Into the Dalek
(Open POV)
Clara's home...
Jared and Clara are in front of the TV with two microphones in their hands and they want to sing the Phoenix's Flame. The first song Tsubasa and Maria sang when they first met. Mostly because lately the two companions of the Doctor haven't understood the Twelfth Doctor really well. And each other, well, these days.
"Oooh... cold moon... blue shine..." Jared said, singing.
"Tonight is the night that the world. Becomes one; let it reach, let it come true." Clara said, singing.
"Now... let's begin. 3, 2, 1, Ready go! Fly!" Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"I won't give up." Jared said, singing.
"These strong..." Clara said, singing.
"Emotions..." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"These endless..." Clara said, singing.
"Strong..." Jared said, singing.
"Emotions..." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"This immortal melody..."
"Won't lose..." Clara said, singing.
"To anyone. Shine, my true heart." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"This is the beat-ing heart that weaved. The life...that dripped from my hands!"
"What does the mooonlight that shined down. Ask to those who were left behind?" Jared asked, singing.
"Sheathe your sadness into a sword." Clara said, singing.
"Into a blade, in the name of justice."
"The flame of my soul."
"Will never disappear again."
"Now, burn bright." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Burn..." Clara said, singing.
"For destiny." Jared said, singing.
"Does not exist..." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Fly..." Clara said, singing.
"Ripping off..." Jared said, singing.
"Your past..." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Go..." Clara said, singing.
"Passionately." Jared said, singing.
"Flying to each other..." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Echoing to each other."
"Playing to each other." Clara said, singing.
"Our bonds!" Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Yes."
"Grip." Jared said, singing.
"Your tears." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Grip." Clara said, singing.
"Everything you've held." Jared said, singing.
"On your back. Now, won't you make those immortal dreams into your wings. And fly together with us to the future we wish for? Sing of this phoenix song." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"I decided this so that the sky I looked up at as I wandered would not pour!" Clara said, singing.
"Bite the taste of determination that pierced your tongue, and look above your pact!" Jared said, singing.
"If you're going to shiver anyway, it's better to."
"Prepare your determination; cut through the nightmares. And drop."
"The hammer of judgement."
"On the trial of sins." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Courage will." Clara said, singing.
"Not betray." Jared said, singing.
"You." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"The past you..." Clara said, singing.
"engraved will..." Jared said, singing.
"Become a star." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Illuminating the path..." Clara said, singing.
"That continues..." Jared said, singing.
"In front of you. All the way into the..." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Shining."
"Sparkling." Clara said, singing.
"Future!" Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Yes."
"Make your hearts." Jared said, singing.
"Into one." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Bundle your..." Clara said, singing.
"Hopes..." Jared said, singing.
"Into one. Let's make the dreams you drew out this moment. Into wings as we hold hands. Boil, phoenix song." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"For what I will protect, I can swear." Clara said, singing.
"I can be proud; I'm not afraid of anything." Jared said, singing.
"The flame of my soul."
"Will never disappear again."
"Now, burn bright. Ignition...!" Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Burn." Clara said, singing.
"For destiny." Jared said, singing.
"Does not exist." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Fly." Clara said, singing.
"Ripping off." Jared said, singing.
"Your past." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Go." Clara said, singing.
"Passionately." Jared said, singing.
"Flying to each other." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Echoing to each other."
"Playing to each other." Clara said, singing.
"Our bonds!" Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Yes."
"Grip." Jared said, singing.
"Your tears." Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
"Grip." Clara said, singing.
"Everything you've held." Jared said, singing.
"On your back. Now, won't you make those immortal dreams into your wings. And fly together with us to the future we wish for? Burn the heavens. And sing of this phoenix song!" Jared and Clara said, at the same time.
Coal Hill school playground...
A short haired, dark-skinned man with a neatly trimmed short beard shouts in the playground.
"Atten-shun. Look at you lot. I've never seen such a miserable bunch. What are you, children?" Danny asked.
"Yes, sir." Fleming said.
Danny and his troop are wearing matching t-shirts.
"You think you're funny, Fleming?" Danny asked.
"Yes, sir." Fleming said, happily.
"All right, me too." Danny said, when the school bell rings. "Dismissed."
The members of the Coal Hill Cadet Corps run off to the school building.
"What you doing, Fleming?" A boy asked.
Clara smiles at Danny and follows the children inside.
Secretary's office...
A little later, Danny enters, now dressed in shirt and tie, to check the timetable on the notice board for any changes.
"So, Mister Pink, did you have a good weekend?" The secretary asked.
"Yeah, I did, thanks." Danny said, smiling.
"Yeah, I'll bet you did. What did you get up to?"
"Er, you know. A bit of reading."
"Oh, I bet you were reading."
"I was, yeah."
"Yeah, I bet you were."
"Well, yeah, I was."
"I know your type."
A schoolgirl is listening at the public counter.
"She wishes." Courtney said, smirking.
"Be quiet, you." The secretary said, annoyed.
Maths classroom...
"So that's all the questions on page 32, except the last one, and then everything on page 33. All that in for Thursday. Any questions?" Danny asked.
"Sir? Have you ever killed a man?" Fleming asked.
Groans from the rest of the class.
"I was a soldier. There were other soldiers and some of them weren't on our side. I shall leave the rest to your imagination. And, please, think of another question?" Danny asked.
"Okay. Have you ever killed anyone who wasn't a soldier?" Fleming asked.
"Just to repeat, that's all the questions on page 32, except the last one, and then everything on page 33. All that in for Thursday. Is everyone clear?"
"Yes, sir." The class said, watching a lone tear roll down Danny's cheek.
Staff room...
The staff are putting on their coats to leave.
Clara is discussing timetables with the headmaster, "Fine, I'll take that class and then, they can do some of the test."
"I know. Oh, Clara, you've not met Danny Pink yet? New fella, maths. Danny? Clara Oswald." Armitage said, leading Danny to Clara.
