inside it.

---------------

They were outside the Cage again. “It’s killing him! Do something!” Rose shouted.

“Condition red! Condition red!” Bywater shouted.

Just then they heard the Doctor’s voice. “You’ve got to keep it in that cell.”

Rose looked guilty. “Doctor, it’s all my fault.”

Maddie looked angry. “Somewhat.”

“I’ve sealed the compartment. It can’t get out, that lock’s got a billion combinations.” A guard told them.

“A Dalek’s a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat.” The Doctor warned them.

-------------

They rushed through the Corridor. “Civilians! Let them through!” Rose, Maddie and Adam, and de Maggio, ran through the incoming phalanx of guards.

“Cover the north wall.” Bywater ordered. “Red division, maintain suppressing fire along the perimeter. Blue division argh!” The guard died the traditional extermination death, by turning black and white and having his skeleton exposed. Then the guards open fire, but the Dalek just absorbed the bullets. It killed another man. More guards came up behind it, so it swivels its eyepiece around then its middle section turned to open fire on them. Back and forward it alternated, killing someone each time.

--------------

“Stairs! That’s more like it. It hasn’t got legs. It’s stuck!” Rose exclaimed.

“I hope so.” Maddie muttered.

“It’s coming! Get up!” De Maggio shouted. They ran a flight and looked down on the Dalek.

“Great big alien death machine defeated by a flight of stairs.” Adam comment.

De Maggio looked at the Dalek. “Now listen to me. I demand that you return to your cage. If you want to negotiate then I can guarantee that Mister van Statten will be willing to talk. I accept that we imprisoned you and maybe that was wrong, but people have died, and that stops right now. The killing stops. Have you got that? I demand that you surrender. Is that clear?”

“Elevate.” The Dalek glided up the stairs.

Rose looked in horror. “Oh my God.”

“Oh no.” Maddie comment in shock.

De Maggio looked at Adam. “Adam, get them out of here.”

“Come with us. You can’t stop it.” Maddie told her.

De Maggio shook with her head. “Someone’s got to try. Now get out! Don’t look back. Just run.” Despite the closing range, de Maggio didn’t hit the eyepiece. She suffered the usual fate.

--------------------

Commander’s men took cover behind various corners, packing cases, boxes and up on a catwalk with him. Rose, Maddie and Adam ran into view. “Hold your fire! You three, get the hell out of there!” Rose, Maddie and Adam ran past a guard at the entrance. The Dalek entered, turned and zoomed in on Rose’s face. They get out of the bay.

Then they were outside the loading bay. Rose glanced at them. “It was looking at me.”

“Yeah, it did.” Maddie nodded.

“Yeah, it wants to slaughter us.” Adam added.

Rose sighed. “I know, but it was looking right at me.”

Adam shrugged. “So? It’s just a sort of metal eye thing. It’s looking all around.”

“I don’t know. It’s like there’s something inside, looking at me, like, like it knows me.” Rose told them.

-------------------

They were by the staircase as then Maddie phone rang. Rose glared at her as Maddie grabbed it and answered the phone call. “This isn’t the best time, Doc.”

“Where are you?” The Doctor asked.

“Level forty nine.” Maddie replied.

“You’ve got to keep moving. The vault’s being sealed off up at level forty six.” The Doctor told her.

“Can’t you stop them closing?” Maddie asked as Rose frowned, looking at her.

“I’m the one who’s closing them. I can’t wait and I can’t help you.” The Doctor replied. “Now for God’s sake, run.”

“We’re nearly there. Give us two seconds.” Maddie called.

“I’m sorry.” The Doctor had clearly hit Enter. A klaxon sounds and the bulkhead started to lower.

“Come on!” Adam rolled under the bulkhead with eighteen inches to spare.

“The vault is sealed.” Van Statten told them.

“Maddie, where are you? Maddie, did you and Rose make it?” The Doctor asked worried.

“Sorry, we were a bit slow.” Maddie replied. The Dalek came round the corner. “See you, then, Doctor. It wasn’t your fault. Remember that, okay? It wasn’t your fault.” She told him, glancing at Rose, who nodded. “And do you know what? We wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

“Exterminate!” The Dalek cried out as the phone hung up. But it couldn’t exterminate them.

Rose frowned. “Go on then, kill us. Why’re you doing this?”

“I am armed. I will kill. It is my purpose.” The Dalek replied.

Maddie looked angry. “They’re all dead because of you.”

“They are dead because of us.” The Dalek told them.

“And now what? What’re you waiting for?” Rose asked, looking angry.

“I feel your fear.” The Dalek replied to her. 

Rose scoffed. “What do you expect?”

“Daleks do not fear. Must not fear.” The Dalek shot at either side of the bulkhead door. “You gave me life. What else have you given me? I am contaminated.” Just then the Dalek got the screen working. “Open the bulkhead or Rose Tyler and Maddie Brown dies.”

“You’re alive!” The Doctor exclaimed in relief.

“We are!” Maddie called back.

“Can’t get rid of me.” Rose added.

The Doctor looked at them, but more at Maddie. “I thought you were dead.”

“Open the bulkhead!” The Dalek ordered.

“Don’t do it!” Maddie shouted.

“What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?” The Dalek asked.

“I killed them once. I can’t do it again.” The Doctor replied as then the bulkhead opened. Rose, Maddie and the Dalek walked through.

