Category: Series 1

While the investigation team was being chased, the Doctor and the Transformers accompanied the Dalek Emperor to Kalaan, the Capital City of the Daleks. It was eerily silent, unnerving even the Daleks. “Gotta say, for once, I can’t wait to hear that pulsing sound,” said the Doctor. “…What makes that sound in your installations anyways?”

“Enough!” boomed the Emperor as they made it into the throne room. The Doctor’s eyes widened when she saw the TARDIS there.

“Ah! Kept the old girl safe, did you?”

“SILENCE!” That was when a few Daleks pushed a machine into the room. “This is the machine that powers our Beacon! Repairs must be conducted!”

“And this time, you really DO need humanoids to do your dirty work,” said the Doctor. “Well, as the old song goes, you need hands.”

“ALERT! ALERT!” shrieked a guard Dalek as it hurried into the room in a panic. “FORWARD SCOUTING PARTY REPORTS OCTUS SIEZING CONTROL OF SHIELDED PRODUCTION LINE! OCTUS HAS REPROGRAMMED THE RESULTING DALEKS TO OBEY HIM AND HAS ALTERED THEIR CASINGS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASSUME A SIX-ARMED HUMANOID MODE! THEY ARE CHASING WHAT REMAINS OF THE INVESTIGATION TEAM! GOLD SUPREME HAS BEEN EXTERMINATED BY ONE OF THE FALSE DALEKS!”

“…Daleks with the ability to transform?!” asked Megatron.

“THE FALSE DALEKS MUST BE EXTERMINATED!” boomed the Emperor.

“You don’t have power for your weapons, remember?!” argued the Doctor.

“That is not your concern! Repair the machine! Obey! OBEY!”

“…Megatron, Optimus, we have some work to do,” sighed the Doctor.

---

Outside the city, Thundercracker, Bumblebee, Amy, and William were still dodging the Octus Daleks’ weapons fire. “Could really use some firepower!” grunted Bumblebee. That was when an Octus Dalek landed near them.

“EXTERMINATE!” it shouted before Amy hammered it into the sky, crashing into its comrades. It brought its friends down to the ground hard, making them explode on impact!

“THE PINK AND BLACK ONE IS TO DIE FIRST!” shouted Octus.

“Uh oh!” gulped Amy.

“DALEKS, HALT!” boomed the voice of the Emperor Dalek. He approached the Octus Daleks as they landed with Octus. “So the Daleks have a new leader!” boomed the Emperor.

“It is the new order!” barked one of the Octus Daleks.

“You Daleks,” remarked Octus, “had long been denied the same sensations the rest of the universe enjoys. I’ve upgraded the shells so that they can feel as I do.”

“Daleks do not require the same feelings as the rest of the universe!” retorted the Emperor.

“Come on!” hissed Bumblebee to his teammates. They dashed into the city as Octus and the Emperor discussed their wicked philosophies.

---

The Doctor continued working on the machine with Optimus and Megatron. “There, that should reset it,” muttered the Doctor. “Now, if someone applied a bit of percussive maintenance-.”

“DOCTOR!” called William. The Doctor turned to see Thundercracker and Bumblebee carrying her friends into the throne room!

“WILLIAM! AMY! YOU’RE ALL RIGHT!” She hugged the two once they were set back onto the floor.

“We only just escaped by the skin of our teeth!” replied Amy.

“Doctor, Octus made-!” said William

“Daleks with the ability to transform, yes, I heard,” interrupted the Doctor. “And I think I’m almost done with the Beacon, it just needs a little…percussive maintenance.”

“Say no more!” called Amy as she summoned her hammer! She approached the machine and pulled her hammer back, filling her arms with all the stress, anger, and general hate towards the Daleks, then swinging it forward into the machine! The machine then sent energy through the cables to the Beacon on the city spire…too much energy for the Beacon to handle! It started shaking, then it exploded!

---

Outside the city walls, Octus, the Octus Daleks, and the Emperor looked up at the spire. “…The Beacon!” whispered Octus as his optics widened in fear.

“The Doctor did not repair the machine properly!” boomed the Emperor. “…But that is of little consequence! The more pressing priority is your extermination!” It then made a broadcast to the city. “All Daleks, weapons power has been restored! Rally to me and exterminate the false Daleks! Purge them from Skaro!” At that command, Daleks rose from all parts of the city, engaging their flight modes or using hoverbouts, then swarmed towards Octus and his Daleks!

---

Inside the throne room, the Doctor’s ears were filled with the familiar pulsing sound that all Dalek installations made when power is available. “That’s that,” she said.

“What about the Daleks guarding the mines?” asked Bumblebee.

---

At the mines, Doh-Komoh kept his ear out. The Daleks couldn’t exactly make them work without power to their weapons. Doh-Komoh learned that everyone was allowed to keep their weapons since they were useless. He planned out an escape attempt the instant the power came back on. The guards were counted and were discovered to be few in number. Just then, he saw the Dalek in the control center swivel its eyestalk to a monitor that flashed to life! “Passss the word along,” he whispered to one of his fellows. “Power hasss been ressstored for the Daleksss. Check your gunsss.” The word was passed along and everyone checked their guns.

“…All guns are fully charged, Your Majesty!” replied a green-scaled person with red eye lenses on his helmet.

“Then what are we waiting for?!” asked Doh-Komoh. “CHARGE!” The former slaves drew their weapons and fired on the Daleks.

“AIM FOR THE EYEPIECE!” called the Ice Warrior. The former slaves adjusted their targets and aimed at the Daleks’ eyestalks. One got lucky and utterly destroyed it.

“VISION IMPAIRED!” shrieked the unlucky Dalek. “I CANNOT SEE!” It fired wildly until another shot tore through its midsection, now that its shielding was kaput, effectively killing the Dalek.

---

The Doctor had pulled up the whole thing on the monitor. “I think they’ve got it,” she replied in answer to Bumblebee’s question.

“Now THERE’S an idea!” chuckled Megatron darkly. He then transformed into his tank mode and left the throne room.

“Megatron, where are you going?!” called Optimus.

“To do some extermination of my own, Prime!”

“MEGATRON, COME BACK!” It was no use.

“Optimus, why do you need him back?” asked William.

“Because I’m calling for help, that’s why!” answered Optimus.

“I can give the transporters coordinates for the strays and survivors,” said the Doctor. “Just leave it all to me.”

“…Very well.”

---

Megatron fired on the Daleks as he stormed through the city. Original, Octus, it made no difference. As he fired…he heard a song of some sort.

“The first step of the cure is a kiss!

So call me (Dr. Love!)

They call me Dr. Love! (Calling Dr. Love!)

I am your doctor of love! (Calling Dr. Love!) Ha!

They call me (Dr. Love!), they call me Dr. Love! (Calling Dr. Love!)

I’ve got the cure you’re thinkin’ of! (Calling Dr. Love!)” Soundwave was using his powers over sound to give the Daleks terminal headaches!

“ALERT! ALERT! SONIC ATTACKS! PAIN! ALERT!” The Daleks exploded after a while.

“…Must you use human garbage?” Megatron grunted at Soundwave.

“Heavy Metal: only human music worthwhile,” replied Soundwave.

“Please yourself,” muttered Megatron as he transformed to robot mode. “I’ll just stick to my favorite weapon, if you don’t mind.” To prove his point, he fired the fusion cannon on his arm on a squadron of Daleks that rounded the corner. As everyone fought…a cyan light surrounded them. “What is this?!” demanded Megatron.

