Jamie and the Doctor are stunned to see the TARDIS being hauled away from the hangar at Gatwick Airport on the back of a lorry. They try to stop the truck but it speeds away. They do the next best thing, going into the hangar to see if anyone's about.

Inside, they find one man dressed as a labourer, but he sits listening to a radio rather than working. It is very loud and the Doctor must undertake some effort to get it turned down. The unhelpful man's name is Bob Hall.

Once the music is down, the Doctor inquires about the missing police box, although Jamie's enthusiasm gets in the way. Hall tells them, unhelpfully, that the police box is gone. He does at least produce a signed order for its pick up, unfortunately it is signed by "J. Smith". Hall refuses to do anything more...until the Doctor suggests talking to the police. Hall then produces the name of the firm that picked up the box: Leatherman. Jamie is certain this is a clue to the theft but the Doctor refuses to discuss it. He drags his companion outside.

Once he is alone, Hall produces a small R/T unit, which has been switched on all along. The entire conversation has been overheard by another man not far away. His name is Kennedy. Hall contacts him and Kennedy is pleased. He tells Hall to head to "the warehouse" where he will be paid.

Jamie and the Doctor have not gone far. They are hiding within sight of the door of the hangar. Jamie cannot understand why they are not pursuing the trucking firm, but the Doctor says he doesn't trust the clue. Things were very suspicious in that hangar. Hall's overalls were too small for him - as if they were not his own - and the pickup order he showed them was obviously a plant on top of other, dissimilar papers. The Doctor has the distinct feeling that this man was also planted there. But why.

They watch as Hall emerges from the hangar, no longer wearing the overalls but dressed in a shirt and jacket. The Doctor and Jamie follow his movements as he goes.

Kennedy uses his radio to contact his "base", reporting the Doctor's movements. Kennedy knows the Doctor's name, as does the man on the other end of the radio. The other man has predicted the Doctor's suspicious behaviour and is pleased. Kennedy heads off to the warehouse.

Hall gets into a car and drives off. The Doctor and Jamie hail a taxi and follow him.

Kennedy's "base" is actually a very tidy Victorian house whose front room has been turned into a showroom for antiques - fine examples of Victorian clocks and other artefacts. In charge of it all is one Edward Waterfield, a small fussy man in a neat dark suit. He has full sideburns long out of fashion and a manner which makes him seem very slightly "at sea" most of the time.

Waterfield is at work in his study when his assistant, Mr. Perry, knocks. Waterfield must unlock the door to admit him. Perry advises him that an expected delivery has arrived. Perry is a pleasant young man, full of chatter. Waterfield seems preoccupied and little interested in his ramblings. Waterfield refuses his offer to open the shutters as the noise from outside bothers him tremendously.

Perry also comments on a new acquisition in the room: a pedestal clock. It is clearly Victorian - 1870 - but is in perfect condition. It must be a reproduction but it looks perfectly genuine and brand new. Waterfield remains aloof and will not reveal his source. He is more interested in the "delivery". It is a battered old police box! Perry wishes to question him on this as well, but Waterfield becomes cross. He believes he is paying Perry enough money to entitle him to a bit less "curiosity". Perry agrees, but is surprised by Waterfield's use of the word "guineas" when he means "pounds". Perry is also concerned over the possibility of illegal activities. Again Waterfield reassures him and sends him away.

All that is left is to leave the police box where it is... and to wait.

The Doctor and Jamie arrive at a warehouse near King's Cross to find Hall's car outside. They exit the taxi and try to decide their next move.

Kennedy meets Hall inside and Hall receives his pay. However, there is more there than originally agreed upon...because their job is not yet done. Despite Hall's protests that he was not followed, Kennedy knows that the Doctor and Jamie are outside and they will have to be "dealt with". Hall demurs, not sure he wants to be involved with violence. Kennedy insists, his voice becoming hard, reminding him that he has not completed the job he's been paid for until the Doctor and Jamie have been dealt with. Hall realises with growing horror that Kennedy is not joking. He abandons the money given to him and tries to make a dash for it. Kennedy clubs him down before he can get away.

