The Fourth Doctor: Plague of the Daleks Part 1 by Time Lord Kurosaki

While we may not be able to bring you the full story of Plague of the Daleks, we are delighted to unveil a section of this story from the wonderful John Hussey.

Fires. Explosions. Screaming. Titan Moon VI was in a state of chaos and panic. People were rushing around, without any clear trajectory, with the only notion on their minds being “escape”. Escape the madness that now surrounded them, wishing to desperately consume them in the flames of war and destruction. Buildings were crumbling. The streets were cluttered with rumble. The crowds grew steadily, all moving hesitantly in various directions, crashing into one another, with some even being trampled over. One boy tries reaching out, intent of saving a poor old man who had been struck down in the confusion. The boy was swiftly pulled back. A stern voice from a middle-aged man screamed out to him above the loud noises of shrieks and carnage. “Come here, boy!” The voice lashed out. The man pulled the boy close. Their eyes locked. Despite the madness going on around them, the man holds the boy tight in his grasp, intently forcing the boy to come closer. “You need to listen to me, boy.” The man continued. “You need to listen to my every instructions-” “But I was just trying to help-” The boy uttered.  He’d been taught right and wrong, and felt he should help the poor old man who was now being trodden on, as the people of Titan Moon VI grew ever more frightened by the blaze and destruction building around them. The man attempts again to make the boy realise the gravity of the situation. “Boy, what did I say? You need to understand what I’m saying, otherwise we will not survive this.” “But dad-” The boy tried to respond. “No buts son!” The father sternly spoke. “You can’t think about anyone else right now! It’s a matter of survival, and those things attacking us won’t think twice about killing you! Do you understand?” The father’s words were blunt, but to the point. His son looked down, feeling deflated by the words of his elder. He didn’t want these words to be true, nor the world around him to be real, especially since fear had consumed the sane mind of humanity. But he had no choice but to obey them.  Feeling he had gotten through to his son, the father pulled his child back into the crowds and attempted to make their way to the nearest space port, in hopes of escaping the colony before it was too late. Through the smoke, and flames of the burning colony settlement, rose the most evil creature in the known universe; the Daleks. These mechanical creatures glided through the rumble, staring down with their blank expression, seeing this decaying world through their robotic lenses, watching as the people run in fear, as their homes crumble.  They didn’t care. There was probably a part of them that enjoyed this feeling of power; inflicting pain upon those that are different and weaker to them, all in the name of establishing their superiority. Mostly, these creatures were without consequence, pity, or any solid emotional response.  All they held was hatred. The Daleks quickly made their way through the destroyed buildings, stalking the crowd as they fled to safety, knowing full well that the devilish monsters of Skaro were right behind them. Exterminate. Seek. Locate. Destroy. Leave no human alive. These were but some of the phrases echoing around the settlement, screaming through the carnage, bellowing out to remind the survivors of their invaders; knowing too well they’d be murdered on sight. The Daleks had plundered this once peaceful colony, scouring it for riches to expand their great empire, leaving everything else to rot. The poorer areas of the colony held little value for them; becoming no more than a hunting ground to please their bloodlust, as they exterminated the weaker humans of the planet. The father, and his son, have almost reached the space port. All appears to be well, with salvation a mere few yards away. Suddenly, a huge explosion erupts in front of them. The port is gone. Silence breaks for a second. Then the screams start up again. Panic ensures. Through the flames, silhouettes can be seen. It’s the Daleks. They’re getting closer. Their hateful screams of death grow louder, as does the sound of their death rays, slowly cancelling out the shrieks of fear. The father is left with no other option. He is forced to abandon his son, deciding to leave him in a safe place where he can hide, hoping that he can survive at least another day. He places his son inside an enclosed space, created from the crumbling buildings. With that, he says goodbye, holding back his tears in order to remain strong, even in this desperate moment of despair. However, before the father can make a break for it, the Daleks spot him. He attempts to reason with the sadistic creatures. They fall silent. Just for a moment. The father is completely surrounded, with nowhere to run. Then the time comes. Exterminate! The father falls to the ground, as the boy watches from a crack in the wall. His father’s lifeless eyes now stare at him, as do the faces of countless other colonists who have been stricken down by the ruthless creatures of hate. Fifty years later… It has been many years since the awful events of the last great Dalek war. Many lost their lives. There was nothing that could’ve been done to stop the Daleks. The colony was powerless to combat the might of the destructive creatures, who seemingly came out of nowhere, suddenly bombarding the planet from above to render opposition useless. Once they had exploited Titan Moon VI, they left as quickly as they arrived, leaving behind devastation in their wake, with the small colony left abandoned and without hope of rebuilding their home. The plague of the Daleks had been seeded, with the thoughts of fear holding back any positive emotional response to tackling rebuilding what they’d lost.  