The ship slid through interstellar space like a cutting implement through something soft. A casual observer might have identified it as a Dalek mothership, but there were no casual observers around to see. Not yet anyway.
On board the ship the white and gold forms of its Dalek masters glided smoothly and quietly about their deadly business.
"We-are-approaching-renegade-cruiser-on-vector-19. Contact-in-three-rels," announced the Dalek at the piloting position.
"Charge-defensive-screens," ordered the Command Dalek. "Stand-by-weapons. Leave-hyperspace-on-my-command."
"I-obey," chorused the Daleks at the defence, weapons and engineering panels of the mothership.
"Rendezvous-in-one-rel," said the Pilot Dalek.
"Leave-hyperspace," instructed the Command Dalek.
"I-obey."
On the main screen of the ship the stars stopped streaking past and settled into regular patterns. In the centre of the screen was the image of another spaceship.
"Hail-the-renegade-ship."
"I-obey," intoned the Dalek at the communications board.
"Imperial-Dalek-ship-to-renegade-Dalek-faction. Do-not-fire-on-us. We-wish-to-talk."
"They-are-responding," reported the Communications Dalek.
"Put-it-on-the-screen," said the Command Dalek.
The main screen changed picture. The renegade Dalek ship and its space background was replaced by an image of a black Dalek with grey livery.
"Why-do-you-wish-to-talk?" inquired the renegade Dalek.
"Both-our-factions-have-been-seriously-damaged-by-the-intervention-of-the-Doctor. We-have-lost-Skaro-and-you-have-lost-your-time-corridor-technology. We-should-work-together-to-rebuild-the-Dalek-race."
The renegade Dalek seemed to be considering the words of the Imperial Command Dalek. It was almost a minute before it spoke again.
"How-do-we-know-this-is-not-a-trap?"
"You-do-not," the Command Dalek admitted. "But-if-we-work-together-we-can-rebuild-what-we-have-lost-quicker-than-working-alone."
"What-you-say-is-logical. What-do-you-propose?"
"We-should-meet. Dock-with-our-ship-and-we-shall-begin-the-future-of-the-Dalek-race."
***
As the two Dalek ships moved closer to each other for docking manoeuvres, another ship hidden by stealth technology waited close by. The two humanoids aboard this ship were watching with curiosity the two ships on their screen.
"Why aren't they blowing each other to pieces?" wondered one of them aloud. She was Santanastadevorianesta (Santana for short), a Time Lady of the planet Gallifrey. She hated the Daleks with a passion and was currently observing their movements for the High Council of her world.
"Maybe they are not as predictable as you thought," answered her companion. This was the Lady Leela, who wasn't a Gallifreyan like Santana, but did reside on the planet, having married Andred, a Captain in the Chancellery Guard. She was the other member of the observation team.
Santana chose to ignore the barbed comment, instead concentrating on the monitor built into her piloting station. "They could be luring the renegade Daleks into a trap."
"I thought Daleks were ruthlessly cunning, not naïve," Leela replied. "Would you walk freely into such a trap?"
Santana frowned. "No, I wouldn't. But then I'm not a Dalek." She let her fingers dance over the controls before her. Leela recognised the pattern of her movements.
"Launching another probe? Are you going to let this one be discovered?"
"I'll recall this one," Santana told her. "No use letting them know we're watching, this time at least." They had sent a probe into a Dalek base earlier in the mission. When its stealth shield had run out of power, it had been detected and destroyed.
On the screen, the small probe left their ship. It vanished as the stealth shielding took over.
Santana changed the view on the main monitor to show the output of the probe's cameras. It managed to slip into the docking tube extending from the Imperial Dalek ship towards the renegade vessel.
After the ships had docked, three renegade Daleks, led by a Black Dalek, moved through the tube and on board the Imperial ship through the open hatch. The Imperial Command Dalek greeted them.
"We-have-much-to-discuss-about-the-future-of-the-Dalek-race," it intoned.
"How-can-we-trust-your-proposal-of-an-alliance?" inquired the Black Dalek.
"Neither-of-us-can-fully-trust-the-other," the Command Dalek replied. "But-if-we-do-not-combine-our-remaining-forces-the-Dalek-race-could-perish."
The Black Dalek considered for a moment. "We-have-had-a-report-of-a-hostile-intrusion-into-one-of-our-bases. An-alien-probe-was-located-and-exterminated."