“Transmat in progress!” replied Soundwave. “Energy harmonics indicate Autobot origin!”

“NO!” shouted Megatron. Too late. He and Soundwave vanished.

---

Outside the city, the two Dalek armies still fought each other. Even with their abilities to transform, the Octus Daleks were having a hard time with effectively countering the original Daleks. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU DOLTS?!” shouted Octus.

“Inexperience is hampering your progress!” boomed the Emperor. Just then, a shadow fell over the battlefield. Octus looked up and goggled.

“…Ark!” he whispered as a torpedo bore down on them!

---

Aboard the Autobot starship Ark, everyone that survived was transported to the bridge. Medical staff quickly took the former slaves over to the medical ward and brought the dead to beds where they could be respectfully buried later. Meanwhile, the helmsman wasted no time in getting the Ark out of Dalek territory. A bot built like Jazz, but with police car decorations, approached Optimus. “Sir, it’s great to have you back,” he said.

“Prowl! How long have you-?!” asked Optimus.

“Since the prison ship snatched you and your team, Sir,” replied the bot, Prowl. He turned to the Doctor and her friends. “Now, which one of you three is the owner of this particular box?” He pointed at the TARDIS currently resting on the console of a red bot looking similar to Bumblebee.

“That’s me!” called the Doctor.

“Doctor, you saved a lot of lives,” said Prowl.

“I don’t know,” remarked Megatron as he aimed his fusion cannon at Prowl. “I’d say she risked-!” He then heard Optimus’ Ion Blaster arming as well as Thundercracker’s incendiary guns. Megatron turned to Thundercracker, expecting him to be aiming his firearms at Optimus…and was surprised to be staring down both barrels. “…Thundercracker, I think your targeting systems need an adjustment,” remarked Megatron.

“Put that fusion cannon away, Megatron!” snarled Thundercracker. “William’s right! We’re making the same mistakes as the Daleks!”

“…What did you just say?!” hissed Megatron.

“You…DARE…compare us to those inferior-!” snapped Starscream.

“There it is! Inferior! The words the Daleks use to describe non-Daleks! Are we gonna be describing non-Decepticons in the same way?!” argued Thundercracker.

“Thundercracker: outnumbered and outgunned,” droned Soundwave as he aimed his gun at Thundercracker. The other Decepticons followed suit…for the moment. Autobots snuck up behind them and zapped them to the point of unconsciousness, then hauled them away.

“…I think the Autobots have the right idea,” remarked Thundercracker. “Your battle with Optimus ends NOW or I shall write its conclusion!” Megatron saw that all Autobots were aiming their weapons at him, so even shooting Optimus would be a death sentence. He growled as he powered down his weapon and held his hands up.

“You will never be welcome in the ranks of the Decepticons again!” he promised Thundercracker.

“Sometimes it’s best to be known for one’s enemies,” retorted Thundercracker as he took out the power cartridges in his guns and handed them to Prowl.

“You will suffer for this, Thundercracker!” growled Megatron. “You will suffer unimaginably!” He was handcuffed and led to the cells. Thundercracker then held his hands out for the cuffs.

“…Thundercracker…” said Optimus, “…perhaps I’m making the same mistakes as the Daleks.”

“Don’t insult yourself, Prime,” replied Thundercracker as Prowl put the cuffs on him. “You actually care about people.” He was led away and everyone released a sigh of relief.

“…Well, this HAS been a trip,” remarked the Doctor. “Optimus…a great future awaits the galaxy and Cybertron specifically. For now, we must bid farewell.”

“…Goodbye, Doctor,” said Optimus as he picked up her and her companions. “Until our next meeting.” He set them on the console where the TARDIS rested. The Doctor and her friends went into the TARDIS, shut the door, and the ancient engines kicked in as the TARDIS faded from existence.

---

Inside the TARDIS, Amy and William were resting on the chairs. “That…was…intense!” panted Amy.

“No kidding!” shuddered William. “If I never see another Dalek, it’ll be too soon!”

“…They’re not that easy to get rid of,” remarked the Doctor. “…But we DID participate in events that will lead to a better future for the galaxy.”

“Doctor?” asked William.

“Upon his return,” explained the Doctor, “Doh-Komoh resumes his position as Emperor of the Draconians and renews the oath of friendship between his people and Earth and its colonies. He then gives an impassioned speech that convinces the Daleks’ old enemies, the Thals, to join the alliance. Soon, Earth is part of a great Federation! Just in time, too, because in three years time, the Daleks will declare war on the humans again. Only, this time, the humans won’t be fighting alone! The Transformers will have put aside their own internal differences and join the alliance in defeating the Daleks yet again in the Ninth Dalek War!”

“Ninth?” asked Amy. “…And…defeating the Daleks yet again?”

“So we fight the Daleks numerous times,” said William, “and always come out on top?” He then grinned. “Oh, those poor saltshakers!”

“Here’s to survivors!” cheered Amy. “To survivors all across time and space!”

“Hear, hear!” agreed the Doctor. “Life wins, despite the efforts of the Daleks and those that think like them! Now, what say we head to somewhere fun?”

“I’ll take some fun over mining for the Daleks any day!” replied William.

“Same!” agreed Amy.

“Vote’s unanimous, then!” The Doctor set her hat on the Time Rotor and set the controls. “All right, old girl…show me everywhere and everywhen!”

“DOCTOR!” called William as he was held back by Doh-Komoh.

“THERE’SSS NO POINT IN YOU RISSSKING YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT!” argued the Draconian Emperor. The sound that filled the cave…wasn’t the high-pitched rush of focused energy transmitted at a deadly level. Instead, it was an electronic warble, a warble the Transformers knew.

“…Megatron-!” said Optimus.

“I recognize that sound too, Optimus,” replied Megatron.

“Maximum power!” ordered the Dalek Emperor. “FIRE! FIRE! EXTERMINATE THE DOCTOR!” The Daleks tried again, but the same warble sounded throughout the cave.

“…No way!” breathed William in astonishment.

“Weaponry malfunction!” yelped the Red Supreme.

“Total power failure in armament circuits!” reported the Black and Gold Supreme. A wicked grin crossed the Doctor’s face.

“Aha!” she said. “The Beacon you set up has been turned against you! By Octus, if I’m a betting Time Lord.” The instant she finished that declaration, all those that were enslaved by the Daleks set down their tools.

“Well, well, well!” chuckled Doh-Komoh. “Daleksss without the ability to kill! On their home planet, no lessss! How doesss it feel?!” The Daleks backed up in fear!

“Keep back! KEEP BACK!” cried the Emperor.

“And if he doesn’t, what can you do?” asked William. “Your weapons are totally useless.”

“The power failure is temporary!” insisted the Gold Supreme. “Superior Dalek technology-!”

“Has gone kaput!” interrupted Amy. “You’re no longer in a position to give orders or to stop us from just waltzing out of the mines!”

“Amy is quite correct,” said the Doctor. “We’re all in this together. All equal. …All powerless!”

“Daleks do not recognize inferior beings as-!” protested the Section Leader.

“Spare us your propaganda!” boomed Optimus. “The Doctor’s right, Octus must have used his new alt-mode to usurp not only the Decepticons, but you Daleks.”

“The real question is where would he get an army to be successful?” mused the Doctor.

“It looks like our truce, Optimus, has altered just a tad,” said Megatron.

“Agreed,” replied Optimus. “We all need to work together to defeat Octus. …That includes you, Daleks.”

“Daleks do not cooperate with inferior beings!” barked the Emperor.