"Hey." Clara said, happily.
"English."
"Hey, nice to meet you." Danny said, looking at Clara.
"You too." Clara said, smiling.
"Want to watch yourself around him. Bit of a lady-killer, but always denies it." Armitage said, scoffing.
"I am not a lady-killer." Danny said, annoyed.
"See what I mean? Oh, Beth, can I have a word?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure." Beth said, nearby.
"Er, was it you that I saw outside doing the soldiery thing?" Clara asked, when Armitage walked away from her and Danny.
"Ah yeah, probably. The Coal Hill Cadets. Just a bit of fun." Danny said.
"What, teaching them how to shoot people?"
"There's a bit more to modern soldiering than just shooting people. I like to think there's a moral dimension."
"Ah, you shoot people then cry about it afterwards?"
"Ah."
"Something wrong?" Clara asked.
"Nothing, no. Sorry, no, nothing. I just. I didn't think they'd say anything, that's all." Danny said, sadly.
"Sorry?"
"Have they told everyone?"
"No, no, no. As far as I know, nobody has told anybody anything. What are you talking about?"
"Why did you just say the crying thing?"
"I was being funny." Clara said, happily.
"Why?" Danny asked.
"I just do that."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Anyway I, er, I've left some stuff in my class."
"Okay, see you." Clara said, looking at Danny.
"See you." Danny said, smiling.
"Er, are you going to the, er, leaving thing tonight for Cathy?"
"Um."
Maths classroom...
"Yeah. I wasn't going, but I am now, because you're going to be there, and suddenly it seems like the best idea ever." Danny said, sadly.
Staff room...
"No, I'm not." Danny said, looking at Clara.
"Oh, okay, never mind." Clara said, frowning.
"Good night."
"Change your mind."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm going. Er, I'll give you a lift. Why not?"
Maths classroom...
"Actually, now that you mention it, seems like the best plan ever. Thank you." Danny said.
Staff room...
"No, I've got some reading." Danny said.
"Ah, okay. Maybe some other time, then?" Clara asked.
Maths classroom...
"Thank you!" Danny said, banging his forehead on his desk.
"Ahem. Is the wooden sound you or or the desk?" Clara asked.
"How long have you been there?"
"Longer than you would like." Clara said, letting out a sigh.
"Okay." Danny said, sadly.
"Are you going to look that terrified when you take me out for a drink?"
"I, I absolutely promise I won't."
"Play your cards right and you might."
Supply cupboard...
Clara enters, and nearly walks into the tray of coffees that the Doctor is holding out to her. Jared removed the TARDIS key from around his neck to make his presence known. The Tardis just fits the width of the back of the cupboard.
"Where the hell have you been?" Clara asked, looking at the Doctor.
"You and Jared sent me for coffee." The Doctor said, holding the tray of coffee.
"We did that three weeks ago in Glasgow." Jared said, rolling his eyes.
"Three weeks, that's a long time."
"In Glasgow. That's dead in a ditch." Clara said, annoyed.
"It's not my fault, I got distracted."
"You got distracted...by what exactly? I was with Sherlock Holmes and John Watson for years!" Jared said, excitedly. "We were solving cases."
"I know. I was reading John's blog." The Doctor said, entering the TARDIS with Clara and Jared. "Anyway, you can always find something. Come on."
Tardis...
"Why were you smiling?" The Doctor asked, looking at Clara.
"Was I? No, I wasn't." Clara said, sadly.
"You were smiling at nothing. I'd almost say you were in love, but to be honest..."
"Honest?"
"You're not a young woman any more."
"Yes, she is a young woman." Jared said, taking the coffees and puts them on the console.
"Well, she doesn't look it." The Doctor said, as Jared removed his coffee from the tray.
"I do look it." Clara said, annoyed.
"Oh, that's right, keep your spirits up, Clara, Clara, Clara, Clara. Clara, Clara. Clara, Clara." The Doctor said, walking around the console, and down the stairs. "I need something from you and Jared. I need the truth."
"Okay. Right, what is it? What's...." Clara said, while she, the Doctor, and Jared sat on the console steps. "You're scared."
"I'm terrified." The Doctor said, frowning.
"Of what? What are you terrified of?" Jared asked, sipping on his cup of coffee.
"The answer to my next question, which must be honest and cold and considered, without kindness or restraint. Clara, Jared, be my pals and tell me, am I a good man?" The Doctor asked.
"I don't know." Clara said, sadly.
"Doctor, I don't know either. I spent years with Sherlock Holmes. That I, well, forgot what you were like." Jared said, letting out a sigh.
"Neither do I." The Doctor said, getting up and goes to the console.
"Er, hey, no offence, but I've got plans." Clara said, happily.
"Plans? Can I come?" Jared asked, sipping his cup of coffee.
"No. You are not crashing my date!"
"But I want to."
"No."
"I need the both of you." The Doctor said, looking between Clara and Jared.
"Right. Where are we going?" Clara asked.
The Doctor starts the Tardis flying, "Into darkness."
Rusty's room...
"Doctor." Rusty said, looking at the Doctor.
"How do you know who I am?" The Doctor asked.
"He doesn't. We promised him medical assistance." Morgan said, sadly.
"Are you my doctor?" Rusty asked.
"We found it floating in space." Journey said, frowning.
"We thought it was deactivated, so we tried to disassemble it." Morgan said.
"You didn't realise there was a living creature inside." The Doctor said.
"Not till it started screaming." Journey said.
"Help me." Rusty said.
"Why would I do that? Why would any living creature help you?" The Doctor asked.
"Daleks will die."
"Die all you like. Not my problem."
"Daleks must be destroyed."
"Daleks must be de...what did you just say?" The Doctor asked.
"All Daleks must die. I will destroy the Daleks. Destroy the Daleks. Destroy the Daleks!" Rusty yelled.