Disputes developed, and leaderships crumbled, with public morale steadily declining, the once peaceful colony had now descended into madness, with paranoia fueling the forward thinking of the survivors who skulked within the ruins. Many of which had become like rats, scavenging for food, and shelter, desperately trying to find a means to go on living. Others had become broken, fearful of moving moment because of the scars left behind from the Daleks attack, forging a wave of unbalance within the mind. The people splintered off into different groups; those for and against the rebuilding of Titan Moon VI, resulting in gritty battles for dominance over power.  Needless to say, many have died on both sides in gruesome manners, with the streets littered with the damages caused by the Daleks; both during and after their onslaught. The metallic cubed buildings lay wasted, many of which are no longer stable, or intact, making the tight structured streets feel even more claustrophobic and darkened. Adding on top of the cold atmosphere are the remains of lynched bodies during the many toxic riots created from the struggles between people’s attitudes, derived from fear. Despite the crumbled economy, and damaged hierarchy, amongst the fractured government system, there still remained a distinct class system. At the top you had the corrupt officers that maintained order, led by the Governor, as their soldiers scoured the landscape to enforce what law system was left in place. Then there were the workers, who managed the remaining working equipment, attempting to keep things running, whilst also being required to search tirelessly for further supplies to aid in maintaining everyone’s meaningless existence. Right at the bottom was the waste; people who had either given up, or simply lost everything during the invasion, left with nowhere to go and nobody to care for them.  They were essentially left to rot away in the gutter, uncared for by the Governor, who’s heartless nature maintained their disgraceful ways of existing. Everything had become darkened in this place, with barely lit fires acting as heat and light sources for the most part, as the ashes from the distorted atmosphere caused relentless obstacles for the people of Titan Moon VI. Things appear grim, with no real sign of hope, or any means of escaping this hellish wasteland. In the control area, the Governor oversees what little operations are left in action. He is stern, and unified in his presence, still maintaining his appearance with pride, as if to showcase his importance and stature amongst the people. The Governor also acts rather pompously, acting outside of his initial control, perpetuating his egotistical nature, reminding people of his presence and the promises he endlessly makes about the future. The technicians work tirelessly on their computers. The software is damaged, and the equipment fails to function properly. A lot of the power has been lost to the colony’s structure, with many of the outer areas, and smaller settlements outside the main complex’s boundaries have been totally lost. They merely act as dwellings for the homeless and renegades to reside. The Governor looks on displeased, continuously pushing his agenda forward, despite the simple fact that nothing more can be done to rebuild their lost society. This isn’t good enough. The Governor leans into one of his staff members, Philips, with a sickening look of utter pompousness, almost begging to be noticed and admired for his ranking within the colony. “And why can’t we do more?” He asks, with a sinister tone. “Well-” The Philips stutters. “The system is too heavily damaged. Most of the equipment is beyond repair, and everything is running on fumes. And without proper supplies we can’t even begin to rebuild what we lost, sir. I’m sorry, but you ask the impossible.” There’s a pause. The Governor places his hand on Philip’s shoulder. His grip tightens. He slowly turns the technican’s chair around, forcing him to face the Governor’s now intense gaze. The Governor slowly leans in. “Now more excuses!” The Governor shouts, blasting his booming voice straight into the Philips face. He steps away, proceeding to pace up and down the room, generating momentum, forcing everyone to gaze at him. The Governor finally stops and addresses the room in a frustrated tone. “I want to see results. Very, very quickly. Do you understand? My people out there are counting on me. They require power. Food. Shelter. Now I have promised all of this, so I expect you to provide them these promises, do I make myself clear?” The whole room acknowledges his remarks, almost fearful of his presence, knowing one false move will result in further scolding, or worse, disobedient . The Governor makes a b-line towards the exit, followed swiftly by his guards. He then stops and sighs. “Things are getting restless out there-” The Governor continues, without turning to face his staff members. “The rebels are moving in on me. They are using all your incompetence to ruin my reputation. I will not allow that rabal to undercut my authority. I am the law here people, me! And that fact will remain. So you’d all better do your jobs properly. Otherwise it’ll be your families who pay the price once your rations are cut in half!” With that, the Governor marches out of the room, leaving the staff members confused and frightened towards their future. Back on the empty streets the harsh wind begins to swirl. With that the familiar sound of the TARDIS echoes through the ashy wilderness. The space/time vessel begins to materialise amongst the rubble, gently phasing in and out of existence before planting itself on this unholy landscape. Soon after the doors open. The Doctor steps out. Seemingly without checking out his environment. He steps forward and proceeds to make his way through the barren street, surrounded by the carnage of the past. His iconic multi-coloured scarf blows in the harsh winds, as does his brown velvet coat, with his hat barely remaining on his head. He’s soon followed by Leela, who is wearing her usual warrior clothing, with her arms, back, and legs totally exposed to the cold atmosphere. She doesn’t seem too bothered, with her skin thick, and her mind ready for anything. But even she can detect very quickly that something is amiss here. Meanwhile, the Doctor pays no