MISSING IN ACTION
Chapter 8 Margatha laughed, unable to hide her contempt. "Fool! Perhaps you are not so powerful as the legends would have it, Doctor. Not if you are so afraid of a dead Dalek." Indeed, now the Doctor could see that the eyestalk was dead. No blue light shone through it. The weapon arm may have been pointing towards the doorway, but it was ineffectually aimed at the floor. Multi-colured wires sprouted from between the holes in its headpiece. They seemed to be connected to some sort of large and complex apparatus standing against one of the walls of the room. The room itself was fairly small, but with room enough for a couple of desks. The desks had surveillance equipment mounted on them. The Doctor warily walked up to the Dalek. He cautiously waved his hand in front of its single eyepiece. Nothing. The Dalek stayed immobile. "Just because a Dalek appears dead, Margatha, doesn't make it so." The Doctor said grimly. "I've seen them come back to life with just the touch of a hand." "It is gone, Doctor." Margatha told him, standing with her arms folded and a smug look on her face. "We removed the...thing, that was inside it. Right down to the most minute bit of DNA. I assure you, it is quite dead and gone. What you see is only the empty shell. We are using some of the technology contained inside the casing to boost the power of the shielding output." Tentatively, the Doctor reached out his hand. He waggled the Dalek's sucker arm. Raising an eyebrow, he wiggled the weapon arm. Cupping his hands, he leaned over to the side of the domed metallic head, and shouted, "Doctor to Dalek Boy, Doctor to Dalek Boy, come in, Dalek boy!" The Dalek stood silent, like a sci-fi display in some anorak's front hall. The Doctor tried again, this time talking like a southern American trucker from the seventies: "Breaker Breaker, this here's the Oncomin' Storm givin' a shout out to the Dalekmeister. Ya'll got yer ears on, good buddy?" The Doctor stepped back, still waiting for some kind of reaction. Yet, the Dalek remained motionless. Grinning broadly, he leaned over and planted a big wet kiss on its eyestalk. . "Well put a tack in my shoe and call me 'Jumpin' Jack Flash'." He said. Then winced. "On second thought, don't do that. That would be very painful. Not the name. I like the name. And the song. It's very cool. It's the whole sharp object in the foot thing that I object to..." "Doctor," Amy interrupted, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket to get his attention, "much as I'd hate to stop you from playing with the Dalek, and from explaining how you hate having a tack in your shoe, but, erm—shouldn't we be working on getting that shield thingy up and running?" "Yeah, spot on Amy, that's the ticket. Focus. Priorities. What'd I ever do without you?." The Doctor murmured distractedly, already standing in front of the machinery, checking out the shielding equipment. "Tell you what, Amy. Why don't you and Margatha here go and spend some quality time together? Swap recipes or fashion tips, discuss hairstyles or your favourite soap stars. Whatever girls do when they get together." "I didn't realize that aliens could be male chauvinists, too." Amy said, suddenly offended. "Life with you is just one big learning curve, Doctor." "OK, fine. You guys can talk about football, beer, rock music and big...you-know-what's, all you want, then. If that'll make you happy. Just so long as you do it where you won't distract me, thereby causing me to accidentally destroy not only this entire planet, but all of its related solar system, thereby causing an unstoppable chain reaction which would, at least theoretically, end up destroying the entire universe...including Earth, Amy." He retorted impatiently. He already had out his sonic and was examining the wires leading from the Dalek to the machine. "What? And simply leave you here?" Amy protested. "I don't think I should..." Margatha said at the same time, looking warily at the Doctor. "Will you for once just do as I say?" The Doctor griped at them. He was bent down fiddling with some wires. "This is very complex scientificky, timey-wimey stuff you two, and even though I am a Time Lord and a genius, I still will need every ounce of my concentration to get this thing operational." "Alrighty then." said a not especially chastised Amy, resentfully walking out into the hall with Margatha. Amy's only consolation was that her new-found companion didn't look any happier. Amy walked beside the alien, as she stalked down the hall a short way in a huff. "Hey there, Margatha. Um—I don't know about you, but football really isn't my thing. Most beer tastes the same to me, and we're so not discussing these..." Amy pointed at her chest. "Which, in the world according to the Doctor, leaves us with the conversational topics of rock music and girl talk. So, I was wondering. Is wearing dreadlocks the current fad with your people, or is that like, your natural hair..." Deeper and deeper into the heart of the complex, Rory and River Song went. Despite his age, Altaar quickly led the way down a maze of stairs and corridors. They were grimy and steamy, and only dimly lit with yellow and purple lights. "This place looks deserted. Where is everyone?" Rory asked River. "I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" River responded, nodding towards the alien man. "I..." Rory shrugged. River sighed, then called out to the old man. "Altaar dear, Rory wants to know where everyone is." "Er—just down here a little ways, my dear." Altaar said, after some slight hesitation. He pointed towards a dark section of corridor, just before it made another turn. Eyes suddenly wary, River's hand automatically rested on the gun butt protruding from her hip holster. "I've suddenly got a really bad feeling about this." Rory hissed at River. "Definitely getting the idea that maybe we should've stayed with the Doctor and Amy." "Maybe I should have stayed at that pub in Glasgow." River whispered back. "Then you and Amy wouldn't be in any danger right now." "So why did you come here, then?" "Wimbledon was rained out." She shrugged. "Come on River, 'fess up! You just like the danger. You're every bit as bad as the Doctor, you know." Rory smiled. "Oh I do hope so." She smiled back at him. As they got closer to the dark place, River held out her hand to hold Rory back. Altaar seemed to dither, as he waved them on towards the unlit corner of the corridor. There was a noise, a slight whirring sound. River stopped Rory and motioned for him to be quiet. Stepping in front of him, she drew her pistol. At that very moment, with a high pitched whine, a beam of green light shot out of the darkness and enveloped River. She cried out and collapsed in a heap on the concrete floor. Rory yelled River's name in fear and dismay, dropping to his knees by her side. As he reached for her pistol, the same beam got him as well, and he too, cried out and fell next to River's still body.
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