(Jared's POV)
Tardis...
"A good Dalek?" Clara asked, drinking her coffee.
"Is that possible?" I asked, drinking my mocha.
"There's no such thing." The Doctor said, scoffing.
"That's a bit inflexible. Not like you. I'd almost say prejudiced." Clara said, looking at the Doctor.
"Do I pay you? I should give you a raise." The Doctor said, letting out a sigh.
The Tardis lands.
"You're not my boss, you're one of my hobbies." Clara said, happily.
"You really became one of my hobbies, Spaceman. I have a life outside of you now." I said, holding my cup of coffee. "Come on. We have a Dalek to see."
Lab 01...
"That was quick." Journey said, at a loss for words.
"This is gun girl. She's got a gun, and she's a girl. This is a sort of boss one. Are you the same one as before?" The Doctor asked.
"Yes." Morgan said, sadly.
"I think he's probably her uncle, but I may have made that up to pass the time while they were talking. This is Clara and Jared, not my assistants. They're, er, some other word." The Doctor said, looking between Clara and I.
"We're his carers." Clara said, grabbing my hand.
"Basically, we're his babysitters." I said, squeezing Clara's hand.
"No, not my babysitters." The Doctor said, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, my carers. They care so I don't have to."
Rusty's room...
"Doctor." Rusty said, looking at the Doctor.
"Hello again." The Doctor said.
"Will you help me?"
"Will you?" Clara asked.
"Will you help the Dalek? Please say yes." I said, squeezing Clara's hand.
"A Dalek so damaged, it's turned good. Morality as malfunction. How do I resist?" The Doctor asked.
"Daleks must die. Daleks must die." Rusty said.
"So, what do we do with a moral Dalek, then?" Clara asked.
"We get into its head." The Doctor said.
"Mmm. How do you get into a Dalek's head?" Clara asked.
"That wasn't a metaphor."
Lab 01...
We go to the moleculon nanoscaler.
"These are nanocontrollers. Once we're miniaturised, they take over the molecular compression. When the mission's over, hit the button." Journey said, putting the bracelet on Clara's wrist. "Are you sure you understand?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Clara asked.
"Because this is a dangerous mission and you look like a school teacher."
"I am a school teacher. Still didn't catch your name."
"Journey Blue."
"Blue?"
"Blue, yes. Problem?" Journey asked.
"No. Er, I just met a soldier called Pink." Clara said, smiling.
"Lucky fella."
"Lucky?"
"From the way you smile." Journey said, looking at Clara.
"So, er, who makes you smile or is nobody up to the job?"
"My brother. But he burned to death a couple of hours ago, so he's really letting me down today. Excuse me." Journey said, looking between Gretchen and Ross.
"What are those ones for? I don't need armed baby-sitters." The Doctor said.
"We're not baby-sitters." Gretchen said.
"We're here to shoot you dead if you turn out to be a Dalek spy." Ross said.
"Well, that's a relief. I hate baby-sitters." The Doctor said, happily.
"Clara and I are your babysitters." I said, smiling.
"No, you're not. You two are my carers."
"Okay, listen up. Now, remember, do not hold your breath when the nanoscaler engages. You'll feel like you want to, but you must keep breathing normally during the miniaturisation process." Journey said.
"Why?" Clara asked.
"Ever microwaved a lasagne without pricking the film on top?" The Doctor asked.
"It explodes."
"Don't be lasagne."
"Nanoscaler engaging in five four three two. Nanoscaler engaging now." Morgan said, pressing buttons on a computer.
"Nanoscaling in progress." The computer said, as a crossbeam passes back and forth over chamber id AR-O13-AR-F74 until it shrinks with a bump. "Nanoscaling complete."
"Nanoscaling successful. Everyone okay in there?" Morgan asked.
The chamber is carefully picked up with a pair of tweezers.
"We made it." Journey said, over the speakers.
Nanoscaler...
"Nobody popped." Journey said.
"Whoa. Ha. I can't believe this." Clara said, squeezing my hand.
"No, neither can I." The Doctor said.
"I can. Since I have a feeling I will be friends with Ant-Man and the Wasp someday." I said, and the chamber is injected into Rusty's eye-piece. "Shrinking and enlarging is their specialty."
"Of course it is." The Doctor said, reaching out and the surface wibbles.
Lab 01...
"We'll be following you all the way, Rescue One. Good luck all of you." Morgan said.
The Doctor's arm distorts as he slowly reaches into the blue 'eye' on the end of the stalk. Then we all push our way through.
"Integration complete. Dalek levels steady." The computer said.
Eye stalk...
"That was weird." Clara said, sadly.
"You've seen nothing yet." The Doctor said.
"What are the lights?"
"Visual impulses travelling towards the brain."
"Beautiful." Clara said, in awe.
"Welcome to the most dangerous place in the universe." The Doctor said, smirking.
"Journey to the Center of the Dalek." I said, laughing a lot.
Lab 01...
The computer is monitoring our locations inside Rusty.
"Entering the cranial ledge now." Journey said, over the speaker.
Cranial ledge...
"Here." Journey said.
"Oh, my God." Clara said.
"Wow..." I said, while we're looking down from the ledge onto the red tentacled blob that is the organic part of Rusty. "Wasn't it green before?"
"Times have changed, Jared." The Doctor said, as cables are running down into the organic part of Rusty. "Behold, the belly of the beast."
"It's amazing." Clara said, smiling.
"It's huge." Ross said.
"No, Ross. We're tiny." Gretchen said.
"So how big is it, that living part, compared to me, Jared, and you, right now?" Clara asked.
"Do you see all the cables?" I asked, looking at the cables.
"Yeah."
"They're part of the Dalek. So, they're not all cables."
"Does it know we're here?" Ross asked.
"It's what invited us in." Journey said.