----------------

Not much later they were in the Lift. Rose looked at the Dalek. “I’m begging you, don’t kill them. You didn’t kill me.”

“You didn’t kill me either.” Maddie added.

“But why not? Why are you alive? My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?” The Dalek asked confused.

--------‐‐--------

Then they walked into the Office. Rose looked at them. “Don’t move. Don’t do anything. It’s beginning to question itself.”

“Van Statten. You tortured me. Why?” The Dalek asked to him.

“I wanted to help you. I just, I don’t know. I was trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you. I wanted you better. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! I swear, I just wanted you to talk!” Van Statten was backed up against the wall.

The Dalek had his laser thing out. “Then hear me talk now. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!”

“No.” Maddie shouted.

“Don’t do it!” Rose added. “Don’t kill him! You don’t have to do this anymore. There must be something else, not just killing. What else is there? What do you want?”

“I want freedom.” The Dalek replied.

----------------

The Dalek blasted a hole in the roof, and a shaft of sunlight streams down straight onto its eyepiece. “You’re out. You made it. I never thought I’d feel the sunlight again.”

Maddie blinked at it. “My mother need to hear this story.”

“How does it feel?” The Dalek opened its middle and dome sections to reveal the one-eyed mutant within. It holds out a tendril.

“Wow.” Maddie muttered. “That’s creepy.”

Just then the Doctor spoke up. He was there as well. He had a large gun in his hands. “Get out of the way. Rose, Maddie, get out of the way now!”

Rose shook with her head. “No. I won’t let you do this.”

“That thing killed hundreds of people.” The Doctor told them.

“It has, but most it end in more bloodshed?” Maddie asked as she bravely walked to him.

“It’s not the one pointing the gun at me.” Rose scoffed, special that Maddie walked towards the Doctor.

The Doctor looked at her. “I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I’ve got nothing left.”

“And it’s my home too, Doctor.” Maddie told him as then she put the gun down and tossed it away. “My mother’s home too.”

Rose looked in shock as the information. “Look at it.”

The Doctor blinked. “What’s it doing?”

“It’s the sunlight, that’s all it wants.” Rose told them.

“Clearly.” Maddie muttered.

“But it can’t...” The Doctor trailed off.

Rose looked at him. “It couldn’t kill Van Statten, it couldn’t kill me. It’s changing. What about you, Doctor? What the hell are you changing into?”

“I couldn’t.” The Doctor had tears in his eyes. “I wasn’t. Oh, Rose, Maddie. They’re all dead.”

“Why do we survive?” The Dalek asked.

The Doctor sighed. “I don’t know.”

“I am the last of the Daleks.” The Dalek told him.

The Doctor looked at it. “You’re not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You’ve absorbed her DNA. You’re mutating.”

“Into what?” The Dalek asked.

“Something new. I’m sorry.” The Doctor replied.

Rose frowned. “Isn’t that better?”

“Not for a Dalek.” The Doctor replied.

“I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness. Rose, give me orders. Order me to die.” The Dalek ordered.

Rose looked sad. “I can’t do that.”

“This is not life. This is sickness. I shall not be like you. Order my destruction! Obey! Obey! Obey!” The Dalek shouted.

Rose looked at the Dalek. “Do it.”

“Are you frightened, Rose Tyler?” The Dalek asked.

Rose nodded. “Yeah.”

“So am I. Exterminate.” The Dalek shut its eye. Rose retreated as it closed up its armour again then rises into the air. The balls on its lower body spread out around it creating a forcefield, then it imploded safely.

-----------------

Later they were back by the Tardis. “A little piece of home. Better than nothing.” The Doctor told them.

“I agree, though my mother can speak better about it.” Maddie comment.

Rose looked at them. “Is that the end of it, the Time War?”

“We are the only one left. We win. How about that?” The Doctor asked back. Maddie smiled at him.

“The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too.” Rose replied.

“I’d know. In here.” The Doctor pointed at his head. “Feels like there’s no one.”

Maddie looked at him. “Doctor, what had my mother told you?”

“I know.” The Doctor nodded.

Rose looked at him. “Well then, good thing I’m not going anywhere.”

“Me neither.” Maddie added.

The Doctor nodded. “Yeah.”

Just then Adam rushed over to them. “We’d better get out. Van Statten’s disappeared. They’re closing down the base. Goddard says they’re going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed.”

“About time.” Rose comment.

Adam looked at them. “I’ll have to go back home.”

“Better hurry up then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves at fifteen hundred hours.” The Doctor told him rudely.

“Adam was saying that all his life he wanted to see the stars.” Rose told to the Doctor.

The Doctor crossed with his arms. “Tell him to go and stand outside, then.”

“He’s all on his own, Doctor, and he did help.” Rose pleaded.

“Urgh.” Maddie comment.

“He left you down there.”

“So did you.”

Adam frowned. “What’re you talking about? We’ve got to leave.”

“Plus, he’s a bit pretty.”

“I hadn’t noticed.”

“On your own head.” The Doctor unlocked the Tardis.

Adam panicked. “What’re you doing? She said cement. She wasn’t joking. We’re going to get sealed in.” The Doctor, Maddie and Rose went inside the Tardis. “Doctor? Maddie? What’re you doing standing inside a box? Rose?” He creeped inside the Tardis, and it dematerialised.