“Consider their words, Your Majesty,” warned the Doctor. “You may obtain ballistic weapons to kill us, like you did on Exxilon, but bullets are useless against the Transformers. One angry Decepticon could just raise his foot and stomp on you like a human would stomp on a cockroach and kill you easier than that. And you have FIVE angry Decepticons. Those facts must penetrate even Dalek arrogance.” The Emperor and the Supreme Council looked at one another.

“…I must confer with the Council,” boomed the Emperor. “Councilors, follow!” He led the Supreme Council out of the mines.

“…Doctor, that was just stupid!” hissed William. “What was your backup plan if you were wrong?!”

“Well, ducking for a start, then getting you two out of here,” replied the Doctor. “Then we’d have to solve the Beacon Problem ourselves.”

“…Doctor, if the Daleks can’t shoot,” asked Amy, “how are they moving?”

“Psychokinetic energy,” answered the Doctor. Amy groaned and shut her eyes.

“Because, of course, mind powers are at play with them,” she sighed.

“Doctor,” said Doh-Komoh, “do you think the Daleksss will agree?”

“They don’t exactly have much choice in the matter,” remarked the Doctor. “Either allow Octus to take control or side with the lesser of their perceived two evils and restore power.”

“Doctor, you know the Daleks of old,” said Optimus, “perhaps you can be our spokesperson?”

“I was about to make the same offer, Prime,” chuckled the Doctor. “One moment.” The Doctor headed to the mines’ entrance and ducked behind the rocks to hear the Emperor and his Council talking.

“The only method available,” said the Black and Silver Supreme, “is to reset the Beacon!”

“That will require cooperation with our slave workers!” argued the Red Supreme.

“A temporary measure!” replied the White and Black Supreme. “We will cooperate long enough for the Beacon to allow only Dalek weaponry! Then we will exterminate all who do not obey Dalek commands!”

“Agreed!” said the Emperor. The Doctor heard enough and rejoined the group.

“Well, Doctor?” asked Megatron.

“I think they’ll go for it, only until the Beacon is reset,” reported the Doctor. “So we need to destroy it and get a fighting chance. …Not that they’ll act in time to stop that from happening.”

“How very Decepticon of you,” purred Megatron.

“I still warn you all, don’t trust the Daleks an inch!” urged the Doctor.

“The Emperor’sss coming back,” warned Doh-Komoh. The Emperor Dalek approached the group.

“Well?” asked the Doctor.

“Very well, Doctor!” replied the Emperor. “The truce exists between all parties!”

“Very wise of you,” said the Doctor. “Now, I think we need to investigate where Octus scuttled off to.”

“The Gold Supreme will assist in the investigation!”

“Thundercracker,” barked Megatron. “You will assist the Gold Supreme.”

“Bumblebee, you do the same,” ordered Optimus.

“Amy, William, you’d better accompany them,” said the Doctor. “I need to get into the Dalek City and locate the TARDIS so we have an escape route.”

“Be careful, Doctor,” advised Amy.

---

The investigation team was walking along the surface of Skaro, staying near the mountains. The Gold Supreme brought up the rear. “Tell me, Thundercracker,” said Bumblebee, “while we’re not shooting each other and as you’re a Decepticon I consider respectable, why side with a guy that poisoned Cybertron’s core?”

“Why side with a bot that wants to restore the old regime?” asked Thundercracker.

“Optimus isn’t like the old High Council,” retorted Bumblebee.

“Isn’t he? He’s trying to undo Megatron’s work.”

“Can’t you see that Megatron lost his way?”

“…You’re just…”

“You know he’s right, Thundercracker,” said William. “My own time is in the worst kind of turmoil, but the ideals are still worth fighting for. What were the Council’s ideals?”

“…Plenty for all, that we were all equal under Primus,” replied Thundercracker.

“And Megatron’s current rule?” asked William. Thundercracker balked.

“…Peace through tyranny,” he finally answered.

“That’s not the path to peace,” said Bumblebee. “That leads to the Daleks’ philosophy.”

“Our philosophy DOES lead to peace!” barked the Gold Supreme.

“Does it now?” scoffed William. “The Doctor told me about how a Kaled created you.”

“Kaled?” asked Bumblebee.

“The Kaleds were our humanoid ancestors!” explained the Gold Supreme. “The Kaled you speak of, Davros, our creator, conditioned the first Daleks to survive! Survival meant becoming the dominant species! When all other life-forms are suppressed, when the Daleks become the supreme beings in the universe, THEN you have peace! Wars will end! We are not a power of evil, but of good!”

“You really believe killing all non-Daleks is good?!” protested Amy.

“It IS good!” retorted the Gold Supreme. “This discussion is at an end!”

“He’s not wrong,” remarked Bumblebee. “I see Octus over there.” He pointed out where Octus was. It was a small building with Daleks being automatically unloaded from a production line. The casings were open, so everyone could see what a Dalek looked like inside.

“Oh, gross!” gagged Amy.

“How’s this production line up and running?” muttered William.

“A shielded backup, maybe?” guessed Thundercracker.

“Correct!” replied the Gold Supreme in as much of a whisper as it could muster. The opened Daleks were brought to a machine with an electric prod. The machine gave the Dalek creatures a zap, waking it up and prompting it to seal its casing. The awakened Daleks then assembled in front of Octus.

“…Do you know how the first Daleks came to be?” Octus asked the Daleks. “…They were humanoid once. Then they were taken in by a wicked scientist and tortured! Mutilated! A ruined form of life! And now…perfected! My Daleks…whom do you serve?”

“…We serve Octus!” called one of the new Daleks.

“He is the true Emperor!” said another.

“OCTUS! OCTUS! OCTUS!” cheered the new Daleks.

“TRAITORS!” shrieked the Gold Supreme as it broke cover. “EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!”

“Come back here, you FOOL!” shouted Thundercracker. Then…they saw it happen! One of the new Daleks rushed at the Gold Supreme…then its travel skirt split into eight segments that extended, then the limb and neck section split away to reveal a torso as six of the skirt sections traveled up to the shoulder area to make six arms while the remaining two became legs! The eyestalk sunk into the dome and the new six-armed humanoid form of the new Dalek punched a hole through the Gold Supreme!

“Oh…no!” breathed Bumblebee. “The Daleks were dangerous enough…!”

“But Daleks that can transform into a humanoid form?!” finished Thundercracker.

“Tell me, my brother,” Octus said to the Dalek that killed the Gold Supreme, “how does it feel?”

“…I…feel!” replied the Transformer Dalek. “It…is…GOOD!”

“Excellent!” praised Octus. “Our personal counter-beacon works! Now you are deadlier than ever! …Now to take care of some…pests!” Octus assumed robot mode and looked towards where the Gold Supreme came from. “Rejoice, brothers! Your first collective test is here! Show these inferiors the true meaning of terror! Transform! Transform…AND EXTERMINATE!”

“EXTERMINATE!” called Octus’ Daleks as they all assumed robot mode! “EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!”

“RUN!” shouted Thundercracker as he scooped up William and took off. Bumblebee scooped up Amy and did the same as the Octus Daleks took to the air and pursued them, screaming “EXTERMINATE” all the while!

To say that the work was unpleasant would be putting it lightly. Everywhere William looked, people looked malnourished and weak with Daleks constantly barking their orders. “Work quota achieved in appropriate time!” called a gray Dalek with a black dome, the section leader for the mines. “Rest period will begin! You have 1,500 rels to recover! Work resumes immediately after rest!” Everyone found places to rest and comfort one another. William saw the Doctor talking to a scaly man with a tall forehead and what would have been regal looking clothes. “William! Amy! Come over here!” called the Doctor. William and Amy approached the Doctor and her scaly friend. “I’d like you all to mee Doh-Komoh, Emperor of the Draconians!”