The Doctor looks at banks of vertical lights around the inside of part of the ledge, "Now, this is the cortex vault, a supplementary electronic brain. Memory banks, but more than that. This is what keeps the Dalek pure."
"How are Daleks pure?" Gretchen asked.
"Dalek mutants are born hating. This is what stokes the fire, extinguishes even the tiniest glimmer of kindness or compassion. Imagine the worst possible thing in the universe, then don't bother, because you're looking at it right now. This is evil refined as engineering." The Doctor said.
"Doctor?" Rusty asked, over the speakers.
"Oh, hello, Rusty. You don't mind if I call you Rusty? We're going to need to come down there with you. Medical examination, and all that."
"What, with those tentacles and things?" Gretchen asked.
"How close do we have to get?" Journey asked.
"Well, you know, we're never going to insert a thermometer from up here." The Doctor said, and Journey nods, and Ross fires a harpoon into Rusty's ledge.
"Jesus Christ! Fuck!" I said, when the harpoon hurts Rusty. "No! Stop! You idiot!" Another harpoon goes in. "Shit!"
"We need a way down, the only way..." Journey said.
"This is a Dalek, not a machine. It's a perfect analogue of a living being, and you just hurt it. So what's going to happen now?" The Doctor asked.
"Oh, God." Clara said, squeezing my hand.
"What? What is it?" Gretchen asked.
"Antibodies?"
"They're Dalek antibodies." I said, when little round objects fly into view.
"Nobody move. Any attempt to help him, or attack those things, will identify you as a secondary source of infection. Stay still!" The Doctor yelled.
The antibodies open to reveal a big blue eye, then surround Ross.
"But the Dalek wants us in here. Why is it attacking?" Clara asked.
"Can you control your antibodies?" The Doctor asked.
"Ross, stay calm. We're going to get you out of this." Journey said, looking at Ross.
"Can you?" Clara asked.
"Ross, swallow that." The Doctor said, tossing Ross an item.
"What is it?" Ross asked.
"Trust me."
Ross swallows the little whatever it was that the Doctor threw to him, "Now what?"
An antibody aims a painful bright beam at Ross.
"Ross!" Journey said, worried.
Ross disintegrates.
"Oh, my God. What's it doing?" Clara asked.
The antibody sucks up the remains and its blue eye turns red,
"The hoovering." The Doctor said, while the antibody flies away with the Time Lord raises his sonic screwdriver. "Gotcha."
"What did you give him?" Clara asked.
"Oh, just a spare power cell, but I can track the radiation signature. I need to know where they dump the bodies."
"I thought you were saving him." Journey said, sadly.
"He was dead already. I was saving us. Follow me and run." The Doctor said.
"Run!" I said, dragging Clara away.
The other antibodies follow at a distance.
The Doctor stops at a hole in the ledge, "They've dumped him in here. Organic refuse disposal. We need to get in there."
"Why?" Clara asked.
Gretchen and Journey shoot at the antibodies.
"Those antibodies won't give up until we're inside there. I'd rather go in alive than dead." The Doctor said.
"You don't know where it goes." Journey said.
"Yes, I do. Away from here. Now in. In! In!" The Doctor said, as Clara and I jumped down the hole.
"I can hold them off." Gretchen said.
"No, you can't." The Doctor said, trying his screwdriver on the antibodies. "Pull back. Down. Jump, everyone, jump."
The Doctor goes in last, and enjoys the ride.
Organic refuse disposal...
We splosh into liquid gunk.
"Talk about 'A New Hope'!" I said, excitedly. "Or the Star Whale. But mostly 'A New Hope'.
"Urgh. What is this stuff?" Clara asked.
"People. The Daleks need protein. Occasionally, they harvest from their victims. This is a feeding tube." The Doctor said.
"Is Ross here?" Journey asked.
"Yeah. Top layer, if you want to say a few words."
Journey pushes the Doctor against the wall, "A man has just died. You will not talk like that."
"A lot of people have died. Everything in here is dead, and do you know why that's good?" The Doctor asked.
"There is nothing good about that." Journey said.
"Nothing is alive in here, so logically this is the weakest spot in the Dalek's internal security. Nobody guards the dead. Mortuaries and larders, always the easiest to break out of. Oh, I've lived a life Tell Uncle Stupid that we're in. Ah ha! A bolt hole." The Doctor said, unscrewing the large bolt with the sonic screwdriver.
"The Doctor will get us out of here. He always does. The difficult part is not killing him before he is able to." I said, walking over to Clara. "He can be such an asshole while under stress."
"Bolt hole. Actually, a hole for a bolt. Does nobody get that?" The Doctor asked.
"Oh yeah, he loves making puns. Insulting species or making puns is his way of dealing with stress."
"Watch it, decontamination tubes are hot." The Doctor said, when Clara is getting close to a decontamination tube.
(Open POV)
Lab 01...
The schematic on the screen shows our heroes' Nanotags are just over half way down Rusty's innards, below where he is sitting by the plunger and gun arms.
"Anomaly threat displaced. Dalek levels returning to normal parameters." The computer said.
"Rescue One to Mission Control." Journey said, over the speaker.
"This is Blue, Rescue One. Report. " Morgan said.
Decontamination tube...
"The Dalek has an internal defence mechanism." Journey said.
Lab 01...
"We've lost Ross." Journey said, over the speaker.
"What kind of defence mechanism?" Morgan asked.
Decontamination tube...
"That thing knows you're in there to help it." Morgan said, over the walkie talkie.
"Yeah, well, who knows? It's a Dalek. We're going to continue the mission." Journey said.
"Are you all right back there? It's a bit narrow, isn't it?" The Doctor asked, looking under Clara's skirt.
"Any remarks about my hips will not be appreciated." Clara said, rolling her eyes.
"Ach, your hips are fine. You're built like a man."
"Thanks." Clara said, annoyed.
