SEQUEL TO "DYING EMBERS"
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Life returns... Life prevails... Everything has changed. And in the mysterious world of the Nethersphere, plans have been drawn... and it most certainly can't lead to anything good. (FULL SUMMARY INSIDE!!!)
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Continued from Into the Dalek ― III __________
"The Dalek isn't just some angry blob in a Dalekanium tank." The Doctor said as they all climbed the wall of the casing and into a recess. "If it was, the radiation would have turned it into a raging lunatic."
"It is a raging lunatic." Journey frowned. "It's a Dalek."
"But, for a moment, it wasn't. The radiation allowed it to expand its consciousness, to consider things beyond its natural terms of reference. It became good. That means a good Dalek is possible." The Doctor glanced at Lexi, smirking a bit. "That's what we learned today. Am I right, love?"
"Exactly, my sweet." Lexi grinned.
"But now it's back to how it was." Journey reminded.
"But what it saw, what it felt, is still there." The Doctor countered.
"Yeah, I'm not really seeing that."
"Yeah, well, the reason for that is because it's not here." Lexi pointed up. "It's up there."
Journey looked up. "You mean in the cortex vault?"
Lucas blinked. "The evil engineering?"
"Every memory recorded." The Doctor nodded. "Some suppressed, but all still intact. We need to show the Dalek that star being born again, recreate that moment. You need to get up there, find that moment, and reawaken it."
"Got it." Lexi nodded, cracking her neck.
"How?" Clara asked.
"Haven't the foggiest." The Doctor admitted. "Do a clever thing. And then once you've done it, the Dalek will be suggestible to new ideas. It will be open again, and I will show it something that will change its mind forever."
"What?" Journey asked.
"Not a clue."
Journey groaned. "This is crazy! There's no way we can get back up there in time!"
"Yes, there is." Gretchen spoke up as she took aim with the same grappling hook gun Ross had used.
"No, Gretchen." Journey shook her head, quickly going to her. "It'll bring the antibodies down on us."
Ignoring Journey, Gretchen looked straight to Lexi. "Tell me the truth, Glorious. Is he mad, or is he right? I've come this far, probably going to die anyway. Wouldn't mind something to do for the rest of my life." She took a deep breath, tightening her grip on the grappling hook gun. "Is he mad, or is he right?"
"After nine hundred years of being with him," Lexi let out a puff of air. "I can honestly say that most of the time he's both."
Gretchen nodded before then turning towards the Doctor. "One question, then... Is this worth it?"