“I WASSS Emperor of that grand rassse,” replied the man. “Now I am doomed to die working in the minesss of SSSkaro!”

“They’ve got humans too, Doctor,” said William.

“I’m not surprised, the Daleks hate humans especially,” remarked the Doctor.

“What kind of creatures are they?” asked Amy. “Living machines like the Transformers?”

“What makes you say that?” asked the Doctor.

“Look at that one right there.” Amy pointed out a Dalek gliding by, checking to see if any slave would try and stupidly rebel. “It was in one place earlier, and it was never still! Moving, twitching-!”

“Nervous energy,” clarified William. “And I can see where you’d say that. I mean, look at Starscream and Thundercracker, bouncing their legs like that. …In fact, I think I’d call them claustrophobic.”

“They’re Seekers,” replied the Doctor. “They don’t do well without a sky to fly through. And Amy, you ARE right in that they’re alive, but what you see is just the travel machine for the creature inside the casing.”

“Inside?!” yelped Amy. “You mean there’s something made of flesh in there?!”

“Yes,” confirmed the Doctor. “The Daleks are the mutated remains of a humanoid race known as the Kaleds. The Kaleds were engaged in a dirty nuclear war for a thousand years with another humanoid race, the Thals, for control over Skaro. The resulting mutations were accelerated by the Kaled Chief Scientist, Davros. He then conditioned the mutations to feel only hatred, then slapped those bubbling lumps of hate into those tanks.”

“Hate? Like Nazi level hate?” asked William.

“A thousand times worse,” corrected the Doctor. “All non-Daleks are pests to be exterminated either immediately or through prolonged work without rest.”

“And they’ve got the technology to ssspread that philosssophy acrossss the ssstarsss,” said Doh-Komoh.

“Silence! Silence!” barked a Dalek. “You will remain silent at all times!”

---

“Looks like production is going as anticipated,” remarked Octus still in his Dalek alt-mode. He was talking to the Dalek Emperor through a visual call.

“How long until enough Energon for refinement is collected?” asked the Emperor.

“Therein lies a pesky problem,” replied Octus. “Sleep will overtake your slave labor when night falls just before enough Energon is collected to be refined. I can tell the workforce that they will work all night, if necessary.”

“No!” boomed the Emperor. “Not until we learn the secrets of Energon refinement! Sleep will be permitted until we fully understand how to utilize Energon! Only then will demand increase and rest of all types be revoked!”

“Understood,” complied Octus.

“Return to your duties, Octus! Cybertron will be yours!”

“I obey.” The call ended, then Octus glanced around the room, his eyestalk taking in all the data he needed. “…No guards. …Good! And I have all the data I need on production! The Daleks will learn more secrets of my former comrades! I shall be the Emperor of a new breed of Daleks! The Doctor will fall before our might! All enemies will be exterminated! AND UNDER MY CONTROL, THE DALEKS SHALL BECOME THE SUPREME BEINGS OF THE UNIVEEEEEEEEERRRRRSSSSEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!”

---

Work had resumed in the mines. The Doctor was assigned to work with Optimus and Megatron. “So, you used to be a miner?” she asked Megatron.

“A slave, yes,” replied Megatron. “My fellow miners and all those of the lower castes were forced to produce Energon for the upper castes while we got the scraps!”

“Humans refer to that nonsense as trickle-down economics,” remarked the Doctor.

“We used to be on the same page that change needed to happen,” said Optimus, “but…”

“Let me guess, you, Prime, wanted a peaceful transition to a new government and you, Megatron, wanted to burn it all down to wipe the slate clean and start from scratch.”

“A clean slate is all it takes to make a new, better government,” replied Megatron.

“There must have been good things about the old government,” remarked William. “The Constitution and Bill of Rights of my world, that’s a good example. What we need in my time are politicians who are beholden to what they swore to uphold and protect, not be the puppets of uber-rich donors and the citizens said donors tricked.” He was about to strike a blue, glowing rock with a pick.

“WATCH IT, FLESHLING!” yelped Megatron. William jumped in surprise and landed on his bottom before he could strike the rock.

“M-Mega-?!”

“That’s Energon, you dolt!” snarled Megatron. “You hit that thing hard enough, the resulting friction will cause it to explode!”

“Well, what do you recommend?” asked the Doctor. “You’re the one with the most experience around here.”

“We’ll have to pick around the exposed vein,” replied Megatron. “Come on, Prime. We’ve got work to do.”

---

Amy was assigned to clearing away the rocks that were dug up with Doh-Komoh. The Draconian man arched an eyebrow as he saw Amy work. “…Thossse rocksss are twissse your sssize. How-?”

“That’s nothing,” replied Amy. “My hammer’s heavier.”

“Hammer?” asked Doh-Komoh.

“Yeah, my Piko Piko hammer. …Wondering why I haven’t escaped?”

“The thought HAD crossssed my mind. …Then again, there’sss too many Daleksss.”

“And, more importantly, I don’t want to leave anyone behind.”

“…Your parentsss raisssed you well, Missss Rossse,” said Doh-Komoh. “Worthy of a noblewoman of my home.”

“Thanks,” replied Amy. She then saw the Dalek Emperor gliding through the mines. “Look out. The boss Dalek’s here.”

“Bessst we get busy,” remarked Doh-Komoh.

---

The Emperor approached the Doctor’s group. “Report!” it boomed at the Dalek guarding the group.

“Excessive heat will cause a violent expansion of energy!” replied the guard. “Mere friction between Energon crystal and tool upon tool’s impact is enough of a trigger for such an explosion!”

“Megatron, you will teach all miners how to extract the crystal safely!” ordered the Emperor.

“With the primitive equipment you have us using,” retorted Megatron, “that kind of hazard will hang over our heads permanently.”

“The equipment will suffice!”

“I can assure you, not even my former slave drivers would have allowed this!”

“YOU WILL OBEY! OBEY!” The Emperor glided off without a word of explanation.

“…Imbecile! He’s going to lose an entire Energon vein!” grunted Megatron.

“Do not dispute with the Emperor!” barked the guard. “The function of non-Daleks is to obey their masters! Return to work immediately! IMMEDIATELY!”

---

A few minutes later, the Doctor was called away. She was brought to the mine’s control center. “Doctor in the house,” she joked to the Daleks running the place.

“Power fluctuations are affecting proper operations of all equipment!” barked the Dalek Section Leader. “You will identify the cause and perform proper maintenance, Doctor!”

“…Power fluctuations?” mused the Doctor. “…I’ll see what I can do. Any tools? Ah, there they are. Let’s see…” The Doctor got to work and checked everything. There were a few stray wires, but nothing that would lead to a power fluctuation. A theory formed in her head. “…It’s working,” she said, “but I have a theory as to why you can’t use it. …I’ll need to speak with the Emperor when he next visits the mines.”

“The Emperor is en route now!” replied the Section Leader. “Lead the way!”

“After you.”

“LEAD!”

“Have it your own way.” The Doctor led the Section Leader out of the control center.

---

The Emperor was accompanied by the entire Supreme Council. “Report!” he boomed.

“The work is going to go slowly unless you give us proper tools,” replied Megatron.

“The tools you have will suffice!” retorted the White and Black Supreme.

