Doctor Who_ Remembrance of the Daleks - Ben Aaronovitch [59]
‘Yes,’ said the Doctor.
‘We won,’ said Gilmore. ‘It’s a victory.’
But the Doctor said nothing.
22
Saturday, 17:37
It was beginning to get dark by the time Ace reached Ashton Road. She jogged along the terrace looking into windows. A sign caught her eye. It read: ‘NO BLACKS
OR DOGS’. She found Mike’s house. There were no lights in the windows.
Ace took the key from her pocket and turned the lock.
There was no sound from the other side. She pushed open the door and stepped inside. Ace froze in the hallway, listening. The living room door was ajar. There was no noise.
I’d be a real wally to walk in there, she thought.
Ace took a deep breath and entered. The time controller was on the mantelpiece among Mrs Smith’s knick-knacks.
‘Hallo, Ace,’ said Mike.
Ace turned slowly. Mike slowly closed the door. He was pointing a gun at her. Light from the streetlamp outside fell on him. Half his face was in shadow.
‘Would you really shoot me?’ asked Ace.
‘If I had to,’ said Mike.
‘You might have to,’ said Ace.
The girl walked down Ashton Road. This close, she could feel the radiated signature of the time controller. It was in the habitation that the female target had just entered.
There was a seventy-six per cent probability that the male target was with her.
A chilly breeze blew down the street.
The girl concentrated and sent her mind out to the Dalek Supreme.
The message struck the Dalek Supreme with unexpected force. Time controller located, reported the girl.
The Dalek suddenly felt cold; its life support heating units stepped up.
Eliminate male and female targets and recover the time controller, ordered the Dalek Supreme and cut the link. The chill passed. The Dalek did a swift sensor-scan of the street. It registered no native activity. The Dalek Supreme moved out of Ratcliffe’s yard.
It would meet the girl and use the time controller to return home. There it would make its report to the renegade council. Perhaps then it would be allowed to commit suicide.
Suicide? The Dalek recoiled from the alien thought. It checked the link with the girl. There was residual activity
– the Dalek could not shut the mind-gate completely. Parts of the girl’s personality continued to filter through.
There was activity at the extreme range of its sensors –
the unmistakable output pattern of internal combustion engines. It swung its optical sensor round in an arc. Native transports were lumbering inelegantly towards it from both ends of the road.
At its depleted power levels the Dalek Supreme was incapable of sustained combat. The tactical computer assessment was bleak. The crude weapons of the humans would overwhelm it.
The Dalek Supreme prepared to make its last stand.
The doorbell rang.
‘Stay there,’ said Mike.
‘It could be the Doctor,’ said Ace as Mike stepped into the hallway. ‘Put the gun down, Mike, it’s too late for that.’
‘Just stay there.’
‘Come on, Mike, who’re you going to shoot with it anyway?’
Gilmore brought the van to a halt and pointed down the road. Rachel craned to see past the Doctor in the front seat.
A hundred yards away, in front of Ratcliffe’s yard was a Dalek. Streetlamps cast highlights on its black livery.
One of the big Bedfords blocked the road behind it.
Soldiers were beside the truck. They waited in the shadows, their weapons trained on the Dalek.
‘This is the last Dalek,’ said Gilmore. ‘I’ll call for reinforcements.’
‘No,’ said the Doctor, ‘not this time.’ He slammed back the van door and got out..’I started this...’
The doorbell rang continuously. Mike tucked the gun into his belt, out of sight behind his back. Mike reached for the doorknob. The ringing stopped. He could see a shadow on the stained glass of the front door. It was small, like a child. Mike opened the door.
The girl stood on the porch.
For a moment Mike stood frozen in confusion. It cost him his life. He recognized the girl. She worked for the Daleks, and was somehow almost like a Dalek herself.
Mike reached for his gun. The girl flung up her arms, hands curved like talons. Mike’s hand closed