Torchwood: Origins (7)

We were lead to the control centre of the Dalek saucer. Banks of terminals scattered the area, mostly disused with a large portion of controls and instruments inactive or damaged. There was a second Dalek crewing one of the few computers still functioning.
"Ah, so he mans the controls while you play guard dog? That doesn't seem fair. Do you take shifts?", I asked. They needed me, presumably alive, so I felt brazen enough to ridicule these creatures. Plus, it helped me cope with the sheer threat facing us.

"SILENCE! THE HUMAN WILL NOT SPEAK."

"Fine, I'll have my say then, shall I?" chimed The Doctor. "Is this really all that's left of the mighty Dalek empire? Two tin cans in a knackered old ship?"

"DO NOT MOCK US, DOCTOR. YOU ARE EXPENDABLE. THE HUMAN IS NOT."

"Why shouldn't I? You're pathetic. Time and again, we have clashed, over and over for centuries! Time and again, you have taken so much from me, from the universe. So much bloodshed, and for what? So that we can stand here, the last ones of our races, and do it all again? Why shouldn't I mock this?! It's all I have left!"

"WHAT IF THAT WERE NOT TRUE, DOCTOR?"

"I beg your pardon? What's not true?"

"WHAT IF WE ARE NOT THE LAST OF US? WHAT IF OTHERS SURVIVED THE TIME WAR?"

"No. Impossible. I ended it. I used the Moment. Nothing survived that. Nothing could have."

"WE DID, DOCTOR. AS DID YOU."

"That's different. You fell back through time, damaged and limped, barely functioning. Even if any other Daleks survived, they'd be no better off or numerous than yourselves. It's over. Our races are dead, we are little more than walking museum exhibits. So stop this, please. Whatever you're planning, just stop. We've all lost."

The Dalek's eyestalk drooped. If I find know it lacked certain emotions, I'd say it was struck by melancholy.

"DOCTOR, WE HAVE SEEN THE CONTRADICTION AT THE CORE OF OUR RACE."

"What?!"

"THE DALEKS ARE THE SUPREME BEINGS OF THE UNIVERSE. HOW CAN THIS BE TEUE, IF WE ARE THE ONLY TWO REMAINING. IF NO OTHERS SURVIVED THE WAR, IF WE REALLY ARE THE LAST DALEKS, HOW CAN WE BE THE ULTIMATE LIFEFORM?"

The Doctor's mouth flapped, though no sound emanated from it. He was reeling, he'd never seen a Dalek with such self awareness before.

"Of course you're not the supreme beings! You're just fanatical fascists, a scourge on creation! Is that what this is all about? The information in Arven's mind is some last ditch effort by Dalek High Command? You think it'll lead you to some secret pile of comrades, just so you won't be alone? Newsflash! You are alone. We're all alone, it's all long gone! We remain like breath on a mirror, and we will fade all too soon. We're just the afterglow of the memories of our people."

"Doctor? Don't I get a say? It is my mind, after all. I want to hear this plan. From what I've heard of the Daleks, one with self doubt is unique. Maybe there's a chance, a slim chance, that it's had a change of heart. Isn't that possibility worth investigating?"

"No! A Dalek never changes its bumps. This is all just a ploy. Daleks don't just grow a conscience!"

"Doctor. Remember what you told me, about travelling alone. Don't let your experiences of the war cloud your judgement. Surely it's worth at least hearing the Dalek's plan..."

"Maybe you're right. Ok, I'll listen. But I won't like it."

"THERE IS INFORMATION IN TJE HUMAN'S BRAIN. BUT IT IS NOT OF DALEK ORIGIN. OUR RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE FINAL ACT OF THE TIME LORDS WAS TO COPY THE MATRIX, AND HIDE IT IN A COMPRESSED FORMAT. A WAY OF PRESERVING TIME LORD CULTURE BEYOND THE END."

"No! No, no, no, NO! It's a trick, it has to be. The Time Lords died. This isn't true. I would have known. Surely..."

"What's the Matrix?" I asked.

"The sole repository of all Time Lord knowledge. And, it contains the memory imprints of deceased Gallifreyans. In other words, information far to valuable to place in Dalek tentacles. That's what you really want, isn't it. Time Lord secrets."

"NO DOCTOR. WE WANT TO MINE THE MATRIX FOR INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PRISON CAMPS. IF ANY DALEKS SURVIVED THE WAR, ON A DISTANT GALLIFREYAN OUTPOST, THE MATRIX IS OUR BEST HOPE OF FINDING IT. IF THE MATRIX CONTAINS NO INFORMATION,THEN WE WILL KNOW WE ARE THE ONLY SURVIVING DALEKS."

"And what then? If you're the only Daleks left, what do you do. Use Time Lord data to wage war? Break the time lock and unleash the war again? Or worse, you find out that there is an army of Daleks hiding in the void!"

"Maybe it's worth it, Doctor. Think about it. If any of your people survived the Moment, this could be your chance to find out! You've regretted your decision for years, this could be your chance for redemption. If Gallifrey survived in any form, don't you owe it to your people to find out?"

"But, I can't let the Daleks access that information. It could restart the war!"

"You wanted redemption, Doctor. This could be your chance to atone. And if you're right. If there's nothing to gleame, then you'll have closure. Besides, the data is in my head. For whatever reason, the Time Lords implanted it in me. So it's my decision, not yours. Dalek, please unlock the data."