“Excuse me!” called the Doctor’s voice. The rulers of Skaro then swiveled their eyestalks to the Doctor as the Section Leader brought her to them.

“Doctor!” boomed the Emperor.

“In the flesh,” replied the Doctor. ‘Your Section Leader had me conducting repairs and I developed a theory concerning your problem.”

“Explain!” ordered the Emperor.

“Well, first off, I need to make sure I’m perfectly surrounded by you lot.” The Daleks looked at each other in confusion. What was their greatest enemy planning? The Doctor looked around and smirked. “Yep! Can’t escape! Good! Now…exterminate me.”

“WHAT?!” called William from his and Amy’s position.

“DOCTOR, NO!” shouted Amy.

“You offer your life to the Daleks?” asked the Emperor. “All just to test a theory?”

“That’s the idea,” replied the Doctor. “If I’m wrong, then you’re finally rid of your greatest enemy. You lot DO still remember how to kill a Time Lord permanently, yes? Kill them beyond the hope of regeneration?”

“DOCTOR!” protested William. The Supreme Council looked to the Emperor for orders.

“…Your terms are acceptable, Doctor!” boomed the Emperor. “All Daleks, it is time to end our war against the Ka Faraq Gatri! EXTERMINATE THE DOCTOR!”

“WE OBEY!” cheered the Supreme Council as they and the Emperor aimed their gunsticks at the Doctor!

“What’s with the egg whisk and-?” began William as he pointed at said whisk in Octus’ possession.

“That’s not a whisk! That’s a Dalek gunstick!” replied Thundercracker.

“Gun? Then he’s affected by the same energy blackout.”

“Am I?” purred Octus as he glided forward with ugly grace, aiming his gunstick at Thundercracker. Behind them, William heard what sounded like focused energy transmitted at high velocity, the sound of energy weapons…and screaming Decepticon soldiers. One soldier rounded a corner.

“Sky Guy!” called Thundercracker. “What’s going on?!”

“Sir! Invasion!” replied Sky Guy. “Daleks have-!” A squad of Daleks then rounded the corner with one of them firing its gunstick. A stream of cold, cyan light erupted from the gunstick and struck Sky Guy, illuminating him and briefly showing his internal mechanics. Sky Guy screamed in agony, then fell once the Dalek ceased fire. Sky Guy faded to gunmetal gray.

“…That wasn’t necessary!” protested William. “You didn’t have to kill him!”

“We did not need him alive!” barked the Dalek Commander. This one was black with silver trim, unlike the gray and black soldiers under its command. “Octus, your information was correct! The Doctor’s TARDIS has been located! It will be taken to Kalaan!”

“Very good, Dalek Supreme,” replied Octus.

“You will bring the Doctor’s companion and Thundercracker to the mine!” ordered the Dalek Supreme.

“I obey,” answered Octus. He swiveled his eyestalk to Thundercracker. “My gunstick was built to Dalek specifications, Thundercracker. I’m sure you guessed they’re behind the energy blackout.”

“The thought had crossed my mind, traitor,” snarled Thundercracker.

“So you’re just giving us to the Daleks as slave labor?!” growled William.

“That is all you fleshies are good for,” replied Octus. “Now, you will move ahead of me and follow my directions!”

“If you think-!” Octus interrupted William’s protest.

“You will obey! Obey! OBEY!”

“Dr. Davies,” said Thundercracker, “a mere Dalek Drone just killed a mech twice as strong as me, physically speaking. They won’t hesitate to gun you down. For now, we better do as they say.” Thundercracker raised his hands above his head. William snarled, but did the same.

“Now move! Move! MOVE!” ordered Octus. Thundercracker and William made their way out of the ship with Octus keeping his gunstick trained on them. The Black and Silver Dalek Supreme and its squadron followed.

---

In the valley, the Doctor and her group were faring no better. The Decepticon soldiers that accompanied them were gunned down mercilessly by a red and gold Dalek as well as a gold and black Dalek. “Two members of the Dalek Supreme Council,” muttered the Doctor as she, Amy, Optimus, and Megatron took cover. “They obviously place us very high on their list of priorities.”

“Why? What would they want?” asked Optimus. Amy’s ears then flicked.

“…Guys…the shooting’s stopped,” she said. Everyone peeked from behind their cover. The Autobots and the bridge crew of the Decepticons were still alive. …The others were dead and gunmetal gray.

“…They’re leaving us alive,” remarked the Doctor. “What for?”

“Doctor!” barked the Red Supreme. “You are within our power! Surrender at once or your human companion will be exterminated alongside the blue Seeker!”

“Thundercracker!” realized Megatron. “They infiltrated my ship!”

“And kept those two alive,” sighed the Doctor. “They need slave labor for some reason.”

“You have five rels to comply!” called the Gold Supreme. “Five!”

“Doctor, what’s our move here?” asked Optimus.

“Four!”

“The Daleks won’t be bluffing,” replied the Doctor. “They flat-out described Thundercracker too well.”

“Three!”

“Then, what? We surrender?” argued Megatron.

“Two!”

“We don’t exactly have a lot of options. …They addressed me. Follow my lead.” She raised her hands, prompting everyone to follow suit.

“One!”

“Good afternoon, Daleks!” called the Doctor as she and her group revealed themselves from their hiding places. “How lovely to see you.”

“Doctor!” barked the Red Supreme. “You are in our power!”

“So it seems,” replied the Doctor.

“Your Transformer allies are required!” said the Gold Supreme. “You will move ahead of us and follow our instructions! Move! MOVE!”

“As you wish.” The Doctor led the way.

---

Both groups arrived at the entrance to a mine in the mountains. More Daleks were standing there. One was black with gold trim, one was all black, one was black with white trim, and one was white with black trim. The Red, Gold, and Black and Silver Daleks joined with their comrades. “The entire Dalek Supreme Council,” remarked the Doctor. “We should be honored. That usually means the Emperor is directly involved.”

“Doctor!” called William.

“William! You’re all right!” said the Doctor with relief.

“What happened?!” asked Amy.

“Doctor, Thundercracker and I need to talk to Megatron,” urged William.

“What for?” asked the Doctor.

“Yes, why?” quizzed Megatron. “How did the Daleks get aboard my ship?”

“My Lord, we were betrayed!” reported Thundercracker. “Not by Starscream, this time, but by Octus! See that giant Dalek over there?” He pointed out Octus.

“…Octus, you dare sell us out to the DALEKS?!” roared Megatron. He raised his hand to punch Octus.

“I wouldn’t advise that,” said Octus as he leveled his gunstick at Megatron. “My weapons systems are made to Dalek specifications.”

“He speaks the truth, Lord Megatron,” warned Thundercracker. Megatron snarled, guessing what that meant as he lowered his fist.

“That’s more like it,” chuckled Octus.

“Explanations: required,” droned Soundwave.

“I gotta agree with Soundy here,” said Jazz. “Why side with these creeps?”

“Emperor arriving!” called a Drone Dalek. The Daleks formed an aisle with the Supreme Council at the end and flanking both sides. The Dalek approaching them was golden and had a massive sphere replacing the neck and dome sections. The eyestalk rested on the sphere and it wore a crown of six dome lights lining the rear of the sphere.

“The Emperor of the Daleks himself,” said the Doctor.

“Doctor!” greeted the Emperor in a booming voice.

“We both had a face-lift since we last met,” remarked the Doctor. “Tell me, were you inspired by the Exxilon Affair?”