"Other-forces-could-challenge-the-Daleks-while-they-percieve-we-are-weak. We-need-to-restore-our-position-in-the-galaxy-quickly."
On board the Gallifreyan Jump ship, Santana was listening open mouthed. "They're forming an alliance!" she eventually managed to say.
Beside her, Leela nodded. "So it would seem. Not what you expected, was it?"
Santana shook her head in silent disbelief.
On the screen, the two Dalek factions were reaching an agreement.
"All-our-remaining-forces-are-regrouping-in-the-Sagitarn-solar-system," said the Imperial Command Dalek. "We-have-a-base-on-the-fourth-planet-of-the-system. We-can-supply-you-with-the-location."
"We-shall-inform-all-our-ships-to-proceed-there-at-once," promised the Black Dalek. So saying, the renegade faction re-entered the docking tunnel.
Seeing that Santana had been surprised into inaction by the events on the screen, Leela reached across and manipulated the controls that moved the remote probe into the tunnel also, just before the hatch on the Imperial ship closed.
Realising what was happening, Santana shook off her shock and took over the guidance of the probe as the docking tunnel disengaged. She put the instrument on automatic return and sat back in her seat.
"They're co-operating," she whispered.
"I had noticed," replied Leela in an almost bored voice. "What of it?"
Santana looked at her companion as if she had just been asked why the sun rose every morning. "These are sworn enemies. They can't just put their differences behind them like that! It's just not possible."
"The Doctor once told me that when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Leela smiled, pleased that she had remembered the detailed quote correctly.
Santana scowled. "But you don't seem to understand. If the two Dalek factions begin working together, they could be back on their feet in hardly any time at all!"
"The Daleks do not have feet," Leela said.
Shooting her companion a black look, Santana reprogrammed the Jump controls of their ship.
***
When the Jump ship came out at the edge of a solar system Santana immediately re-engaged the stealth mode. It tended to disengage automatically during Jump travel.
No sooner had the ship slipped into its invisible cloak than the two female travellers saw that a number of craft were swarming into the system from all sides. They seemed to be heading for the forth planet.
"Don't tell me, let me guess. The Sagitarn system."
Santana raised an eyebrow at Leela. "I'm impressed," the Time Lady said.
Leela shook her head. "It was the logical place to go next."
"Did your friend the Doctor teach you about logic?"
"The Doctor taught me a lot of things," Leela admitted. "Logic was just one of them."
"I never had the honour of meeting him. You must tell me more about him sometime."
Leela nodded. "I will." She watched as Santana made preparations on the control panel before her. "Another probe?"
Santana shook her dark haired head. "Not this time. I want to see this first hand."
"We're going ourselves?" Leela sounded surprised.
Santana frowned. "You don't have to go, if you don't want to. But I'm going down there whatever."
Leela folded her arms. "Then if you're going, so am I."
"Keeping an eye on me?" Santana inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"I prefer to think of it as watching your back," Leela replied shortly. "I'm sure you would do the same for me."
"Of course I would," Santana said after a slightly longer than necessary pause. "Now, I need to match vectors with the Imperial Dalek shuttle entering the system any moment and we can follow it down."
***
Santana put the Jump ship down outside the Dalek base and away from the landing pad. While their ship was invisible, they could really put it anywhere they wanted. However there was always the danger, if landing at the main pad, that an incoming Dalek ship would land on top of theirs.
Before the jets had cooled, Santana was handing Leela a belt containing a portable stealth control box. As Leela buckled it on, Santana checked over her own device.
"This activates the stealth mechanism," Santana said, reaching across to show Leela the controls. "The dial regulates the intensity of the shielding. I have mine set on 80%, as it doesn't drain the power as fast and is more than adequate for what we need."
Leela nodded her understanding. "What does this red light indicate?"
"Problems. Either power drain or shield failure. If it begins to glow, let me know straight away."
"How? Won't the Daleks hear us talking?"
Santana handed her a small plug like device and held up another, which she demonstrated by pushing it into her own ear. "Micro-transmitter and receiver. All you need to do is mouth the words and I'll hear you half a planet away."
"And how will I know you're not half a planet away if I can't see you?" Leela wanted to know.
Santana showed her a small screen set into the stealth box. "Proximity detector, keyed to my bio-data extract. My box is keyed into yours, so we should both know where the other is at all times."
"You are certainly prepared for anything," Leela commented as she followed the Time Lady to the outer airlock of the ship.
