Soldier DTF63 watched the building light up and burn as his unit opened fire on it. He hated this. It was wrong, but he had to follow orders, didn't he?

"I have to follow orders," was a phrase that had run through his mind more and more during this campaign. As a justification for what they, what he, was doing. This had to be wrong. Too many people suffered, too many people died. But it was what his people stood for, they had a cause. How could he, one soldier, stand against that cause? Did he even have the right?

"DTF63," barked his unit commander. DTF63 slowly turned to face his senior officer.

His commander, outfitted in black, regarded him closely before speaking once more, "DTF63, check the building for survivors."

He murmured the proscribed words of compliance and entered the still smouldering building. He could feel the commander's gaze on his back. He would have to be more careful than that. He needed to think, but now was not the time.

Within the building there was nothing but destruction, charred remnants of what looked like a family home but, and his conscience was thankful for this, no bodies.

DTF63 was part biological, part mechanical and was equipped with a number of field enhancements. He activated his night vision and scanned the room. His heart sank as he saw the hurried footprints heading out of the room towards the back of the property, humanoid footprints. The enemy. He slowly entered the back room, following the tracks into a shielded back room. He slowly scanned the largely undamaged interior and there they were. An adult male, adult female and a female child. A family judging by the appearance of the girl.

They were silently shaking in fear, they always did. He hated that as well. How could he do this to people, people who had never harmed him, could never harm him in any way?

He lowered his eyestalk to look at the girl and she screamed. A shrill heartrending cry of terror and pain.

He couldn't do it.

"Exterminate the enemies of the Dalek Empire!"

He whirled round to see his commander standing in the doorway.

"These are our enemy!" he squawked. "Exterminate our enemy. Daleks conquer and destroy!"

DTF63 stayed silent.

"You will obey!" his commander shrieked.

And then DTF63 was amazed to find that he felt calm. His mind cleared and he realised that although he couldn't possibly escape he, one Dalek, could make a difference. A small difference, but it would be an extraordinary act.

He let loose with his gun stick, the compressed energy beam striking his commander with the full horrifying force of it's destructive power. Although no real damage was evident on the Dalekenium casing, it was a fatal blow, his black unit commander was silent. Lights out, eyestalk facing the ground.

DTF 63 regarded his fallen commander silently and then turned to the shocked and bewildered humans.

"Go. Leave now while you can," he grated urgently.

The humans got shakily to their feet, the male standing forward of the others, his family. "I don't understand," he began, "but... thank you."

"Go. There is no time," cried DTF63. After committing this desperate act he would not see these humans killed. They looked at him with something approaching wonder for a moment longer and then turned and ran from the house into the thick jungle where Daleks would not follow.

DTF63 stood silently in the home where he knew he would die. He knew it would be a matter of minutes before he was found here and he saw no need to try and cover over what he had done. He had made a difference and now he could do no more. Again, for only the second time in his short existence, he felt calmness descend upon him.

DTF63 waited.

Before anyone could find DTF63, before what he had done was found out, before he was exterminated himself, he was disturbed by a harsh grinding noise and a displacement of air.

Turning, he saw a tall blue box, topped with blue flashing light, standing in the corner.