by John Peel
As he half-ran, half-stumbled through the jungle, he paused from time to time to get his bearings. Once, as he did so, he noticed a slight gleam of light on metal from the jungle floor. Curiously, he used his stick to brush aside the bushes, and found two peculiar things.
The first was a human skeleton. It showed signs of having been part of some animal’s feast, and had probably been there a few months. He had no way of knowing that he had solved the mystery of Marc Cory’s disappearance, the reason why Bret Vyon was here on Kembel. The second thing that he noticed was what had initially caught his eye a small cassette recorder. The metal case had rusted slightly from being out in the elements, but a stray beam of starlight had reflected from the case at just the right second. Thoughtfully, the Doctor tried to play back the tape, but it was obvious that the batteries – or whatever powered the device – were dead. He slipped it into his pocket; he could always examine it later, in the safety of the TARDIS – and returning to his ship was the most important task at hand. There wasn’t much of a path to follow, and he certainly wasn’t as spry as he once had been. It took him the better part of thirty minutes to retrace his steps to where he had left his TARDIS. Finally, though, he broke through to the small clearing, to see the familiar lines of his ship in front of him
Something wasn’t quite right, though! He froze, scanning the scene, and realized what had subconsciously alerted him. The door was open slightly, and he distinctly recalled pulling it closed behind him. As he stood in the shadows and watched, the unmistakable form of a Dalek emerged from the TARDIS, and it was followed by two others.
‘Steven... Katarina!’ the Doctor whispered to himself. What had happened? Had the Daleks found a way into the ship somehow and killed his young friends?
The Daleks moved around the TARDIS, examining it mutely. Finally, one swung its eye-stick about. ‘Inform base security that a further intruder craft has been located.’
‘I obey.’
The first Dalek then switched to the general broadcast frequency used by the patrols. ‘All security patrols will converge on this area,’ it ordered. ‘Priority alert. Intruders to be located and destroyed!’
The Doctor began to edge his way back into the jungle, eager to be away from this spot. As he moved, he heard the slightest sound behind him, but before he could turn, a hand had clamped across his mouth, and a second about his chest. The Doctor began to struggle, then all went black for him.
In the clearing, the Dalek patrol had noticed nothing. The second Dalek had finished its report to the city, and now said: ‘I am receiving a message from the Supreme Dalek. Security operation Inferno to be put into operation at once.’
The patrol leader acknowledged this, then switched again to the general frequency. ‘All units: evacuate patrols to safe areas. Begin countdown to operation Inferno immediately.’
Mavic Chen stood in the Dalek conference room. He had unavoidably missed the preliminary session of the alliance, having been forced to lay a false trail from Earth; in case any of those prying reporters had attempted to follow him. Now, he leafed through the transcripts of that session. A door opened at the far end of the room, and a Dalek glided down the avenue of light towards him. Chen felt a prickle of irritation. This whole affair was getting a trifle melodramatic for his tastes. A huge conference room, badly lit to focus on the table, clearly designed to impress the peasants. Well, he was not impressed! The Dalek drew level with him, another wad of papers held in place on its arm. Chen took the papers with a curt nod, and the Dalek turned and reversed its path to the door. As it was about to leave, Zephon entered. The Dalek politely stood aside, allowing the black-clad figure to sweep imperiously towards the conference table.
Chen glanced up from the papers, with well-concealed irritation. Zephon was clad from head to foot in black, and all that could be seen of him were two eyes in the shadows of his hood.
‘I am Zephon – master of the Fifth Galaxy!’ the dark figure announced. He was clearly impressed with himself.
Chen smiled. ‘Of course! I happened to meet you before, at the Intergalactic Conference at Andromeda.’
‘I did not attend,’ Zephon replied, haughtily. ‘And now you know the reason. The Daleks held a separate conference at the same time. None of the delegates from the outer Galaxies went to yours.’
‘Forgive me,’ Chen answered, with an inner smile. ‘It must have been another cloak I saw. One looks much like another – from the outside.’
‘Quite,’ Zephon agreed, coldly.