“The Beacon of the Great City of Exxilon,” replied the Emperor, “provided us a means of acquiring slave labor!”

“Why mention Exxilon?” asked Starscream. “That’s barely a class C civilization.”

“Not in its early days,” corrected the Doctor. “They were once a powerful space-faring civilization, but they built a city that drained all power to make sure it kept itself alive, so the Exxilons turned to worshipping it. …At least until Sarah Jane and I stumbled upon the planet.”

“Let me guess,” said William, “you shut that city down?”

“Well, gave it a nervous breakdown, but yes. …A pity. One of the 700 wonders of the universe, and I had to destroy it. Of course, the Daleks were involved.”

“And now we have obtained the secrets of the Beacon and have made it our own!” boasted the Emperor. “You shall be put to work in the mines! Octus informed us you used to be a miner, Megatron. Or perhaps I should say D-16!” Megatron snarled at that.

“What are we mining for?” asked Bumblebee.

“Energon,” replied Octus. “Perhaps I should start from the beginning. The Daleks intercepted my shuttle en route from the Movellan fleet after negotiations fell through. All I got was a set of coordinates and the Daleks took me as their prisoner. I noticed that they were experimenting with an Energon crystal and learned that they found the substance here on Skaro. They have slaves already mining the stuff, but had no idea on how to refine it. I offered to get them slaves that can do both in exchange for serving the Daleks.”

“Octus, you’ve abandoned all sense of logic!” protested Shockwave. “If the Daleks learn the secrets of Energon-!”

“Then we shall be the supreme beings of the universe!” boomed the Emperor.

“That’s just hyperbole, yes?” William asked the Doctor.

“Oh, I wish,” replied the Doctor. “Energon’s one of the most powerful fuels in the universe. For the Transformers, it’s not just fuel for their technology, but ammunition for their weapons and their literal life-blood. The Daleks would certainly make good on their threat to conquer space. …However, it’s not exactly a fuel used to conquer time.”

“We do not need Energon for our time ships, Doctor!” replied the Emperor. “The Time Lords taught us much of time travel!”

“Your history is threatening to collapse under the weight of its own paradoxes!” argued the Doctor.

“ENOUGH!” boomed the Emperor. “Doctor, you and your companions will assist the Transformers in refining the Energon collected!”

“What about the radiation on this planet?”

“Radiation?” asked Amy.

“Skaro’s a radioactive desert world,” explained the Doctor.

“Anti-radiation drugs will be dispensed along with food!” replied the White Supreme.

“Until you’ve learned how to refine Energon, I take it.”

“Correct! Enter the mine! Join the labor force! Obey! Obey! OBEY!”

“…Come on, everyone,” sighed the Doctor. “We’d best do as they say.” The Daleks coldly watched as everyone entered the mine. The entrance was just big enough for Transformers. Octus remained outside with the Emperor.

“…Well, anything for me?” he asked.

“You will await my summons!” replied the Emperor. “I will expect a progress report from you later on Energon production!”

“I obey,” answered Octus. The Emperor and the Supreme Council then left. “…All according to plan,” purred Octus. “Now…to guide the destiny of the Daleks!”

The Autobots plowed through, taking quite a bit of weapons fire! “Optimus, I really must protest!” argued the Doctor.

“Mind your heads!” warned Optimus. He opened his doors, tilted his seats so that the Doctor and William tumbled out, and transformed into robot mode, pulling out a giant rifle and firing at the Decepticons, blasting holes in their chests. The downed Decepticons faded to gunmetal gray.

“Doctor, when you said they were at war-!” yelped William.

“I was rather hoping to spare you the ugly reality of war,” replied the Doctor.

“No, I just meant I didn’t think their war would be more brutal than any war humans have seen!”

“…Frightening, isn’t it? To learn there are others more versed in death than humans?”

“Terrifying, frankly!” admitted William.

---

“Sorry, Miss Rose,” said Bumblebee, “but I need to start shooting back!” Amy unbuckled and leapt out of Bumblebee as he transformed and fired his gun into the heads of several Decepticons. One of the Decepticons then shot Bumblebee in the shoulder.

“BUMBLEBEE!” called Amy as Bumblebee leaked a pink fluid and clutched at his wound in pain. She then leapt onto the offending Decepticon and caved his head in with her hammer. Ratchet arrived and transformed, beginning repairs for Bumblebee.

“You’re not gonna be shooting with that arm anytime soon,” he said.

“I’m ambidextrous, remember?” replied Bumblebee.

“You’re also fuel-efficient,” remarked Ratchet. “I mean, you didn’t lose a lot of your own reserves, but you still have enough Energon to function.”

“Thank Primus for being small,” agreed Bumblebee.

“I’ll ask about Energon later!” said Amy as she hammered a Decepticon’s chest unit, caving it in.

“…Doc, you don’t intend to make her angry, do you?” Bumblebee asked Ratchet.

“A hammer-wielding fleshling that can cave a bot’s chest in? No thank you. Sounds too unhealthy!” replied Ratchet.

“So don’t make her angry. Important medical advice. Thanks, Ratchet.” Bumblebee resumed shooting with his one good arm.

---

Inside the bridge, Starscream was babbling in fear to a Decepticon with a huge gun on his arm. This was Megatron, the Supreme Commander of the entire Decepticon Empire. “ANDTHEDOCTORBUZZEDTHEFORCEFIELDSANDTHEPINKYTHENWENT‘ARGH’ANDIWENT-!”

“STARSCREAM!” roared Megatron.

“Yes, Lord Megatron?”

“…Explain what happened again. Slowly.” Megatron sounded annoyed.

“…Right.” Starscream took a deep breath. “…The Doctor is on our ship and used a power fluctuation to free the Autobots! She’s regenerated into a woman’s body and now has a pink furball and a human with her!”

“WHAT?!” shouted Megatron. It was at that moment that the Autobots burst onto the bridge with their organic friends. “PRIME!” shouted Megatron.

“This ends today, Megatron!” replied Optimus. The two leaders were about to fire…then the lights cut out and all that escaped their guns were pathetic puffs of smoke and electronic warbles.

“Oh, for-! I RECHARGED THIS THING!” complained Megatron. “…Oh well, I always preferred getting up close and personal with you, Optimus Prime!”

“You really HAVE forgotten what you fight for, haven’t you?” replied Optimus as he got ready to fight!

“ENOUGH!” shouted the Doctor.

“WHAT?!” replied the two leaders.

“…We’re all affected by these frequent blackouts,” explained the Doctor. “My own TARDIS was taken out of the Time Vortex thanks to losing power briefly, hence why my friends and I are here. And these blackouts are affecting your weapons too. So, why not-?”

“Don’t say it!” hissed Megatron.

“The Doctor is correct,” remarked Optimus. “If we-.”

“You too!” warned Megatron.

“What’s the disadvantage in working together?” asked William. Megatron groaned. He HATED the times he had to work with the Autobots…and he especially hated when doing so was the only option.

“…Very well,” he finally decided. “Just keep the insipid speeches behind your face plate, Prime!”

---

By now, everyone was working hard. William and Amy were introduced to Jazz and Ironhide on the Autobot side and Shockwave, Thundercracker, Soundwave, and Octus on the Decepticon side. Octus was the only bot with six arms, yet he was pretty lazy! “…Aren’t you gonna get off your metal butt and help?” asked William at one point.

“And expend energy that could be put to better use? No thanks,” scoffed Octus.

“Don’t bother, William,” grunted Thundercracker, the only Decepticon that bothered to learn the names of organic life-forms that weren’t famous. “He’s a glutton that thinks a passive rule would be better for the Decepticons.”

