Dancing Across Time (Book Two of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Chapter Thirteen: Doomsday

"Exterminate!" the Daleks continued as they landed. "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Jessie had had enough. "Daleks!" she called out, and they skidded to a halt, seeming surprised. She looked the black one, the leader, right in the . . . eyestalk. "You're called Daleks. I know your name. Think about it. How can I know that, hmm?" She tilted her head, stepping back and removing her lab coat. "A human who knows about the Daleks . . . and the Time War. If you want to know how, then keep us alive. That's all I'm asking. Me and my friends."

"Yeah," Saleen cut in. "Daleks. Time War. Me, too."

"Yeah," Rajesh added. "And me."

"You will be necessary," the black Dalek decided, spinning to face another. "Report. What is the status of the Genesis Ark?"

It was then that Jessie noticed the oddly-shaped container behind them. "Status, hibernation," another Dalek reported.

"Commence awakening." The black Dalek put its suction thing against the Ark. "The Genesis Ark must be protected above all else."

"I thought you said the Daleks were all dead," Saleen hissed to Jessie, not lowering her gun.

Jessie shook her head. "Never mind that. What in the name of the Nine Realms is a Genesis Ark?"

***

"What's down there?" Skye asked the Doctor later as he thought furiously. "She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Jessie?"

"I don't know," he admitted. Skye put a hand over her mouth and tears began to streak down her cheeks. He straightened and walked over to her. "I'll find her," he assured her. "I brought you here. I'll get you both out, you and Jessie. Skye, look at me." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Look at me." She finally did, her eyes red. "I promise you," he whispered. "I give you my word."

Skye swallowed and nodded as the Cyber Leader clomped up to Yvonne, who was sitting at her desk. "You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender," it said.

Yvonne snorted. "Oh, do some research. We haven't got a central world authority!"

"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelengths." It raised a fist, and its eyes lit up. "This broadcast is for human kind."

The Doctor put on his 3D glasses, frowning and looking the Cyber Leader over. Sure enough, it was covered in all of that Void energy. He checked the others, seeing the same thing. "The Cybermen now occupy every land mass on this planet, but you need not fear," the Cyber Leader stated. "Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and color and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."

After a few minutes, there was screaming heard down in the streets. The Doctor looked out the window with Skye to see soldiers in the streets, engaged in a firefight between the Cybermen and soldiers, London burning around them. The Cyber Leader appeared confused. "I ordered surrender," it stated.

"They're not taking instructions," the Doctor said, turning to it. "Don't you understand? You're on every street! You're in their homes! You've got their children! Of course they're going to fight!"

***

"Which one of you is least important?"

Jessie turned to the black Dalek, the one who had spoken. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Which of you is least important?" it repeated.

"No," Jessie said furiously. "We don't work like that. None of us!"