"In my business, you have to be," Santana replied, leading the way out onto the surface of a planet crawling with Daleks.
***
The two women quickly covered the ground between their ship and the landing pad for the Dalek base. As they arrived, so did an Imperial Dalek shuttle. After the crew had disembarked, Santana and Leela followed them into the heart of the city.
When they had used a remote probe to gather information on the renegade Dalek base of Sentis 3, the main thing they had noticed was how few Daleks populated the base. This was not the case here. This place was teeming with Daleks, of both factions. And they seemed to be co-operating with each other.
They were also beginning to see different types of Dalek as they made their way through the corridors. There were heavy-gunned Special Weapons Daleks, Scientist Daleks, with their bigger brain cases and specialised Worker Daleks, with alternate appendages fixed into their arm sockets.
"We need to find their main control area," Santana's voice said in Leela's ear.
"Which way?" Leela mouthed in return.
By way of reply, the blob on Leela's screen that indicated her companion changed direction. Dodging around a Dalek, Leela followed.
The passages they were walking through now seemed to be more crowded with Daleks than before. Leela guessed this was because they were nearing some kind of nerve centre.
Eventually, Santana led her to a large set of double doors at the end of a wide corridor. Daleks were coming and going through the doors in an almost constant stream. Each woman picked a Dalek and followed it through the doors.
They found themselves in a cavernous chamber. Computer banks lined the walls, while monitor screens hung from the ceiling, supported by strong metal brackets. Free standing control panels filled a large percentage of the floor space, leaving room for the Daleks to glide about their business.
At the far end was a raised dais, which housed two Daleks, an Imperial model and a Black Dalek from the renegade faction. Each had a control panel before it and a large screen dominated the wall behind them.
Daleks of both factions were moving around the room, examining screens and displays on the panels. Occasionally one would move up the ramp onto the dais and report directly to the two Daleks in their command positions.
"We need to get closer to those two," Santana said, moving towards the raised area. Sighing quietly to herself, Leela followed.
Skirting the constantly moving Daleks wasn't easy, especially given how many there were in this room and Leela almost walked right into one as she tried to keep up with her Time Lady companion. She just managed to stop herself in time as the grey and black alien slid past on its urgent mission.
"Careful," hissed Santana in her ear.
"I'm trying to be," Leela replied. "There are so many of them."
"I know. That's what worries me."
Before Leela could comment on this statement Santana was on the move again. Watching her step more carefully, Leela went after her.
They reached the dais without further incident and quickly scaled the ramp to the command area. Now they were close enough, they could hear the two Daleks conversing.
"Another-of-our-scout-craft-has-reported-in," said the renegade Dalek. "They-will-be-here-in-fifty-rels."
"How-many-aboard?" asked the Imperial Dalek.
"Three-hundred-and-twenty-eight."
An Imperial Dalek glided up the rank to report. "An-Imperial-Dalek-mothership-has-entered-orbit. Shuttles-are-bringing-the-crew-to-the-surface."
"What-is-the-status-of-our-combined-forces-now?" asked the Black Dalek of its Imperial Command colleague.
"Current-base-strength-is-over-thirty-thousand-Dalek-units-with-another seventeen-thousand-confirmed-in-transit."
"Is-the-factory-installation-up-and-running?"
"It-will-reach-production-status-in-ten-rels," replied the Imperial Command Dalek.
"Then-we-shall-have-the-capacity-to-rebuild-our-army," intoned the Black Dalek.
Leela quickly got bored listening to these creatures and their monosyllabic speech. She checked her stealth device and was surprised to see that according to the motion detector, Santana was standing almost right up against the back of the white and gold Imperial Dalek. If it moved, she would be discovered.
Before she could vocalise a warning though, her companion backed off and came towards her. Leela heard the Time Lady's voice in her ear.
"I want to see this factory installation for myself. Come on."
Swallowing a sarcastic comment, Leela followed the motion trace back across the command centre and out through the main doors behind a small squad of Daleks.
More corridors she reflected as they walked through the base. This was almost like being back with the Doctor. Only they were moving slowly down these, not running for their lives.
Ahead the trace of Santana's movement had turned into a side passage. Leela quickened her step, realising that her thoughts had caused her to slow down.
She found Santana waiting outside a Dalek shaped doorway. None of the creatures were around to open it and they didn't dare go through, in case the Daleks noticed the door opening by itself and investigate.
"How are we going to enter if there are no Daleks to go through first?" Leela asked quietly.