“Hardly passive when it’s the simple order of things for people to serve their betters until death,” replied Octus.

“And yet, I’M higher than you in the pecking order on this ship,” retorted Thundercracker. Octus then stood up.

“Speaking of pecking order,” he said, “I DO recall that Megatron wanted me to look out for a planet to land on, should the power fluctuations make the situation that bad.”

“…Soundwave’s the helmsman here! Get your aft back here!” protested Thundercracker. Octus didn’t listen, he just sauntered out of the room.

“…You know, the more blasé of our predicament he is,” remarked William, “the more suspicious I am of him.”

“He was supposed to swing a punch at me for daring to remind him that he’s the lowest on the bridge crew totem pole,” said Thundercracker. “You’re right to be suspicious of him.”

---

Speaking of the crew, the power fluctuations were becoming more frequent. “All reliable indicators,” said Shockwave as he, Ratchet, and the Doctor worked in the lab, “dictate that the power fluctuations will affect all capabilities, aside from speech and movement.”

“So, no guns, no fancy attachments, and no transforming,” the Doctor summed up.

“I believe I just said that,” replied Shockwave.

“That’s gonna affect first aid,” remarked Ratchet.

“Doctor, guys,” called Amy as she entered the lab, “Soundwave found the planet this ship was going to and believes the source of our situation’s from there.”

“…It would stand to reason that the closer we get to the planet, the more total the power loss,” theorized Shockwave.

“We’ll have to risk it,” said the Doctor. “Shutting down whatever’s on the planet that’s causing this is our most expedient solution to permanently restoring power.”

“Agreed,” confirmed Shockwave.

---

Optimus and Megatron were told of the science team’s suggestion to land on the planet. “Soundwave,” ordered Megatron, “begin a spiral descent on the planet. We still have Energon to mine there.”

“As you command, Megatron,” droned Soundwave.

---

The ship circled as it went through the planet’s atmosphere. The heat shielding was still working, thank goodness. The planet looked like one huge desert with rocky crags and pits and sparse vegetation. The ship landed in a valley between two mountain ranges. There was some cloud cover in that part of the planet. Once the ship landed, Optimus and Megatron opened the doors. “Fan out and scout the area!” Megatron ordered the Decepticons.

“…More annoyingly familiar surroundings,” muttered the Doctor.

“…Doctor, where’s William?” asked Amy.

“And Thundercracker and Octus,” remarked Optimus.

“Octus must have finally convinced Thundercracker to take a load off!” grunted Megatron.

---

Megatron’s guess could not be further from the truth. Thundercracker and William were currently sneaking up to a door. “You’re sure you heard someone transforming in there?” asked Thundercracker.

“Positive,” replied William.

“So they assumed alt-mode as we were getting closer,” guessed Thundercracker. He peered at the nameplate above the door. “…Hang on, that’s Octus’ quarters,” he revealed.

“And so things get more suspicious surrounding him,” muttered William. Thundercracker knocked on the door.

“Hey! Lazy!” he called. “We’re all outside!”

“Sorry,” called Octus’ voice. “Had to go native before we suffered total power failure.” The door slowly opened.

---

“Hey! Prime! Over here!” called Bumblebee.

“What is it?” asked Optimus as he, Megatron, the Doctor, and Amy joined with Bumblebee.

“Over there! I see the spire of a city!” explained Bumblebee. The city itself was obscured by rocks nearby, but the spire could be seen clearly.

---

Octus glided out in his new alt-mode. William blinked at the sight. He looked like some sort of tank with a globe-studded travel skirt, a dome with a camera eye on a stalk, a pair of dome lights, a neck section with rings, a toilet plunger making a manipulator arm on the right, and an elongated egg whisk with a hollow barrel on the left. “Like I said, had to go native,” explained Octus. Every time he spoke, the dome lights flashed on each syllable. Thundercracker stepped back as he realized what Octus had done.

“…No!” whispered the blue jet Decepticon. “No, you didn’t!”

---

The group rounded the bend and saw the city that the spire was part of. The instant she clapped eyes on it, the Doctor recognized the architecture immediately, her hearts stopping in terror. “…They rebuilt it!” she said. “They brought it back! …No! Megatron-!”

“Doctor, I swear on my Spark,” replied Megatron, “I…didn’t…know!”

“Wh-why’s everyone scared?” asked Amy. “What planet is this?”

---

“SKARO!” shouted Thundercracker in absolute terror as he pointed an accusing finger at Octus. “YOU TRICKED US INTO LANDING ON SKARO!”

“It is better to serve the Destroyer than stand in its way,” replied Octus.

---

“Why is this Skaro so scary for you guys?” asked Amy.

“Because this is a dangerous world! For all life!” explained the Doctor. “…This is the homeworld of the Daleks!”

“Life forms detected!” barked a harsh, grating, metallic voice. “The survivors will be put to work as slave labor! All extraneous Cybertronians will be exterminated!” Mechanical beings shaped like Octus’ alt-mode, but only standing at 1.7 meters tall, glided into the valley! The Doctor’s hearts raced. …The Daleks had tricked them all somehow!

It had been quite a trying time for the Doctor. With the resurgence of the Master, now a woman calling herself Miss Tarae, the Doctor felt her past catching up and was feeling the usual angst of a functionally immortal being. She just sat in a chair, staring at the console. She could feel the TARDIS trying to reassure her, but it was hard to accept. William arrived. “Hey, Doctor,” he said. “Amy said she found something she wanted to show us. …Doctor?”

“Hm?” asked the Doctor, snapping out of her trance. “Oh, Amy? Yes? What about Mrs. Pond?”

“…Miss Rose,” corrected William. “Is the hedgehog girl not the first Amy you traveled with?”

“…No, but…” The Doctor returned to staring at the console.

“…But?” asked William.

“Doctors of human and alien origin, behold!” came Amy’s voice. She stepped into the console room as if she were on a runway, wearing the same outfit her future self wore!

“Ooh! Amy Blackrose enters the room!” cheered William. “Looking fine as ever!”

“Amy Blackrose, huh?” mused Amy. “There’s a name for this look! Dark, yet beautiful! What do you think, Doctor? …Doctor?”

“Oh, for the love of-! Earth to Doctor!” complained William. The Doctor snapped out of her trance again and gave Amy her attention.

“Oh, hello again,” she said. “More knowledge of the future?”

“I’m not that Amy yet,” replied Amy.

“Oh. Then where did you find her outfit?”

“Over in the TARDIS wardrobe. You like it?”

“Yes, yes, I do. …Very…very becoming,” replied the Doctor.

“Oh, come on, Doctor!” said William. “Put some life into it! Her natural pink works well with the black of her clothes!”

“What’s wrong, Doctor?” asked Amy. “Feeling homesick? We could always visit Earth in William’s time.”

“Earth isn’t my home, Miss Rose,” replied the Doctor as she stood up. “I’m a Time Lord…a Time Lord that walks further in eternity than the rest of her race ever did.”

“It’s what Miss Tarae said about that Timeless Child stuff, isn’t it?” asked William.

“Yes. …A Time Lord lives longer than a human, and I’ve lived longer than an average Time Lord, thanks to what I learned about myself,” sighed the Doctor. “…I’ve lived almost 10,000 years now.”

“So, you’re…middle-aged?” asked Amy.

“Middle-aged?! Miss Rose, I’m ANCIENT by anyone’s measurement! …And now a renegade Time Lord with the moral compass of a petty dictator has the same lifespan as me.”