attention, continuing his monologue as he pushes forward. “It’s a rather intriguing part of human history. You lot have explored the distant stars, and managed to interact with new species. Even going on to making subspecies. The indomitable nature of the human race will never cease to amaze me-” “Doctor!” Leela shouts. “There is something wrong here.” “Nonsense.” The Doctor responds. “You’re just imagining things.” “I can feel it, Doctor! There is something very wrong here!” Leela continues, her warrior instincts being acute to her environment, allowing her to anticipate the slightest change in the energy of the room in order to seek out potential danger. The Doctor stops. And finally observes. “Ha.” He scoffs. “You know, Leela, you might be right. Look at these buildings. Damaged. Some of them are barely even standing.” “What do you suppose happened here, Doctor?” Leela asks. “Some sort of battle perhaps. Doesn’t look recent. Whatever happened here occurred a long time ago. Perhaps fifty years or so? Hard to judge. It was definitely pretty nasty. A battle against some form of enemy?” “Doctor-” Leela interrupts. “Listen.” “I wondered when you would notice.” The Doctor responded. “I noticed it from the very moment I stepped out of the TARDIS. Even a small colony such as this should gestate some form of life. However, everything is silent. Almost like a ghost town. The question is; where are the survivors? There’s still clearly some power left here, so someone’s been maintaining this place.” “Doctor!” Leela calls. The Doctor turns. He follows Leela’ voice. She has moved across the street, standing before one of the lynched bodies dangling from a rope. The corpse swings in the wind, as a monument of how this society has fallen. Leela looks on in confusion. The Doctor’s face turns serious. “Definitely not a good sign.” The Doctor ponders. “Was this done by those who attacked the colony?” Leela questions. “No-” The Doctor responds, with a slight sense of worry in his tone. “The body is too fresh for that I’m afraid.” “Then who?” “Probably the survivors.” “The colonists?” Leela responds with further confusion. “But, why?” “Maybe there was a struggle of power. Maybe they just got desperate. Judging by the aftermath of the battle, they weren’t left with much to go on, probably had to make do. Once fear of having nothing took over, then the real terrors came to the surface.” “Doctor. I don’t think I like it here very much.” Leela says with concern in her voice. Even the mighty warrior of the Sevateem felt the horrors of what went on here, and felt she should remain alert for the sinister dangers that lay near. “Yes-” The Doctor replied, almost lost in thought as he stared at the body, looking closely at a note left by those who strung the poor fellow up. It reads, We will not tolerate your lies. The Doctor steps back. “I think we should be on alert. In case things get nasty.” He then heads in the opposite direction, determined in his body language and voice. Leela, still confused, looks back towards the body, before following the Time Lord. “We’re staying here? But why?” Leela inquires. “Isn’t it obvious-” The Doctor replies. “We need to find out what happened here, and offer the survivors any help if they should need it.” “I am not sure that’s a wise thing. These people appear savage, and hungry for blood.” Leela responds, feeling nervous about the horrific landscape of death and destruction. She looks around carefully, whilst following the Doctor’s footsteps, intent on detecting any threats should they arise. “Oh, I’m sure they’ll be mostly reasonable. As long as we keep our wits about us, we should avoid any unpleasantry-” Suddenly a random group of colonists jump out at them. They appear wild in their movement, their clothes tattered and scruffy. Their appearance isn’t well kept, with their hair overgrown, and their skin filthy. They all carry blunt weapons, such as poles, wooden sticks, and blades. Some of them carry touches and waft them in the travellers faces. They circle the Doctor and Leela, trying to come across as intimidating to their prey. Leela takes the battle stance, holding out her knife, and prepares for combat, watching her enemy closely to anticipate their movements. The Doctor, meanwhile, stands there rather calmly, with a stern look upon his face, almost unfazed by this dangerous predicament. “Excuse me-” The Doctor asks, as he doffs his hat to them. “You seem a bit frightened, so allow me to introduce myself. I’m the Doctor and this is Leela. We mean you no harm. In fact, we’re here to help-” “Help?” One of the colonists scoffs, stepping forward to confront the Doctor. “You think we would believe your lies?” “What lies?” The Doctor replies. “You’re clothes.” “What about them?” The Doctor asks, becoming rather confused by the colonist’s suggestion. “They are fresh, and well kept. Only the officers are so clean and presentable.” “Ah.” The Doctor responds, seemingly now understanding the colonist. “Look, I think there’s been some terrible mistake. We’re not officers.” “Then who are you then?” The colonist asks aggressively; their patience growing thin. “Well-” The Doctor stutters. Meanwhile, Leela remains alert, standing close by the Doctor, waiting for the first move from the colonists. “This might come as a shock to you after all these years, but we’re in fact travellers to your world.” “Travellers?” The colonist replies, now appearing frazzled and confused. The rest of the group look at each other with the same gaze. But this questionable expression soon turns back to hostility, worsened by the fact they now seem even more riled up. “Yes. You see we’re strangers to your world. So if you could just-” “Strangers!” The colonist cries out. Suddenly the colonists begin chanting below their breath, almost as if their basic animalistic instincts were overriding their logistical thinking. They start to come in closer, their movement more erratic. Leela senses their aggressive nature has increased, becoming furtherly worried. “Doctor! They mean to attack us!” “I think so too.” The Doctor replies, quietly so the colonists can’t hear them, as they