Jan on Earth

With the Daleks in space cleared out and the Pegasus Elite heading back towards Earth, I had a moment to think about what was going on.

What could the Daleks be doing here? I thought. Why Earth? Why now?

Weren’t they all destroyed in some sort of “Time War?”

Maybe I need to do the Time War again.

OK, that was almost funny.

I chuckled to myself thinking about the whole situation. Would that make me crazy? Or maybe I’m sane in a crazy universe. Yes, that’s it, I can live with that explanation.

I met none of the invaders on the way down, clearly all that’s left of this force is already on the ground; maybe I’ll be lucky and be able to strafe them all from the ship. Naw, of course I’ll never catch a break like that.

I swoop down low to the ground and I see legions of Daleks in the streets firing madly at cars, buildings, anything that’s in their way. Fortunately, it looks as if the streets are clear of actual humans. Somebody warned them. Maybe somebody out there does like me after all.

Energy leapt forth out of my turbolaser cannons and the Daleks on the ground sliced open and exploded. I pulled back on the controls and took the ship back up into the air and circled around for another pass.

This time they were ready for me. The Daleks and I traded fire, they exploded and burned but my ship also took hits.

“Stupid tin can bastards,” I cursed through my teeth as smoke erupted from my starboard engine manifold. The computer readings indicated that the damage was not too severe and repairs had already begun. I had to make another pass, though. I think I’ll use my torpedoes on this one.

I swung the Pegasus Elite around one more time and fired off a pair of torpedoes. Explosions rocked the city and the invading aliens who weren’t instantly vaporized were thrown high into the air. Unfortunately, I took some more hits on that last run and I definitely need to put this thing down before I turn into one giant skid mark along the highway.

I dropped down to ground level and engaged the retrothrusters to bring the ship to a hover. It groaned and reluctantly slowed to a halt, then with a ripping of metal, the Pegasus Elite crashed the last two meters to the ground.

“Any landing you can walk away from—” I mumbled to myself as I unbuckled the straps holding me to my seat. I dashed to the hatch, grabbing my rifle along the way and hopped out onto the ground.

I surveyed the area. Thick smoke wafted through the air and small fires were burning everywhere along the streets. Overturned cars and broken husks of the invading creatures littered the streets as well. Before me was some sort of an edifice – some sort of fortification that the Daleks either beamed in or dropped from the sky. All was quiet, but I knew dangers waited within.

“Exterminate! Exterminate!” A Dalek rolled forth through the open ramp of the fortress, I quickly fired at it with my rifle and it exploded in a hail of sparks and smoke.

I launched myself through the portal and destroyed three more Daleks standing guard. My boots clacked on the metal deck as I ran down the hallway and burst through the door at the end.

“Puny human, I declare this planet conquered in the name of the Daleks,” an immense Dalek announced.

“I don’t think so,” I answered. I looked up at the imposing metal monstrosity and the shriveled mutant residing within a transparent container on it. “What the frack are you?”

“I am the Emperor Dalek. Your weapon is useless,” it declared. “Prepare to be exterminated.”

I aimed my rifle and fired. The shots ricocheted off the Emperor’s shields. I fired again, but got the exact same results. A magnetic beam then wrenched the gun out of my hand and it went clattering across the floor.

“Your weapons are useless against the Emperor,” it repeated. “We will exterminate you and everything else on this planet. We will harvest your genetic material. We will plunder your resources and mine your Illudium Phosdex.”

“Not if I can stop you,” I asserted as I pulled my sonic screwdriver out of my cargo pocket.

“That is not even a weapon,” the Emperor replied. If a Dalek could sound smug, it might have right then and there. “You cannot harm me with that.”

“Really?” I asked while thumbing the device. “Then perhaps you haven’t heard of the Oncoming Storm.”

The Dalek paused for a moment.

“Are you the Oncoming Storm?” It asked.

“Well, I’ve heard of the Oncoming Storm,” I answered. “I know what it is and I know how to use it.”

“Are you the Oncoming Storm?” it repeated, emphasizing each word with its digitized voice.

“Well I, uh,” I stammered, still thumbing the device. Then I decided to go for broke. “Yes. Yes, I am the Oncoming Storm. You will surrender to me or face termination.”

“You will not terminate me,” it howled back. “It is you who will be exterminated. Our records indicate that the Doctor is not female. You are not the Oncoming Storm.”

“You may be right, big fella,” I answered. “But I’ve got something here that will make you think twice about your invasion plans.”

“And what is that, human?”

“This!” With a final burst of sonic energy from my screwdriver, all of the loosened bolts holding the clear tank to the rest of the Dalek chassis popped free. The tank dropped, popped open and rolled to its side. The mutant creature that was the Emperor Dalek slid out.

“Cease your aggression!” It gurgled. “You will be exterminated!”

“I don’t think so,” I said coldly and I stomped my foot right on top of the malformed alien.