The situation was worsening quickly. The Dalek fleet was pushing heavily into the Omicron sector and the SSS could offer only a token resistance before falling back.
The Doctor looked away from the monitor screen and sighed.
Grant saw that look in the Doctor's eyes. He had a plan to defeat the Daleks. "So what's the answer, Doctor?"
"Have you ever been to the Eye of Orion? I was thinking if we left now we may just catch the end of the tourist season. We'd have to book afterwards but it's only bending the laws of time really."
"I mean about the Daleks?" Honestly getting a straight answer from him was like nailing fog to the floor with him sometimes. Grant despaired.
"Well there is a way but it's very risky, too risky." He rubbed his cat broach and looked forlorn. "It would mean going into terrible danger. I just can't justify the risk."
"Tell that Brizon, Doctor. He's still coming to terms with it."
As if on cue Brizon Helmsley entered the console room. "Ah there you two are." He saw the look on the Doctor's face. "What is it?"
"The Doctor has found a way to defeat the Daleks."
"Great, lets get going."
"He says it's too risky."
"Then I'll go alone. Tell me what I need to know, I'll take care of the rest."
"It's not that easy. The Daleks would detect any ship approaching. We need the TARDIS to get in and out again." He began to program the flight controls. "We'll materialise inside their flagship and disable their control systems. The command structure would fall apart. The Daleks depend on absolute order to be so effective."
"So we're the monkey wrench in the works?" Grant saw where the Doctor was going with his theory.
"An astute if badly made analogy."
The TARDIS console bleeped.
"We're there already?" Helmsley asked.
"Of course. Lets get this over with, shall we?"
***
The Dalek ship was like its creators: utilitarian and devoid of any soul. It wasn't a home or a workplace it was just a tool.
"This way I think." The Doctor led his companions towards the control centre.
"How can you tell, Doctor?"
"My dear Grant this is not the first time I have been on board one of these ships. I remember one time they tried to turn me into a Roboman."
They found the junction box after many minutes of searching.
"What does this gizmo do then?"
"This gizmo as you put it sends all the signals to the entire Dalek fleet. Without this they will be easy prey for the SSS and its Allies. Now just inverse the stability of the neutrino flow and bingo it's offline."
"Doctor, there's someone coming."
"A Dalek. Hide!"
The Dalek spotted an intruder. "Intruder alert. I will exterminate, exterminate, exterminate."
Helmsley realised that he had been spotted and he ran for it.
The Dalek had a clear line of fire and eagerly it fired into the back of the hated enemy with lethal glee.
"Brizon, no." The Doctor stood up and shouted as the lifeless body of his friend crumpled to the floor. "That was unnecessary." He pulled a large wrench out of his pocket and smashed it into the control panel.
Throughout the flagship static electricity suddenly stopped and every Dalek became immobile as their casings seized up.
"Now you murdering parasites know why I should have destroyed you when I had the chance long ago." The Doctor inputted a simple feedback loop into the weapons controls of the flagship. "This whole ship is now a flying bomb. Come on Grant, time to let our friend here stew in his own vile juices."
Back inside the TARDIS the Doctor closed the doors and dematerialised. They rematerialised nearby and watched, as the flagship became a ball of bright light that faded rapidly.
"What have I done? I just killed over a thousand living creatures." The Doctor fell into the oak chair by the door.
"You did what the SSS were going to do for you yourself. You took responsibility for your actions. Better to have the blood on your own hands rather than put it on someone else's. Sure you're in pain now but you'll get past this and move on."
"What if I can't?"
"Look Doctor I felt the same way for a long time about what the Cybermen did to my world. Thanks to a friend I got through it and so will you because I'll help you. It's what friends are for."
"Thank you Grant, you don't know how much that means to me."
"Hey if you weren't in this much pain then you may as well be a Dalek."
"I nearly was once you know. Did I ever tell you about the time I went to pay my respects to an old friend?"
The TARDIS dematerialised and the Doctor continued on with the anecdote.