‘I have heard much about you. Your people were once the greatest warriors in the Universe.’
‘And will be again,’ the alien replied. ‘Our alliance with the Daleks and the other outer worlds will make us invincible once more!’
‘Yes, yes,’ Chen agreed. This being was obviously craving power and conquest in the worst possible way – with naked greed. He tapped the papers he had been glancing through. ‘I have been studying the reports of the first meeting. The plan appears magnificent. The Daleks have a unique talent for warfare.’
The eyes burned into Chen, and Zephon suddenly said: ‘There is something I do not understand. You are a man of great power, the Guardian of your Solar System. Yet your planet will be the first to be destroyed when the battle begins.’
‘Why the surprise?’ Chen asked. ‘As you say, I am the Guardian of the Solar System. But that is nothing more than a part – however influential – of one Galaxy. I have gazed upon a night sky bright with a thousand million stars...’ His eyes took on a faraway look, as he lost himself in the memory of a vision. ‘I have reached out my arms to embrace them to myself, and always they have slipped through my fingers. Now I can feel them drawing closer, through the power that this alliance affords me.’ He trembled, as pleasurable anticipation filled him. Then his eyes focused once again on Zephon. ‘Would you be satisfied with just a part of a Galaxy?’
‘The Solar System is exceptional,’ Zephon argued. ‘In its power lies influence far outside its own sphere. Surely by joining with the forces determined to destroy that power, you must set yourself up as a supreme traitor?’
If Zephon was attempting to provoke Chen, he failed miserably. ‘Traitor?’ the human echoed, and then laughed. ‘An archaic word for so advanced a... man as yourself.’ Chen was enjoying baiting this arrogant and offensive creature. ‘Considering the number of planets that have risen in revolt and attempted to depose you over the years, you can hardly claim to be a patriot yourself!’
‘I do!’ Zephon hissed, furiously. ‘Those who struck against me are no more, and I control all of the Fifth Galaxy with a rod of iron!’
‘True,’ Chen acknowledged. ‘But then you do not understand the conflicting powers within our Solar System.’ He was abruptly tired of this conversation. ‘Come, let us take some air. This is hardly the time or the place for so serious a discussion.’ He took the arm of his fellow delegate, and together they walked towards the exit.
From out of the darkness, a lone Dalek slipped towards a second door. It hissed open, and the Dalek moved through. Waiting was the Dalek Supreme. ‘Report,’ it ordered.
‘Earth creature Chen must be watched carefully,’ the Dalek stated. ‘His ambitions exceed his usefulness.’
The Black Dalek had expected nothing less. The lesser life-forms always felt themselves the superiors, and constantly schemed and plotted. ‘When he has served his purpose he, like the others, will be eliminated. Only the Daleks are supreme. No power in the Universe will be able to stand in our way! We shall be supreme!!’
Steven felt his head was ready to burst as he struggled back to consciousness. He opened his eyes, and managed eventually to focus them. Everything seemed so dark, and there were strange noises. He felt about, and realized that he was on the ground somewhere, and it must still be night. What was happening? The last thing he could recall was the TARDIS. He had been in the TARDIS with... with the serving girl from Troy, that was it! But what had happened since then?
He had made a small groan, and instantly Katarina was by his side, helping him to sit up. ‘What happened?’ he asked her. ‘Where are we?’
‘The tablets I gave you made you better,’ she said, checking the dressing on his wound. ‘But you must still rest.’
Steven was looking about in amazement. Trees surrounded them on all sides! ‘What are we doing out here in the jungle?’
‘While you were asleep, the evil ones came.’ Katarina thought hard. ‘The other man called them... Daleks.’
‘Daleks!’ Steven exclaimed. When he had first met the Doctor, the Daleks had been hunting the time traveller to kill him. Was it possible that those most implacable of the Doctor’s foes were after him again!
There was a faint groan from a bundle in the darkness close by. Abruptly, Steven realized that the ‘bundle’ was actually the Doctor himself, and that he was recovering from a blow to his head. The Doctor struggled awake, rubbing his scalp, and looked about himself in amazement.