continue to circle faster and faster. “We mean you no harm. We want to help you. We want to understand what happened here-” “Strangers are the demons of this world!” The colonist lashes out. “You and you’re kind brought this world to its knees. Burnt our homes to the ground! We will not let that happen again. You will die along with that twisted Governor! Take them!” The colonists rush in like an angry mob. The Doctor and Leela attempt to fight back but there are too many of them. They are quickly overwhelmed and restrained. The travellers try desperately to break free from their tight grip but it is no use. They are dragged back across the street, bringing them before the familiar sight of the lynched corpse. “No!” Leela cries out, using all her strength to try and break free from her hold. The lead colonist looks upon her with a sinister glare before cutting down the dead body. He quickly gives the signal and two more ropes are put into place. The Doctor watches on, giving them a stern expression. “You’re making a grave mistake.” The Doctor speaks. “This is murder!” Leela adds. The colonist didn't listen, nor cared about their words, as he aids in setting up the nooses. “Listen! We can help you. There’s no need for this. If you just let us go-” The Doctor negotiates, before silenced with a gag. The colonists laugh. Leela is too gagged, with the two travellers brought forward. The rope is wrapped around their necks and they are placed onto a couple of barrels. “Death to the invaders!” The colonist screams out. The rest of the crowd screams in delight. He prepares to kick over the barrels. Suddenly a shot is fired. One of the colonist’s suddenly falls to the ground. Another shot is fired. The same happens. The lead colonist looks around in confusion, but cannot see an assailant.  The shots then become more frequent, as more bodies fall to the ground. This causes the crowd to scatter. The lead colonist tries to hold his ground, not wishing to show any signs of fear. He tries again to kick over the barrels but two more shots are fired. The ropes snap, and the Doctor and Leela fall to the ground. With that, another group of colonists rushes out of the shadows and storms to the lynching site. The lead colonist quickly decides retreat is the best option and flees from the scene. The group arrive, with the lead member pulling off their goggles and bandana to reveal she’s a woman named Alex. She gives the order for her men to pick up the Doctor and Leela. From the off-set it is clear these are a different group entirely. Though their attire appears scruffy and worn out, they appear less barbaric in nature, and more like a guerrilla combat group. The Doctor and Leela are pulled forward, their gags removed. “Thank you-” The Doctor speaks. “We’re most thankful for the intervention.” “Who were those people?” Leela injects. “I think I should be asking you the same question.” Alex replied. “They certainly had it out for you. What did you do that upset them so much?” “We didn’t do anything. The Doctor and I-” Leela replies, annoyed in her tone. The Doctor quickly intervenes. “What my companion is trying to say is we have nothing to do with your local politics. In fact, we’ve only just recently arrived.” “Impossible.” Alex responds, looking on in confusion. “It’s true. Why would we lie?” Leela responds. “Look. There’s clearly been a misunderstanding-” The Doctor continues. “Why don’t we start from the beginning. I’m the Doctor, and this is Leela. We’re travellers. We came to your planet quite by accident and now are embroiled in your local affairs. If you tell me what’s going on I’d be happy to oblige.” Alex stares on at the Doctor, as if trying to figure him out. The rest of the group feel uneasy, but don’t showcase any signs of being savagely aggressive like the previous group. This showcases the clear differences in the hierarchy of this damaged world, to which the Doctor is beginning to pick up on and understand. “How do we know we can trust you?” Alex questions. “You don’t. All you can do is follow your instincts and do the right thing.” The Doctor attempts to persuade. For a second it appears the Time Lord has won over this group. But things quickly go south. “Restrain them!” Alex commands. “What?” Leela shouts out. “Take them away!” Alex continues. “You’re making a great mistake.” The Doctor warns. The Doctor and Leela begin to be pulled away by a couple of gorilla soldiers. It is unknown what this second group wants with the travellers, but they weren’t prepared to find out. “Now!” The Doctor signals. Leela responds. She quickly pulls free from those restraining her and gains the upper hand, quickly using her strength to render the guard powerless. The Doctor flips the other guard over his shoulder. A couple more quickly show up. The Doctor uses his swift techniques to exploit the weak spots within the human body before throwing in the final punches. Leela goes for the leg, pulling the soldier to his knees, followed by a stab to the back with her knife. More soldiers begin to come their way, as Alex screams for them to capture the travellers. The Doctor sees this and shouts for Leela to abandon the fight. She quickly leaves her warrior stance and follows the Doctor. “Where are we going?” Leela asks. “Back to the TARDIS!” The Doctor responds. Alex sees them heading towards a mysterious blue box. She quickly deducts that this is their vessel and orders her men to prevent them from reaching the ship. One of the soldiers takes out a grenade and launches it towards the TARDIS. The Doctor sees the grenade at the last second. He grabs Leela and pulls her to the ground, wrapping his body over hers to protect her from the blast. The grenade explodes near the TARDIS. The bang is loud, and the blast quite fierce. This causes the weak structure near the TARDIS to cave in, as the foundation crumbles around the old blue box, separating the travellers from their path to freedom. The Doctor turns and sees the soldiers are gaining on them. He pulls Leela to her feet and they both rush over to a nearby building, hoping to lose the guerrillas in the darkness within. Alex orders