Power unit...
The Doctor helps Clara and Jared down from the tube, "What's that noise? Are you wearing a Geiger counter?"
"Standard battle equipment. That's just low level radiation." Gretchen said.
There are large printed circuit boards here.
"But stronger down here, for some reason. Gimme." The Doctor said.
"Was that him?" Morgan asked, over the walkie talkie.
Lab 01...
"How's he working out?" Morgan asked.
"It's hard to say." Journey said, over the speaker.
Power unit...
"He's..." Journey said, frowning.
The Doctor sweeps the circuit boards with the Geiger counter, "I've got it. I know what's wrong with Rusty."
"Okay, that's good. Is that good?" Clara asked.
"Well, you know how I said this was the most dangerous place in the universe? I was wrong. It's way more dangerous than that." The Doctor said.
Lab 01...
"Colonel, we have radiation indicators red-lining in here. Could be that the Dalek is badly damaged than we thought." Journey said, over the speakers.
"Copy that." Morgan said.
"Old Rusty here is suffering a trionic radiation leak." The Doctor said, over the speakers.
Power unit...
"It's poisoning the Dalek and us. Just as well we're here." The Doctor said.
"Really? Perhaps we should get out while we can. Why should we trust a Dalek? Why would it change?" Journey asked.
Organic compartment...
Rusty is watching them on an internal monitor.
"That's a good question, So Rusty, what changed you? Why did you change?" Jared asked, on screen.
"I saw beauty." Rusty said.
"You saw what?" The Doctor said, on screen.
"In the silence and the cold, I saw worlds burning."
"That's not beauty, that's destruction." Journey said, on screen.
"I saw..." Rusty said.
Power unit...
"More." Rusty said, over the speakers.
"What? What did you see? Did you see something good?" Jared asked, squeezing Clara's hand.
"The birth of a star."
"Stars are born every day. You've seen a million stars born. So what?" The Doctor asked.
"Daleks have destroyed a million stars."
Organic compartment...
"Oh, millions and millions. Trust me, I keep count." The Doctor said, on screen.
"And yet, new stars are born." Rusty said.
"Every time."
Power unit...
"Resistance is futile." Rusty said, over the speakers.
"Resistance to what?" The Doctor asked.
"Life returns. Life prevails. Resistance is futile."
"So you saw a star being born, and you learned something. Oh, Dalek, do not be lying to me." The Doctor said, as Jared is dragging Clara away. "Come on."
Lab 01...
"Heading for the Trionic power cells, Colonel." Journey said, over the speakers.
"Radiation approxing two hundred Rads. Danger levels." Morgan said.
"Radiation levels increasing." The computer said.
Power cell...
Directly underneath Rusty.
"We're at the heart of the Dalek." The Doctor said.
"It's incredible." Clara said, at a loss for words.
Energy arcs above them.
"It really is." Jared said, squeezing Clara's hand.
"Geiger counter's off the scale. Looks like it's about to blow." Journey said, looking down at the Geiger counter.
"Good." The Doctor said, happily.
"How is that good?"
"Well, I like a bit of pressure. Rusty, can you hear me?"
"Doctor?" Rusty asked, over the speakers.
"Rusty, we've found the damage. I'm sealing up the breach in your power cell." The Doctor said, using the sonic screwdriver as a welder. "No more radiation poisoning. Good as new. There. Job done."
"That's it? Just like that?" Clara asked.
"An anti-climax once in a while is good for my hearts. Rusty? How do you feel? Rusty? Rusty? Rusty." The Doctor said.
"The malfunction is corrected." Rusty said, over the speakers.
"What's happened?" Journey asked.
"Not entirely sure." The Doctor said.
"Shit." Jared said, when the lights come on. "It's like Rusty is waking up from a long nap."
"Rusty, come on, talk to me. What's going on?"
"The malfunction is corrected. All systems are functioning." Rusty said, over the speakers.
Rusty's room...
"Weapons charged." Rusty said.
Power cell...
"Oh, no, no, no." The Doctor said, sadly.
Rusty's room...
"Exterminate. Exterminate." Rusty said, killing the man keeping watch through the window in his cell door.
It is a return to the classic black and white skeleton effect as the victim dies. Rusty breaks free and Morgan sounds the alarm.
Power cell...
"No, no, no." The Doctor said, frowning.
"Exterminate." Rusty said, over the speakers.
Lab 01...
"Exterminate." Rusty said.
Power cell...
The team are thrown about as Rusty moves.
"The Daleks will be victorious. The rebels will be exterminated." Rusty said, over the speakers.
"Colonel? What's happening out there?" Journey asked.
Lab 01...
Morgan and his troops are too busy shooting at Rusty.
"Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate." Rusty said, while two more soldiers die. "Exterminate." Another soldier dies. "Exterminate."
"Pull back, pull back." Morgan said.
Rusty plugs into a console with his plunger arm, "Dalek fleet. Communications open."
Saucer...
"The rebel ship has been identified." A Dalek said.
"Prepare fourteen Daleks." Dalek 2 said.
Power cell...
"Doctor, what happened?" Clara asked.
"Do you see?" The Doctor asked, looking at Clara.
"Do I see what?"
"Daleks don't turn good. It was just radiation affecting its brain chemistry, nothing more than that. No miracle."
"Okay. As I've said, I spent years with Sherlock. We had a good Dalek and we made it bad again. Is that all we did?" Jared asked, squeezing Clara's hand.
"There was never a good Dalek. There was a broken Dalek and we repaired it."
"You were supposed to be helping us." Journey said, looking at the Doctor.
"I gave it a shot. It didn't work out. It was a Dalek, what did you expect?" The Doctor asked.
"No more talking. You are done! Okay, new objective. We are taking this Dalek down."
"Exterminate. Exterminate." Rusty said, over the speakers.
"What're those looks for?" The Doctor asked, looking between Clara and Jared.