‘Steven! Katarina!’ His smile of joy to see his companions alive and apparently well changed abruptly to one of annoyance. ‘What are you both doing here?’
‘The evil ones searched for us,’ Katarina replied, ‘but Bret helped us to escape them.’
The Doctor wasn’t sure he understood what she was saying, but knew he’d better take it a step at a time. ‘Yes, well, whoever this Bret is, he’s quite right. The Daleks are evil beings.’
‘Bret is the man you put in your magic chair.’
‘What? That young ruffian!’ the Doctor exclaimed. He was beginning to suspect who had hit him over the head.
‘He helped us!’ Katarine protested. ‘He had magic tablets that have worked their miracles on Steven. His wound is healing.’
‘And you released him!’ the Doctor accused.
‘Was I not right to do so?’ she answered. ‘When the evil ones came, he helped us to flee from your temple to safety.’
The Doctor sighed. ‘Yes, well, he wasn’t to know that you were all perfectly safe from the Daleks inside the TARDIS.’ Nor, of course, was Katarina. There was really no use crying over spilt milk. His head felt better now, so he clambered to his feet and crossed to where Steven lay. ‘How do you feel, young man?’
‘I’ll be all right in a minute, Doctor,’ Steven replied. He was feeling much better, and his head had stopped orbiting some far star and returned to life on his shoulders. Someone – Steven suspected that it had been this mysterious Bret – had left him some regular clothing to put on. The Greek battle skirt was getting more than a trifle draughty in the night air! On the other hand, he didn’t want to change while Katarina was about. He gestured to the Doctor, who caught on.
Taking Katarina by the arm, the Doctor led her away from Steven to allow the young man to get dressed. ‘And what else did this – ah – Bret tell you?’
‘He said that this is the year 4000. He himself is trying to get away from the evil ones. He gave Steven some white tablets, and they have made him well again.’
‘Quite so, quite so.’ The Doctor thought about their situation for a few minutes. As he considered their options, Steven hurried up, tucking his sweater into his trouser waist-band. ‘Well, young man, you’d better pull yourself together,’ the Doctor said finely. ‘There’s work to do – and I think we’d best start by finding this Bret person. He seems to know something of what is happening about here, mmm?’
Bret was prone, peering from the safety of a clump of thick bushes down towards the TARDIS. The Daleks about the machine were extremely active, especially with the arrival of two Daleks, both equipped with larger weapon arms than normal. These did not seem to be the usual laser guns, but were connected to a pair of large canisters on the back of each Dalek.
One of these Daleks turned towards the patrol leader. ‘Inferno containers are ready,’ it reported. ‘The other patrols are standing by.’
The leader grated: ‘Ensure all other units have withdrawn from the jungle areas. Countdown to Inferno will begin at once!’
In the bushes, Bret decided that it was time to get back to the others. From the sound of it, things were about to start heating up in a very literal way...
Steven was walking slowly up and down, getting used to having his legs under himself again. The wound in his side was neatly covered and healing under his clothes. Aside from the constant throbbing, it only really pained him when he raised his arms. Whatever had been in Bret’s pills had worked wonders for him. His headache was nearly gone now, he felt almost ready to tackle the world.
‘Just rest for a moment,’ the Doctor advised him. ‘You mustn’t try to run before you can walk.’ He shook his head, sadly. ‘Though it may yet become essential that you do.’
There was a sudden noise, and they turned in alarm, only to relax when Bret slipped out of the jungle to join them. Katarina, especially, seemed pleased to see him.
Bret was happy to see that the Doctor and Steven were on their feet. ‘Sorry I had to hit you back there,’ he apologized to the Doctor. ‘But I couldn’t take any chances on your making a noise with all those Daleks about.’
‘That’s quite understandable,’ the Doctor replied, then hefted his stick. ‘Allow me to repay the favour!’ He started to bring the stick down, but Bret wrenched it from his hands. The Doctor was furious. ‘Let go of my stick, young man!’
‘Doctor, please!’ Bret pleaded. ‘There are Daleks all around us!’