“Would chasing her make you feel better?” asked William.

“No, it won’t. I’ve played that kind of game before and hated every move I made.”

“Well, maybe telling us what this Timeless Child stuff is all abOOOAAAAAHHH!” Amy’s sentence was cut off as the TARDIS suddenly lurched! Everyone grabbed the console to steady themselves as the Doctor made several corrections. Soon, it was back in normal flight. “What was that, Doctor?!” yelped Amy.

“I’m not sure,” replied the Doctor. “It was almost as if the TARDIS lost power for a second.” The TARDIS then made its arrival sound. “…We seem to have landed in a relative safe place in space-time, so I can conduct repairs,” muttered the Doctor. She switched the scanner on.

“…It looks like a corridor,” remarked William.

“A big one,” continued Amy. “And dark purple all around.”

“…How annoying,” muttered the Doctor. “I feel like I’ve seen that kind of architecture before. …I better jog my memory. You two coming?”

---

The trio left the TARDIS and went down the corridor. It was clear that the people using it were giants, almost six meters in height on average, not accounting for the 3-meter clearance from the ceiling. “Hm…rather peculiar,” mused the Doctor. “The air feels familiar, but I can’t place it.”

“Can anyone hear that buzzing?” asked William.

“I thought I was hearing things after the TARDIS shook,” replied Amy.

“No, I hear that buzzing too,” confirmed the Doctor. “Sounds like…a force-field. Come on.” The Doctor led the way down the corridor. They then arrived at what looked like a detention block with giant cells guarded by force-fields. They had a slight purple tint to them, but were transparent enough to see the occupants. There were five prisoners in total…and they were all humanoid robots with the tallest one being six meters. They all looked like they had various parts from cars and trucks of the 1980s. “Oh dear,” realized the Doctor.

“Doctor?” asked William. The tallest robot, a red and blue robot with antennae and a faceplate over his mouth, looked up from his seat and saw the trio.

“Humans!” he said in a bass voice. “How did you get on board?!”

“Entirely by accident, Optimus, I assure you,” replied the Doctor. “And Amy and I aren’t humans. She’s a hedgehog from Mobius, far off in the future, and I’m the time-traveler bringing her and Dr. William Davies here with me through time and space.”

“Not human?” asked a white robot with a pair of black horns on his head and a medical cross on his shoulders. “And time travel? …Do you have a blue box for a time machine?”

“Ratchet! Old friend!” said the Doctor. “I haven’t seen you since that battle in London. The Decepticons almost destroyed the Terminus Blade fragment that day, right?”

“I don’t believe it! It IS you, Doctor!” said the medical robot, Ratchet.

“Hang on, you said ‘Decepticons’,” said William. “And called that robot…” He was pointing at the red and blue robot. “…Optimus Prime?!” he gasped. “Doctor, you actually MET the Transformers?!”

“I was a black Scotsman the last time I met them, but yes,” replied the Doctor.

“Doctor, what are you doing here?” asked Optimus. “This is a prison ship under Megatron’s direct command!”

“No wonder the architecture looked familiar,” gulped the Doctor.

“Guys, could someone fill in the lost hedgehog?!” called Amy. “What ARE the Transformers?”

“A race of naturally occurring robots from the planet of Cybertron that can change their shape into a vehicular mode,” replied the Doctor. “Robots that can think and feel as we do. Unfortunately, they’re a species defined by civil war between the Autobots, these poor fellows, and the Decepticons.”

“From what I’ve heard, the Autobots are people that care about life and freedom,” said William, “while the Decepticons are blood-thirsty conquerors.”

“Yo! Doc! Behind you!” called the voice of an Autobot with door wings and a visor over his optics.

“Well, well, well!” came a nasally voice. The Doctor and her companions turned to see a robot with wings and rifles attached to his upper arms. He was reddish-orange and white. “I thought I saw a TARDIS here, so to hear that YOU, madam, are that blonde man with the vegetable on his lapel-!” continued the robot.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding!” complained the Doctor. “Starscream, are you still sore about the cricket bat to the face?! I panicked after YOU picked me up like trash!”

“You made me the laughingstock of the Decepticon Empire, Doctor!” shrieked the new robot, Starscream. He then spotted Amy. “…I see you still have a taste for the feminine companions, Doctor.” He then grabbed the hedgehog!

“AMY!” called William.

“PUT HER DOWN!” demanded the Doctor.

“Hey, that’s a new dress, you creep!” shouted Amy.

“Silence, fleshling!” cackled Starscream. “Now, Doctor, what say we go have a nice chat on the bridge? Unless, of course, you want me to turn the pink thing into a black, pink, and red paste!” Starscream had evidently not learned rule 1 of holding Amy Rose hostage: when doing so, make sure she doesn’t have an arm free. Amy summoned a huge, red and gold, mallet-style hammer. Starscream’s optics flickered. “…Erm, where did you-?” He get far with his sentence. One minute, he was holding Amy, assuming her to be a damsel in distress. The next, he was clutching his face in pain with both hands after Amy boomeranged her hammer between his optics. Amy landed on her feet and held her hammer with both hands. “WHY, YOU PINK RAT!” screeched Starscream.

“I’m a hedgehog, not a rat!” snapped Amy. She then brought her hammer down on Starscream’s foot! Starscream hopped around in pain, then the lights went out briefly.

“…Doctor, isn’t that what happened with the TARDIS?” asked William.

“So the Decepticons AREN’T the source of the power fluctuations,” remarked the Doctor.

“Doctor, I’m going to enjoy squishing you!” snarled Starscream as he recovered.

“I hope, for your sake,” said Optimus’ voice, “you can do so quickly.” Starscream then looked at the shadow on the floor. …That was NOT his shadow. He turned around to see that the Autobots were on the wrong side of their cells’ forcefields and looked ready to give him a beating!

“…Eh heh heh,” laughed Starscream nervously. “Erm, this was all a misunderstanding, Optimus. You understand, right? I was merely following orders and MEGATROOOOOOOON!” Starscream then transformed into his alt-mode (an F-15 Eagle fighter jet) and took off!

“Autobots, Doctor, we must secure the bridge!” called Optimus.

“Optimus, there’s no way Starscream and Megatron are the only Decepticons on this ship!” protested the Doctor.

“We have to risk it!” insisted Optimus. “Autobots, transform and roll out!” The Autobots assumed their alt-modes (Optimus turning into a red White Freightliner WFT-8664T cabover semi-trailer truck, the Autobot with a visor and door wings turning into a Martini Racing Porsche 935, Ratchet and his red twin turning into Nissan Sunny-Vanette Coach SGL’s with Ratchet’s paintwork and accessories making him into an ambulance, and the smallest Autobot turning into a yellow Volkswagen Type 1). “Doctor, you and your friends will want to come with us,” offered Optimus as he opened his doors. The Doctor and William then climbed into Optimus’ cab. The Doctor was ready to grab the steering wheel…only there wasn’t one in front of her.

“Erm, Doctor?” asked William as he took the steering wheel.

“…Right. American. Left hand drive,” remembered the Doctor. Meanwhile, Amy climbed into the Volkswagen.

“Ooh! Pink seats!” she said as she got in.

“Name’s Bumblebee, and you?” asked the Volkswagen.

“Amy Rose from Mobius. WAY far off in your future.”

“Nice to meet you!” With those introductions out of the way, the Autobots gunned their engines and Optimus led the charge…right into a volley of Decepticon fire!