"It's the look you get when I'm about to slap you." Clara said, slapping the Doctor, hard.
"And it's the look you get when I'm about to punch you." Jared said, punching the Doctor in the forehead, hard.
"Ow. Clara. Jared." The Doctor said, rubbing his face in pain.
"Are we going to die in here? I mean, there's a little bit of you that's pleased. The Daleks are evil after all. Everything makes sense. The Doctor is right." Clara said, sadly.
"Daleks are evil. Irreversibly so. That's what we just learned."
"No, Doctor, that is not what we just learned."
Aristotle...
"Exterminate. Exterminate." Rusty said, over the speakers.
"Secure the door! Wasp fighters to action stations. Wasp fighters to action stations." Morgan said.
"The security systems have been hacked. We don't have access to the Wasps." A soldier said, over the speakers.
"Then God save us all."
Power cell...
"We need to place these charges for maximum effect. I'm going to scan the rest of the architecture for weaknesses." Journey said.
"One question." Clara said.
"No time." Journey said, frowning.
Journey and Gretchen place grenades on handy surfaces.
"Why did we come here today? What was the point? You. You thought there was a good Dalek. What difference would one good Dalek make?" Clara asked.
"All the difference in the universe, but it's impossible." The Doctor said.
"Is that a fact? Is that really what we've learned today? Think about it. Is that what we've learned?" Clara asked.
"It's not. Doctor, it's not impossible. It's a bit unlikely. We can make Rusty good again." Jared said, happily. "You know we can."
Aristotle...
"Journey, what the hell's happening? That thing's set the Daleks on us." Journey said.
Power cell...
"And it's locked us out of our defences." Morgan said, over the speakers.
Aristotle...
"Journey, you're the Aristotle's only hope." Morgan said.
Power cell...
"I need you to destroy that Dalek." Morgan said, over the speakers.
Aristotle...
"The rebels will be exterminated." Rusty said.
"Whatever it takes." Morgan said.
Power cell...
"Understood, Uncle." Journey said.
Aristotle...
"I'm sorry." Morgan said, sadly.
Power cell...
"Yeah. Me too." Journey said.
"Clara Oswald, Jared Shay, do I really not pay either of you?" The Doctor asked, looking between Clara and Jared.
"You couldn't afford me." Clara said, happily.
"And you couldn't afford me." Jared said, smiling.
"Whatever you're going to do, don't do it. This Dalek must not be destroyed. We can do better." The Doctor said, walking up to Journey.
"Are you out of your mind?" Journey asked.
"No, I'm inside a Dalek. I'm standing where I've never been. We cannot waste this chance. It won't come again."
"What chance? I have my orders."
"Soldiers take orders."
"And I'm a soldier."
"So what? A Dalek is a better soldier than you'll ever be, Journey Blue. It's a killing machine. You can't win this way." Jared said, letting out a sigh. "Yes, you kill this Dalek. But there's more out there coming to Aristotle."
Journey holds up a grenade to pull the pin, then puts it down again, "Bah! So what do we do?"
"Something better." The Doctor said, smirking.
Saucer...
"Prepare to board the rebel ship. We must find our comrade Dalek. Spare no humans. Exterminate them all." A Dalek said.
"Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate." The Daleks said, at the same time.
The Saucer flies over the asteroid where the Aristotle is hiding.
Inner casing...
They climb up to a recess.
"The Dalek isn't just some angry blob in a Dalekanium tank. If it was, the radiation would have turned it into a raging lunatic." The Doctor said.
"It is a raging lunatic, it's a Dalek." Journey said.
"But for a moment, it wasn't. The radiation allowed it to expand its consciousness, to consider things beyond its natural terms of reference. It became good. That means a good Dalek is possible. That's what we learned today. Am I right, teach and fanboy?" The Doctor asked.
"Top of the class." Clara said, smiling.
"You are." Jared said, happily.
"But now it's back to how it was." Journey said, frowning.
"But what it saw, what it felt, is still there." The Doctor said.
"Yeah, I'm not really seeing that."
"Not here. There." The Doctor said, pointing upwards.
"You mean in the cortex vault?"
"The evil engineering?" Clara asked.
"Every memory recorded. Some suppressed, but all still intact. We need to show the Dalek that star being born again. Recreate that moment. You and Jared need to get up there, find that moment and reawaken it." The Doctor said, looking at Clara.
"Me?" Clara asked.
"Yes, you and Jared. Good idea."
"How are we supposed to do that, Spaceman? I'm not Ant-Man. And Clara's not the Wasp!" Jared said, angrily.
"Haven't the foggiest. Do a clever thing. And then once you've done it, the Dalek will be suggestible to new ideas. It will be open again. And I will show it something that will change its mind forever." The Doctor said.
"What? Not a clue." Journey said.
Aristotle docking port...
"Docking initiated." A Dalek said, over the speakers.
The space doors are blown in.
"Pressures equalised. Boarding corp, begin attack." The Dalek said, over the speakers.
"Advance. Exterminate the humans." Dalek 2 said.
"Seek, locate, destroy. Surrender is not accepted." The Daleks said, at the same time.
As they come through the burning space doors, some of the rubber plungers catch fire.
Inner casing...
"This is crazy. There is no way that we can get back up there in time." Journey said.
"Yes, there is." Gretchen said.
"No, Gretchen. It'll bring the antibodies back down on us."
"Tell me the truth. Is he mad, or is he right? I've come this far. Probably going to die anyway. Wouldn't mind something to do for the rest of my life. Is he mad, or is he right?"
"Hand on my heart? Most days he's both." Clara said, happily.
"He really is both. I've had faith in the Doctor for over a thousand years. And he's never failed me before." Jared said, smiling.
"One question, then. Is this worth it?" Gretchen asked.
"If I can turn one Dalek, I can turn them all. I can save the future." The Doctor said.