"Move aside," Santana replied simply.
"What?" Leela said, not understanding her companion.
Instead of replying, Santana reached across and dragged Leela to the side of the corridor. It was only then that the former warrior realised that there had been a Dalek behind her, gliding slightly up the corridor towards their position. If she had stayed where she was, the alien would have run into her from behind.
"They move too quietly," Leela decided, annoyed that the Dalek had almost caught her unawares. Her hunter's instinct should have warned her.
"They can be noisy enough when they catch you," Santana told her as they followed the creature through the door.
If Leela wanted noise, there was plenty of it here. Not that it was deafening but there seemed to be continuous sound from one or more pieces of equipment.
The equipment itself consisted of moulds, presses, conveyor belts and assembly lines, all staffed by Daleks of both factions. And it was obvious when you got to the end of the line what they were producing. More Daleks.
As the completed but empty casings rolled off the production line, there were Daleks waiting to send them through a hatchway into another room. This one pulsed with a dull green light.
"What do you think is in there?" Leela asked softly.
"Hatching tanks for the mutant Dalek creatures," Santana replied. "You do know what's inside a Dalek shell, don't you?"
Leela nodded, then realised that the Time Lady couldn't see her. "Yes, I've seen one of the creatures inside. It is not pleasant."
Santana's voice sounded amused. "That is the biggest understatement I've heard in a long time." She paused for a moment. "It would seem that they had some embryos in storage, ready for an increase in Dalek numbers. If they had got hold of the Hand of Omega we could be facing a full scale invasion of the galaxy!"
"But they didn't," Leela replied. "They are simply rebuilding their forces after a heavy defeat."
Leela didn't need to consult her motion sensor to know that Santana had just breezed past her, following a Dalek out of the door. She hurried to catch up.
"Are we heading back for the ship?" she asked the Time Lady.
"No," Santana replied simply, increasing her pace.
***
If possible, the Command Centre was more crowded than when they had been here earlier. As the two humanoids approached the dais, the Imperial Command Dalek spoke over the intercom to all the Daleks within the base.
"The-factory-installation-has-now-begun-producing-Daleks. Our-forces-are-now-growing-on-two-fronts. As-more-Dalek-ships-arrive-so-more-Daleks-are-leaving-the-factory. Soon-we-shall-be-a-dominant-power-once-more. The-Daleks-united-shall-never-be-defeated."
Others in the room took up the chant. "The-Daleks-united-shall-never-be-defeated."
"I feel sick," Santana commented. She moved quickly now towards the dais.
"What do you intend to do?" Leela demanded as the two of them walked casually up the ramp.
"I intend to shut that factory down, once and for all."
A white and gold Dalek slipped past them and approached the two Daleks in command.
"A-patrol-ship-has-picked-up-a-homing-beacon-transmitting-on-the-Emperor's-private-frequency."
The Imperial Command Dalek considered for a moment. "Order-them-to-investigate. Search-and-rescue-if-necessary."
"I-obey."
Leela frowned, but knew Santana couldn't see the expression. "Who is this Emperor?"
"He is of no consequence to us," the Time Lady hissed back.
Feeling annoyed at having her question dismissed, Leela studied the motion sensor on her control box. It showed that Santana was standing before a control panel to the left of the Black Dalek. Leela looked over in that direction.
For a moment she thought it was a heat haze, then she realised that there wasn't anything that could produce that here. That left two options. Either her eyes were deceiving her or they were about to find themselves in trouble.
When the effect repeated, she knew it wasn't her vision at fault. The air around her companion had definitely shimmered.
"Santana," she hissed. "I think we have a problem."
Before the Time Lady could reply the stealth shield around her failed completely and she became visible to the entire room.
Leela glanced down at her own control box to see the red light was flashing. Immanent shield failure. Moments later, she saw the air shimmer again and knew she was visible too.
"Intruder-alert!" intoned the Black Dalek. "Seal-all-bulkheads. Scan-for-further-intruders. All-Daleks-to-battle-status."
Before Santana or Leela could react, they were facing a cluster of armed Daleks. Santana raised her hands and Leela followed suit.
"You-are-intruders-here," the Imperial Command Dalek informed them. "You-are-now-prisoners-of-the-Daleks. You-will-be-imprisoned-before-your-interrogation. You-will-then-be-exterminated."
"Confine-them," ordered the Black Dalek and the two humanoids were escorted from the Command Centre under guard.