her men to continue the pursuit, giving her men permission to kill the strangers if they show any further signs of resistance. Elsewhere, the Governor sits silently in his office. Compared to the rest of the colony, this room was in pristine condition. Everything was looked after and maintained. The scuff marks, damaged wall panelling, scorched flooring, cracked windows, and loose wiring were all hidden behind care and delicate arrangement of new furniture, and ornaments, echoing the Governor’s egotistical nature and proudness. He sat in his comfy chair, behind a desk that had been repaired via crude patchwork, barely held together in place. On top were piles of neatly formatted files of the complex, and personnel, alongside an old computer system and communication device. The last piece of the puzzle was a photograph of the Governor’s father, who held the position of leader prior to his own term. The man was seemingly respected by the community, offering the people what they needed in their time of crisis, trying his best to rebuild the society that had crumbled after the Dalek’s invasion. However, there were those who feared fixing the broken colony would bring the deadly creatures upon them again, resulting in the Governor’s father being hashly gunned down during a public speech. The Governor attempted to follow in his father’s example, wishing to pull the colony away from the nightmares of the past, whilst also maintaining a stern hand over every situation, making sure his power was known to the people. He feared if he didn’t keep the colony in line then he would receive the same fate as his father, murdered in cold blood due to narrow minded folk fearing what may or may occur if they rose again. Suddenly there’s a knock on the door. The Governor is shot out of his train of thought, quickly putting his father’s photograph face down on the desk. He straightens himself up, before responding to the knocking. “Come in!” The Governor orders. The captain of the guards, Bennett, enters the room. He gives his commanding officer a firm salute. The Governor stares over at Bennett, almost wishing he wasn’t standing before him, hoping deep down that this wasn’t a waste of his time. “Yes, what is it man? Speak!” The Governor responded, sounding frustrated within his tone. “Sir-” Bennett responded. “There have been more cases of lynching in sections 9 and 10. The lower class appear to be becoming more restless in their destructive behaviour. We’ve lost several more guards and technicians to them in the past week alone.” “Filthy barbarians!” The Governor replies, becoming further frustrated by the report. “If I had it my way, I’d wipe those vermin from the face of this planet. They’re minds have become warped. They’re an endangerment to our operation, and the survival of this colony. Carry on, Captain.” “We’ve also had reports of more protests by the Rebels, sir. Their numbers are growing exponentially. Soon we won’t have enough men to keep them at bay. They’ve been reports that they’ve stolen weapons from the outer patrols, and are preparing some form of attack on this very complex-” The Governor shoots up from his chair and slams his fist down hard against the desk. “Incompetence!” The Governor exclaims. He rushes around his desk and moves firmly towards Bennett. Captain Bennett holds his ground. The Governor stares harshly into his eyes. His veins tighten, as his frustration builds. “Why is it that I seem to be the only one who takes his job seriously?” The Governor questions. “But, sir, I-” Bennett tries to reply. “Silence!” The Governor intercut. His voice was sharp and piercing. The authority of the Governor was known, and Bennett quickly stood down. “I tell you when you can speak. I am this colony’s only hope for survival-” The Governor continues, as he paces up and down his office. “I know what’s best for all of you. We need to rebuild. Move past superstitious nonsense. Fear cannot break us. Strength is required if we are to reach salvation. We must double our efforts, and push hard. Overcome the rabble that intends to hold us back within the Dark Times-” “But without proper equipment and resources, let alone numbers, how can we possibly begin to repair the damage caused by-” Bennett attempts to interject his honest opinions again. These were the words of truth. Despite the Governor’s intentions being noble, his heart was in the wrong place, and he was blinded by his own ego and self-indulgent attitudes.  He cared more about making himself look good, through promises he couldn’t keep, than the better interests of his people. Essentially, he was a leader without a clue. But the Governor didn’t want to see it that way. The truth was too much for him to swallow, preferring to hide behind denial, spouting out aggressive insults and threats in order to use scare tactics to win his argument, silencing any opposition. The Governor rushed back over to Bennett and silenced him once more with his intense gaze. “And that’s the kind of attitude that breathes cowardly thoughts into our society, allowing simple minds, such as yourself, bend the knee to defeat.” The Governor spoke, trying his best to bring down Bennett’s confidence and status. “I didn’t mean that, sir. All I ask for is a bit more realism.” Bennett responds, pleading for the Governor to see reason. “This is as real as it gets, Captain. Either you, the guards, and the technicians buck up your ideas, or this colony will slip through the threshold. The point of no return. Oblivion. Do you want that to happen, Captain? Do you want our people to perish?” The Governor continues. His jabs at Bennett growing more personal, humiliating the Captain and breaking his will through belittlement, silencing any opposition left in his body. “No, sir,” Bennett responds. His voice now sounded defeated. “Good-” The Governor replies, with smugness in his tone, knowing he had won the argument. “Now that’s settled. Perhaps we can actually get some work done around here.” A guard suddenly bursts into the room. The Governor looks on. Displeased by the guard’s lack of courtesy and respect. “How dare you barge in here without