"Gretchen Alison Carlisle. Do something good and name it after me."
"I will do something amazing, I promise."
"Damn, well better." Gretchen said, priming her harpoon.
"No, Gretchen." Journey said, firing two wires up to the cranial ledge.
"Go." Gretchen said, when antibodies approach.
"They're coming. They're coming." Clara said.
Journey fastens a pulley onto the zip wire, "Grab hold of the rope. Don't look down."
"Good luck." Gretchen said.
Journey, Clara, and Jared fly upwards. The Doctor leaves, and Gretchen shoots at the antibodies until she is killed, screaming.
Tea rooms...
Gretchen stops screaming when she realises she is still breathing and sitting down. She looks at the Edwardian lady seated across the tea table by the French windows.
"Hello. I'm Missy. Welcome to heaven. Would you like some tea? Little splosh? Lovely." Missy said, happily.
Aristotle...
"Fire!" Morgan yelled.
"Exterminate. Advance. Seek, locate, destroy." A Dalek said.
"Seek, locate, destroy." Dalek 2 said.
"Exterminate." Dalek 3 said.
A Dalek explodes.
"Advance. Seek, locate." The first Dalek said.
"Exterminate. Exterminate." Dalek 2 said.
Organic compartment...
"Well, Rusty, here we are. Eye to eye." The Doctor said.
"You cannot save the humans. They will be exterminated." Rusty said.
Lab 01...
"I shall join the Dalek units in the final attack." Rusty said.
Cranial ledge...
"So what do we do?" Journey asked, looking between Clara and Jared.
"We're doing something awesome. Think. Gah! Some of the lights are out." Jared said, letting out a sigh.
"Yeah, we've got a damaged Dalek. You want to complain to someone?" Journey asked.
"But it's not damaged, look at them." Clara said, rolling her eyes.
"So?"
"So, the Doctor said this was a memory bank and some of the memories were suppressed. What if. What if the dark spots are hidden memories? What if one of those is the Dalek seeing a star?"
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Well, maybe. It's either that or the bulbs need changing."
"It really could be the bulbs."
"Well, do you have a better idea?" Jared asked.
"Really wish I had." Journey said, sadly.
"Yeah. Me too. Yes. Got it!" Jared said, pulling one of the panels off. "Okay. Watch out for the antibodies, Journey. Come along, Oswald."
Clara and Jared go behind, into the memory banks.
Organic compartment...
"I saved your life, Rusty. Now I'm going to go one better. I'm going to save your soul." The Doctor said.
"Daleks do not have souls." Rusty said.
"Oh, no? Imagine if you did. What then, Rusty? What would happen then?"
Cortex vault...
"We're in the cortex." Jared said, looking back at Clara.
Cranial ledge...
"If there's a pack of spare bulbs, break it to me gently." Journey said.
Jared hits a dark panel and there is a flash. Some lights come on. The Doctor sees the flash travel down neurones to Rusty. Images of dying soldiers are on the screens.
Organic compartment...
"Your memories. I'm about to give some back to you." The Doctor said.
Cranial ledge...
"Are you okay? Clara? Jared?" Journey asked.
Cortex vault...
"Yeah. I think there was some sort of energy charge." Clara said.
Cranial ledge...
"You and Jared got the first lights on." Journey said.
Cortex vault...
"Of course, it's a brain. Brains work with electrical pathways linking up memories. It's working. It's working, we're turning the memories back on." Clara said, happily.
"Yup. We are." Jared said, as he and Clara continues to crawl over flexible tubing. "My Impossible Girl."
Organic compartment...
"See, all those years ago, when I began..." The Doctor said, using his sonic screwdriver to cut through the flexible tubing covering a set of neurones, then pulls them apart. "I was just running. I called myself the Doctor, but it was just a name. And then I went to Skaro. And then I met you lot and I understood who I was. The Doctor was not the Daleks."
Aristotle...
"Exterminate." The Daleks said, at the same time.
"Fall back. Follow me. Fall back." Morgan said, running away.
"Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate."
Cranial ledge...
Antibodies are rising up through Rusty's body.
"You two had better get a move on, There's company coming." Journey said, looking up at the antibodies.
Aristotle...
Soldiers continue to die as Daleks close in from all corridors.
"Exterminate. Exterminate." The Daleks said, at the same time.
"Fall back, fall back." Morgan said.
"Exterminate. Exterminate."
The soldiers seal a bulkhead door.
Cranial ledge...
Journey starts shooting at antibodies, "Hurry up!"
Cortex vault...
"Show me and Jared a star, Rusty." Clara said, happily.
"Yeah. That's all we want." Jared said, and more lights come back on. "Show us something beautiful."
Organic compartment...
Impulses flow down the cables to Rusty. These images are of Daleks flying in space, attacking the Valiant in Stolen Earth.
"Oh, look. It's your memories again. It's like somebody's mucking about up there. Memories, all those memories. Do you remember the star you saw being born?" The Doctor asked.
Cortex vault...
"We're almost done, Journey." Jared said, smirking.
"Yeah. One more to go." Clara said, looking back at Jared.
Cranial ledge...
"Hurry up, Clara, Jared! Hurry up." Journey said, annoyed.
The last set of lights come on, and Rusty's eyepiece goes dark. The antibodies retreat.
"Clara, Jared, you did it. It's rebooting." Journey said, happily.
Cortex vault...
"The antibodies have reset." Journey said, over the speakers.
Organic compartment...
"I, I remember." Rusty said.
"You saw the truth, Rusty. Remember how you felt. You saw a star being born. The endless rebirth of the universe." The Doctor said.
"No."
"And you realised the truth about the Daleks..."
Aristotle...
Rusty is spinning around, "Truth? What is the truth?"
Organic compartment...
"Let me show you the truth. I've opened your mind and now I'm coming in." The Doctor said.
