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least they won t die pointlessly. As you will do in five
seconds...
Angrily, Bragen hit the key on the comm unit. All
guards! This is Bragen speaking. All units must report to
the Hub immediately. Be prepared to face rebel Daleks He
cut the signal and glared at Quinn. There. Satisfied? His
face twisted into a sneer.
Quinn held his weapon firmly on Bragen. I only hope it
works.
Returning to Lesterson s laboratory, the Doctor paused to
check that there were no Daleks inside. Then he slid in
carefully, Valmar sticking close to him. There was no sign
of Ben or Polly. The Doctor called out softly to them.
The cupboard door opened quietly and Ben and Polly
emerged, looking shaken.
Did you hear that announcement? Valmar asked them.
Let s hope that the Daleks have all gone to take on the
guards.
A lot of them just came out of the capsule, Polly
replied. They went down the outer corridor a moment or
two ago.
Good, the Doctor said, rubbing his hands together.
Then I m going inside. Before anyone could stop him, he
shot through the capsule opening.
Ben started to move after the Doctor, but as he did so,
the scruffy little man reappeared. He was carrying one of
the junction boxes Valmar had fitted earlier into the craft.
Long cables trailed after him.
Is this it? he asked Valmar.
That s one of them, the technician agreed.
Right. The Doctor set it on the workbench. Ben, get
me one of the short cables over there. Polly, keep watch by
the door. Valmar, keep your eye on the capsule. Pulling a
screwdriver and wrench set from the scattered tools on the
bench, the Doctor began to take the junction box apart.
The others hurried to do as he asked. As Ben handed him
the short cable he d requested, the Doctor stared at the
mass of wiring within the box. It looked more complicated
than he had expected. Nervously, he wrenched free one of
the wires. Then he took Ben s cable. He looked uncertainly
at his companion, then back at the box. Taking one end of
the cable, he held it out gingerly, then plunged it into the
place he d torn the wire from. He had his eyes screwed
shut. Carefully, he opened one of them and stared
suspiciously at his makeshift connection.
Ben could stand it no more. Do you know what you re
doing? he asked.
The Doctor looked offended. Of course I do!
Really? Ben asked sceptically. As the Doctor wired in
the cable to the box, he added: Why don t you just pull all
of their plugs out and cut off the power?
Because, the Doctor said, miffed, I prefer to do things
my way.
Before Ben could think of a suitable retort, Polly called
a warning from the doorway, then ran bck to join them.
Valmar, worried expression on his face, pointed to the
capsule, then moved to be with them. The four of them
ducked behind the workbench as one Dalek came through
the lab doors and mother emerged to meet it from the
capsule. The Doctor s eyes were rivetted on the edge of the
bench. He could just see the end of the small cable.
Static power is being stored, the Dalek from the
capsule announced. We can now dismantle the humans
electrical system.
The Law of the Daleks is in force, the second Dalek
replied. All humans are being exterminated.
The first Dalek moved from the capsule. Its eye-stick
followed the lines of Lesterson s original cable. Then it
locked on the box that sat on the workbench. Our cables
have been moved!
The four refugees behind the bench held their breaths.
They could hear the Daleks moving towards the bench,
and inevitable discovery.
Suddenly, Lesterson jumped to his feet on the far side of
the lab. And I could tell you who moved it, he said,
cheerily.
The Daleks spun around to face him. What are you
doing in here? the first one demanded.
I came to help you, Lesterson replied. I know that you
are the superior beings.
As the Daleks regarded Lesterson, the Doctor pushed
the other end of the cable home in the junction box. Then
he grabbed the loose end of the wire he had disconnected.
Ben looked at him expectantly, but the Doctor shook his
head: stay where you are! Then, carefully, making no
sounds, the Doctor began to inch his way towards the
generator, trailing the wire to the junction box beside him.
Why do you want to help us? the Dalek demanded of
Lesterson.
The scientist smiled insanely. I am your servant, he
announced, in a stiff impression of their own voices.
We do not need servants, the Dalek replied. It raised
its gun.
Lesterson stared at the Dalek in confusion. Surely you
wouldn t kill me? he said. I gave you life!
Yes, the Dalek agreed. You gave us life. We give you
death. Its gun spat..
The deadly jolt of power shook Lesterson. As it cut off,
he dropped lifelessly to the floor. The Daleks turned from
him and moved towards the workbench again.
Polly and Ben were directly in their view now. The guns
inched upwards.
Frantically, the Doctor rammed home the wire he held
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