This brought the old man out of his feelings of aggression. ‘Well?’ he asked. ‘What have you learned?’
‘They’re up to something. I’m not sure what, but they’re evacuating all their units from the jungle.’ Now that the Doctor had calmed down, Bret handed him back his stick.
‘They’re calling off the search for us?’ Steven asked, incredulously.
‘No, no, no, young man,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I know the Daleks better than that. They have obviously hit upon some way that makes it unnecessary for them to search for us. I think we’d be well advised to try to get out of the jungle.’
‘Are you sure that’s not what they want?’ Steven asked. ‘To drive us into the open?’
‘Possibly, possibly,’ the Doctor agreed. ‘But what’s the alternative?’
‘I don’t know,’ Steven exclaimed. ‘I just don’t think we should act without thinking.’
‘I never act without thinking!’ the Doctor snapped.
‘I agree with Steven,’ Katarina added. ‘I believe...’
This was too much for the Doctor – advice from this innocent child! ‘Now, look here,’ he snorted, about to launch into another of his tirades.
‘QUIET!’ Bret yelled – and got it.
The Doctor was astonished. No one treated him in so cavalier a fashion! ‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I said quiet,’ Bret answered coldly.
‘Now see here,’ the Doctor began. ‘I simply will not be...’ His voice trailed off as he suddenly realized that Bret had drawn his pistol and was pointing it steadily at him. ‘Ah. I see you have a very sound argument after all.’
Bret had had quite enough from this madcap trio, and it was high time he took command of the situation and restored some semblance of order. ‘Now listen to me, all of you. I don’t much care what happens to the three of you – or myself for that matter. The vital thing is to inform Earth security that the Daleks are planning something big, using this planet as their base. If I have to kill you all to get that message through, I will.’
‘You have to do something more than that,’ the Doctor added. ‘If the Daleks are doing something drastic, then we have to stop them.’
‘Then here is your choice. You work with me – or die now.’ Bret made a small motion with his gun.
The Doctor cleared his throat. ‘You put the matter most succinctly. I think I speak for all of us when I say – considering the alternative – we’re with you.’
The patrols had withdrawn now from the jungle, leaving only the pair of Daleks with their heavier
guns. On a signal from the city, these Daleks opened fire – quite literally. Each was fitted with a flame-thrower, fed from the canisters on their backs. The liquid spray ignited, and fell in a cascade of fire on to the dry growths of the jungle.
The trees ignited, trailing fire down their lengths to the undergrowth. In seconds, an inferno had begun, spreading and growing as it snatched at further trees and plants. Flames leaped into the still night air, and the creatures of the jungle depths began a howling, screaming panic. Thick black smoke was rising, blotting out the stars.
The Black Dalek surveyed the scene from the city with satisfaction. The curtain of fire would be certain to drive the intruders from the jungle and into the waiting Dalek patrols.
Chapter 7
The Face Of The Enemy
‘We must try to get back to the TARDIS,’ the Doctor said, firmly. ‘The Daleks cannot penetrate my ship, and we can use it to get to a safer planet, where you can contact your superiors.’
Bret grimaced. ‘Doctor, that is impossible: the Dalek patrols have used your... ship as the rendezvous point for their activities. Our only chance is to try to steal a spaceship and escape.’
‘Is that all?’ Steven asked, sarcastically. ‘There’ll be even more Daleks down by their city, surely?’
‘Perhaps not,’ the Doctor mused. ‘There was a spaceship that landed not too long ago. While I was in the city, I could see that it was being refuelled, ready for another flight. If we could somehow seize that ship...’
Bret nodded. ‘Quite right. I think the first thing to do is to take a look at it.’
Something had been intruding on Steven’s mind for the past few minutes, and he finally realized what it was: wood smoke. He glanced back, and saw a red glow against the sky. ‘Look!’ he cried, pointing.
Even at this distance, there was no mistaking the meaning of the glow. ‘A wall of fire,’ Katarina exclaimed.
‘They’re trying to drive us out of the jungle like frightened animals,’ Bret said.