Aristotle...
The Daleks are starting to burn through the bulkhead door.
"That door is never going to hold. But I'm damned if I'm going to make it easy for them." Morgan said.
Rusty's mind...
The Doctor splices the two pieces of cut neurone together with his bare hands, and screams as the energy surges through his body, "I'm part of you. My mind is in your mind."
Lab 01...
"I see your mind, Doctor. I see your universe." Rusty said.
Rusty's mind...
"And isn't the universe beautiful?" The Doctor asked.
"I see beauty." Rusty said.
"Yes, that's good. That is good. Hold on to that."
"I see endless, divine perfection."
"Make it a part of you. Remember how you feel right now. Put it inside you and live by it."
"I see into your soul, Doctor. I see beauty. I see divinity. I see hatred."
"Hatred?"
Lab 01...
"I see your hatred of the Daleks and it is good." Rusty said.
Rusty's mind...
Behind the Doctor, the Crucible explodes.
"No, no, no. You must see more than that, there must be more than that." The Doctor said, sadly.
Lab 01...
"Death to the Daleks." Rusty said.
Rusty's mind...
"Death to the Daleks. Death to the Daleks." Rusty said.
"No, there must be more than that. There must be more than that. Please." The Doctor said, frowning.
Aristotle...
"Daleks are evil. Daleks must be exterminated. Daleks are evil." Rusty said, approaching his former comrades from the rear, while Morgan and his surviving soldiers prepare for them to break through the bulkhead door.
"God save us all." Morgan said, looking at the Daleks.
"Daleks must be exterminated." Rusty said.
The Daleks turn and Rusty shoots them to pieces.
"Exterminate." Rusty said.
"Under attack from a Dalek!" A Dalek yelled.
Explosions all round.
"The Daleks are exterminated..." Rusty said.
Rusty's mind...
"Of course they are. That's what you do, isn't it?" The Doctor asked.
(Jared's POV)
Aristotle...
The humans and I have left Rusty and are normal size again.
"Journey." Morgan said, running up to Journey.
"Uncle Morgan." Journey said, happily.
"I have transmitted a retreat signal. The Daleks will believe the humans have initiated the ship's self-destruct." Rusty said.
Journey briefly hugs Morgan.
"What about you, Rusty?" Clara asked.
"I must go with them." Rusty said.
"Of course you must. You've unfinished work, haven't you?" The Doctor asked.
"Victory is yours, but it does not please you."
"You looked inside me and you saw hatred. That's not victory. Victory would have been a good Dalek."
"I am not a good Dalek. You are a good Dalek." Rusty said, turning to leave, then looks back at the Doctor.
"Till the next time." The Doctor said, going through the door to Med Sec 07.
"Is he leaving? Isn't he going to say goodbye?" Journey asked.
"I think that was it. Yep, that was it. Sorry, got to run with Jared." Clara said, and I'm dragging her away.
"Goodbyes aren't his thing. Not yet at least." I said, while Clara and I went after the Doctor. "Sorry."
Rusty leaves.
"I'm sorry." Journey said, kissing Morgan on the cheek and follows Clara and I.
"Sorry?" Morgan asked.
Med Sec 07...
"Doctor. Take me with you." Journey said.
"I think you're probably nice. Underneath it all, I think you're kind and you're definitely brave. I just wish you hadn't been a soldier." The Doctor said, letting out a sigh.
"More like, he wishes you were more like Captain America." I said, looking at Journey. "But you're not. So, yeah. Sorry."
Journey, Clara, and I exchange final sheepish smiles before Clara and I follow the Doctor into the Tardis. The Dalek Saucer leaves the asteroid belt.
Tardis...
Clara runs up the stairs in new clothes. The Tardis is in flight.
"How do I look?" Clara asked.
"You look amazing." I said, walking up to Clara to hug her.
"Thank you, Jared. What do you think, Doctor?"
"Sort of short and round-ish, but with a good personality, which is the main thing." The Doctor said.
"I meant my clothes. I just changed." Clara said.
"Oh, good for you, still making an effort." The Doctor said, when the Tardis lands. "Okay, right, you and Jared are back in your cupboard, thirty seconds after the both of you left."
"When will we see you again?" Clara asked, as I let go of her.
"Oh. Soon, I expect. Or later. One of those." The Doctor said.
Clara opens the door with me taking out my TARDIS key to wrap it around my neck.
"I don't know." Clara said, sadly.
"I'm sorry?" The Doctor asked.
"You asked me and Jared if you're a good man and the answer is, I don't know. But I think you try to be and I think that's probably the point."
"It really is. I don't know. Doctor, you're not my Doctor yet. You're just the Doctor." I said, happily. "Maybe one day, you'll be him."
"Clara, I think you're probably an amazing teacher." The Doctor said, looking at Clara.
"I think I'd better be." Clara said, happily.
"And Jared, I think you're probably an amazing fanboy that loves to help others." The Doctor said, looking at me.
"I hope so!" I said, excitedly.
Corridor...
Clara comes out of the supply cupboard with me behind her, as I am invisible to Danny Pink due to wearing my TARDIS key with the perception filter on top.
"Ah, hey." Danny said, smiling.
"Hey, Danny." Clara said, happily.
"Have you changed your clothes?"
"Yes. Yes, I, I have. Well noticed."
"Okay, good."
"Yes, good. Very good. Good work. You passed the test."
"Are you really going to go for a drink with me?"
"Yeah, course I am. Why wouldn't I?"
"I just thought..."
"Thought what?"
"I thought you might have a rule against soldiers." Danny said, sadly.
"No. No, not at all." Clara said, frowning.
"Oh, Clara. If only Danny Pink wasn't here." I said, letting out a sigh. "Now I know how Sayaka Miki felt when Hitomi took Kyosuke."
Danny, Clara, and I go different ways.
"Not me." Clara said.