my permission!” “I’m sorry, sir-” The guard responds, gasping for air in-between sentences. “There’s an urgent report from the fields.” “Speak.” The Governor responds. “A patrol saw both a group of lower class, and rebels, try to lynch two civilains in Section 7. They managed to escape and are currently fleeing through one of the old storage facilities.” The guard reports. “Well don’t just stand you fools!” The Governor orders. “They could be technicians, or members of my council. Go rescue them at once!” With that, the two guards move into position and leave the Governor’s office. The Governor turns and stares out the window upon the cold sight below. He sighs and mutters under his breath. Incompetence. Inside the abandoned warehouse the Doctor and Leela run for their lives, knowing the guerrilla group is fast approaching. Their loud shouts echoed, as did their aggressive stomps, signifying they were getting closer. The warehouse was cluttered, boxes and old packaging left to gather dust, with huge stacks of cargo left behind. Most of the high shelving had collapsed, with many crates broken open, or having caused blockages in the seemingly endless maze of storage. The Doctor and Leela zig-zagged their way around the various aisles, climbing over obstacles where they could, with the Time Lord’s stern voice keeping his companion on her toes. Leela’ senses were on overdrive, as she watched intensively for vantage points and ambush areas, whilst also trying to navigate her way through this industrial graveyard. Suddenly they stop; a moment reprieve after the Doctor dragged Leela into a darkened storage cupboard, as the rebels run by, having no clear indication as to where the travellers had vanished to. The Doctor leans carefully towards the door, trying his best to remain in the shadows, whilst listening out for any further soldiers. Leela pulls herself gently forward so that she can whisper to the Time Lord. “What now?” Leela asks. “We wait.” The Doctor responds, his voice stern, and his face serious. “When do we do battle?” Leela continues. “We have run from this enemy long enough. We should attack now while we have the element of surprise!” “Have you forgotten, Leela, that they have weapons and we don’t?” The Doctor states, clearly trying to make Leela see reason with a blunt attitude. Leela then points to her blade. The Doctor isn’t amused. “Sometimes I wonder, Leela, if I’ll ever manage to get some sense into that savage brain of yours. We are outgunned and outnumbered. There’s no chance for success if we attack-” “But if we-” Leela tries to interject. “Listen!” The Doctor loses his temper. “The only way we’re going to survive this if we keep our heads down and move quietly. These people are clearly unbalanced by whatever happened here. They don’t want to understand reason, and that makes them very dangerous. We try our best to avoid them and then we make our way back to TARDIS.” “But how?” Leela responds, feeling deflated by the Doctor’s rudeness. Though deep down she knew he was right. However, the Doctor had a tendency to snap very easily, with his emotions being generally unstable at the best of times, making him rather unpredictable. “Those soldiers blocked the way.” Leela elaborated, desperately trying to seek council from her elder during this nasty situation. “I’ll think of that on the way. Now please be quiet. You’re ruining my concentration.” “Sorry.” Leela mutters under her breath, clearly aware that the Doctor wasn’t in the best of moods right now, made worse by the fact that he was acting rather seriously, aware of how deadly this whole predicament was. The Doctor gives a hand signal. “Come on, Leela! They appear to have gone for now. Let’s leave whilst we have the chance.” The Doctor makes his way carefully out of the storage cupboard, followed closely behind by Leela. She’s careful to step in his footsteps, being as quiet as possible, whilst remaining alert to her surroundings. Her knife was at the ready in case an enemy suddenly attacked. Unbeknownst to the Doctor, his scarf was catching on a piece of wood. The piece of wood falls. Clang! The noise echoes across the abandoned warehouse.  Leela looks on in shock. The Doctor turns to face her, his eyes intent. “Don’t just stand there, Leela. Run! Come on!” The Doctor shouts, knowing the soldiers will soon be coming for them. With that voices can be heard close by. It’s the soldiers! They’re locking onto the sound and heading straight towards them. One of the soldiers spots them. The Doctor notices. “Keep running, Leela! Don’t look back!” The Doctor orders. With that, the soldier starts to open fire upon them, narrowly missing. The Doctor covers his head, whilst Leela ducks down, but still running for her life; never stopping for one second, keeping close behind the Doctor as he sprints through the mazed aisles without any real intent. All he cared about was moving, hoping instinct would kick in and discover a way out of this mess. Or luck would suddenly come to their rescue. The soldier fires again, once again barely missing both the Doctor and Leela, with the bullets blasting the walls, as brick and wood splinters across the scenery. Another soldier catches up and slams their hand down on the first soldier’s gun. “Cease fire, you idiot! Captain Alex wants them alive!” The second soldier leads the way, with the first soldier following closely behind, this time restraining himself from shooting. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Leela have reached a deadend. There’s nowhere else to run. Their path is blocked, and there is no way back. “What do we do, Doctor?” Leela asks, hoping the Doctor holds some kind of answer. The Doctor turns to face her, and responds with sincerity. “I don’t know, Leela. I think this could be the end.” Leela turns. She hears the soldiers getting closer, with more of them now joining the first two soldiers in their pursuit for the travellers. Leela prepares herself for battle, crouching down in a fighting stance, with her knife at the ready. “Well I’m not going out without a fight, Doctor.” Leela informs. “Stand behind me, Doctor, I’ll protect you.” The soldiers are right upon them. The Doctor stares on, with a look of complete concern, not knowing what was about to happen. Flashlights suddenly engulf the scenery. The soldiers stop in their tracks, unable to see what is in front of them. Secondary fires are made. The bullets hit the ground just in front of the rebels. A voice then shouts out. “Step away from the civilians, you rebel scum! Or the next shoots won’t be warning fires! Do I make myself clear?” The rebels look worried, and seemingly afraid. Suddenly another group of armed colonists appear out of the shadows and overwhelm the rebels in numbers and weaponry. Captain Bennett steps out. “Don’t make me ask you again. Now step back, otherwise we will shoot you done like a bunch of rabid dogs.” Captain Bennett threatens. The soldiers look at one another, presumably debating their options. Once they realise that retaliation is futile, the rebels stand down and retreat, disappearing back into the shadows of the warehouse. The Doctor steps forward, having now got his charming grin upon his face, holding his hands out in a welcoming gesture. “You don't know how delighted we are to see you gentlemen. It was a mighty close call back there. Now tell me, who exactly are you, and how can I help reestablish order within this dysfunctional colony.” “Who the hell are you?” Captain Bennett demands, looking upon the travellers with confusion, having no idea who they are and what they are doing on Titan Moon VI. “I’m the Doctor, and this is Leela.” The Doctor responds. “We’re travellers. And naturally are strangers to your world. We’ve been attacked by two separate groups, and we’re really hoping that you’ll show us your colony’s true hospitality. Anyone for tea?” “Restrain them.” Captain Bennett orders. “Oh, not again, Doctor.” Leela responds, having become fed up with every new colonist group treating them as an enemy and holding them down for either questioning or execution. The guards surround and restrain the Doctor and Leela. They both try and struggle but it’s no use. The Doctor’s smile fades away again, replaced once more with his stern expression. “I take it then we won’t be receiving your warm hospitality. Shame really, I was looking forward to some tea. Maybe a biscuit or two.” “Shut it! I have no idea who you two are, but once the Governor’s through with you we’ll certainly get some answers. Take them away!” “Let go of me!” Leela shouts, as she’s being dragged away with the Doctor. Captain Bennett watches on, not fully knowing what to make of the situation, before following his men out of the warehouse with his prisoners. Back in the Governor’s office the ruler of this decrepit and broken down colony lords it over, standing tall and proud, as he stares upon his damaged kingdom. He mutters nonsense under his breath. Desperately reassuring himself that he holds power over his people, that they respect him, and that everything is under control. Suddenly, Captain Bennett storms through the door with a bunch of guards, dragging the Doctor and Leela with them. The Governor turns sharply with an unimpressed expression. He stares down at his guards as he makes his way around the desk.. “Really now, Captain, this is quite enough!” The Governor shouts. “I’ve had it with your repeated disregard towards my authority! You’ll follow the correct procedure and knock on my door before I allow you access to my office! I am your ruler. And you will obey and respect me! Is that understood?!” “Apologises, sir-” Captain Bennett interjects. “But we have found those civilians and brought them to you.” The Governor stares on at the Doctor and Leela for a second. He is confused by their appearance, having no idea who they are. “These aren’t technicians. Or members of my council.” The Governor responds. “I know, sir.” Captain Bennett replies. “Then who the devil are they and where did they come from? I’ve never seen them in my entire life. Could they be spies? Enemies sent here to destroy my leadership over the colony? Are they armed? Have you interrogated them, Captain?” “No, sir. I haven’t had the chance yet-” Captain Bennett states. “Then why have you brought them before then? They could be dangerous! They may wish to do me harm! Or worse, dismantle all of my hard work and prevent the rebuilding of the colony-” “Please. Please. Gentlemen-” The Doctor interrupts, having grown tired of all the needless prattling. “Why not just ask us for answers, and then maybe we can get past all these unpleasantries.” “How dare you interrupt me-” The Governor responds in an irritated tone. “I am the Governor. I am the law around here. I am incharge and I will be respected and obeyed! And you will learn to speak when spoken to!” “I take it you don’t like people answering back?” The Doctor replies, trying to calm the situation down. “Understandable. You’re a man of authority. You have a job to do. And you require efficiency.” “Precisely.” The Governor smiles. “Take it from this man, Captain. He clearly understands leadership and the proper courtesy of respect-” “However, this place is in disarray-” The Doctor undercuts. “Whatever has happened here, gentlemen, the world has fallen apart. You have no control here, Governor. You’re the equivalent of covering up a very large crack within the foundation with a cabinet. Sure, you can’t see the crack anymore but I assure you, gentlemen, it’s still very much there. Hiding away your problems won’t solve anything. It just makes matters worse.” “Who are you?” The Governor demands. “And how dare you try to accuse me of covering up problems here in my colony.” “And that’s precisely the problem right there, Governor.” The Doctor responds. “You’re a narcissist that can’t see beyond his own ego and ambition-” The Governor lunges at the Doctor. He grabs him and pulls him face to face with his eyeline, trying desperately to intimidate the Time Lord. However, he is unfazed by the Governor’s childish obsession with power and playing a game of pretending to be governor of the colony. “Listen here you-” The Governor snarls. “I am the law here. I’m incharge! And what I saw goes. I have complete control over the colony. Only I can restore order.” “Then you’ve proven one thing to me, leader.” The Doctor replies. “Oh, and what’s that?” The Governor enquiries. “That you’re absolutely mad and that this colony doesn’t stand a chance.” The Doctor states. The Governor attempts to strike the Doctor. However, the Doctor quickly retaliates and overwhelms the Governor with his superior fighting techniques, rendering the Governor powerless. Captain Bennett and the other guards raise their weapons. The Doctor steals the Governor’s own weapon and places it against his head. The guards look on in shock, as does Leela. The Governor loses his stern, authoritative stance and changes his expression to fear and powerlessness. “Now-” The Doctor states. “You’ll let my friend go and stand aside, otherwise you’d better start looking for a replacement governor.” “Be reasonable-” The Governor grovels. “There’s no need for this, mister.” Captain Bennett speaks. “We can resolve this in a civilised manner.” “Ever since we arrived on this wretched rock we’ve been attacked and nearly murdered. I doubt you have much hospitality left to show us. So if you don’t mind I’d concentrate on keeping your governor alive. And the only way you can do that is by standing aside and letting me and my friend walk out of here.” Captain Bennett hesitates but quickly agrees to the Doctor’s terms. He makes a gesture to the guard restraining Leela and she is let go. The Doctor slowly makes his way over to Leela, still holding onto the Governor, with the gun firmly pressed against the insane leader’s head. The Doctor looks on with a stern, serious look.  It’s almost frightening within its harsh gaze, as the guards look back at him, carefully assessing the situation. The Doctor makes a gesture towards Leela. She begins to follow, readying herself with her knife should things go south. Once they reach the door the Doctor pushes the Governor towards the guards, and the two travellers make a run for it. The Governor pulls himself up, now filled with anger and frustration. “What are you waiting for fools?” The Governor shouts. “Get after them! I want their heads for this! They will pay for disrespecting my authority!” The guards rush out of the room in pursuit. The Governor then grabs Captain Bennett on the shoulder, preventing him from leaving. He looks at the Captain with an intent expression. “You will be disciplined for your failures today, Captain.” Captain Bennett has a moment of contemplation before shrugging the Governor’s hand off his shoulder, following his men to make chase after the travellers. The Governor simply stares on, still frustrated at what happened.  He finds his gun on the floor, after the Doctor threw it to the ground upon escaping. The Governor looks at it for a second before the anger flares back up, resulting in him throwing his weapon across the room. The Doctor and Leela race through the corridors of the control complex. The alarms have now been raised. The Time Lord shouts for his companion to keep running. At every turn the guards slowly catch up to them, or attempt to cut them off. After much running, and not a lot of progress, the Doctor manages to stumble upon a lift. He quickly gets himself and Leela inside and navigates through the multiple different buttons, before finally choosing the basement level. Leela looks on concerned, as the guards grow ever closer. Just as they are about to reach the lift the Doctor presses the switch and closes the doors. They travel down to the basement, exiting out into a decayed looking established. Clearly this part of the control complex wasn’t in use anymore. This reassured the Doctor that they would be safe momentarily, giving him enough time to assess his options before coming up with a clear exit strategy. Leela is meanwhile still on edge, ready to attack anyone who dares pounce on them. She turns to the Doctor, still feeling confused about the whole situation. “Doctor-” Leela asks. “Why are these people attacking us? We’ve done nothing wrong to them.” “It’s simple, Leela.” The Doctor responds, as he searches for a way out. “It is not simple to me, Doctor.” Leela questions, feeling more confused. “Fear, Leela.” The Doctor answers. “The very fundamental weakness of any organic creature who has emotions. Allow fear to dominate the mind, then you create irrational thoughts that can lead to all kinds of nasty responses.” “But how has this happened?” Leela continues to question. “I’m not too sure. Best guesses this colony was attacked a while back, judging by the damages made to structures of the buildings. The remaining colonists have just been reduced into various factions, based around their irrational thought processes. The lynchers. The rebels. The Governor. It all adds up. But it spells great danger for us if we stick around.” “You don’t wish to help anymore?” Leela enquiries. “I’ll be honest, Leela.” The Doctor continues. “I think we’re far too late to do anything to help these people.” “Help me.” An electronic sounding voice calls out. “Will you help me?” The Doctor and Leela look at each other concerned. They soon follow the voice towards a sealed door. The Doctor manages to force the metal door open with a little shove. Inside is a world full of hell. It appears to be some kind of laboratory. Only if Frankenstein was running the place.  It was grim in its appearance; grotesque in so many ways from the horrific images of failed experimentation of organic matter, jars filled with living tissue, dry blood, filthy surgical equipment, and the most horrible of odores. This place even made the Doctor’s skin crawl, as he looked around in utter shock and disapproval. Leela looked around, horrified and confused by what she is witnessing, unable to comprehend words. The Doctor then notices a familiar looking grey piece of metal, filled with black spheres. Suddenly the voice sounds again, still begging for help. The Doctor turns and sees lights flashing in the shadows. He takes a closer look. Suddenly his expression turns to complete shock. Leela gasps. “Doctor-” Leela hesitantly asks. “What is that thing?” “A Dalek!” The Doctor states.