When Jamie and the Doctor arrive, they find only Hall inside. He is alive and barely conscious. He is unaware of his surroundings but tries to ask where Kennedy is. However, he only gets out the first syllable - "Ken" - before slumping back to the floor. The Doctor is sure he'll be OK eventually, but tries to find some water. Instead, he finds the packet of money that was Hall's pay.

The Doctor takes all this in quickly, wondering why someone would pay a man to steal the TARDIS and then club him on the head. Jamie also is wondering why someone would want to steal the TARDIS at all. The Doctor agrees this is the prime question, but the whole thing just seems so elaborate to him. Planting Hall at the hangar, leaving him there to create suspicion, it all seems calculated and yet clumsy.

Looking around the warehouse, the Doctor finds a packet of cigarettes and some matches. Searching Hall, he finds the man has a tin of tobacco and rolling papers. He rolls his own cigarettes and so the cigarettes and matches must belong to someone else. Someone who may still be here. The Doctor and Jamie continue their search, but are interrupted by the sound of a train whistle and metallic brakes nearby. Jamie has never heard such a noise and the Doctor must explain to him that it is a train... then what a train is!

During that distraction, Hall has regained his senses and managed to get to his feet unseen. He dashes for the door and gets away before Jamie and the Doctor can stop him. He jams the door long enough to get well away, although the Doctor and Jamie together eventually force it open. Following him is not an option so the Doctor turns to the other clues to help them solve this mystery.

Examining the matchbook, he finds the name of a coffee bar called the Tricolour. That could be a clue, along with the fact that the matches have been torn out from left to right, indicating a left-handed person was using them. The only thing they can do is to find the Tricolour and look for a left-handed man called "Ken". It is a very slim chance, but Jamie is confident. He urges the Doctor not to give up... just like Robert Bruce!

Some time later, Kennedy has gone to Waterfield's house to report what has happened. He watched the Doctor and Jamie enter the warehouse and saw Bob Hall race out a short time later. He expresses surprise that Hall turned on him like he did, but Waterfield is more concerned over what happened to him after he left the warehouse. To him, Hall is a loose end that must be tied up. Kennedy assures him that he went round to Hall's place a bit later and saw him heading to Euston station with a bag over his shoulder. He got on a train headed north, clearly in a hurry to leave London.

This seems to calm Waterfield and he can focus on the matter at hand. The cigarettes and the matches were planted for the Doctor to find, intended to lead him to the Tricolour. Kennedy seems to think this is a lot of work to go through to get the Doctor's attention, but it clearly worked. After Kennedy identifies photos of the Doctor and Jamie - just to make sure - Waterfield seems satisfied. He wishes Kennedy to stay out of sight in the house somewhere and he is strictly enjoined not to speak with Perry about any of this.

Kennedy agrees to all of this, saying a simple "OK". However, Waterfield does not appear to know what this means and asks for clarification. Kennedy is stunned by this oddity and Waterfield struggles to explain. He says that his "strange attitude" is due to having to play the part of a Victorian to help put the customers at ease. Kennedy seems to buy this, but continues to ask questions, particularly about the reason why he's trying to lure the Doctor and Jamie to the house. As he did with Perry before, Waterfield tells Kennedy that he is being paid to do a job, not to ask questions. Kennedy gets the message.

Waterfield asks Kennedy to send Perry to him and then gets back to work in the study. Kennedy goes out and closes the door behind him, but not all the way. Curious to the last, Kennedy watches his employer through the gap. Thinking he is unobserved, Waterfield opens a secret door behind a bookcase and disappears into a hidden room. After a moment, he returns with another clock - clearly of Victorian design but brand new - and begins to examine it. Too late, Kennedy realises Perry is behind him and watching him. The look of accusation is enough to put Kennedy on his guard. He brusquely informs Perry that Waterfield wants him and then goes off.

Perry, having learned his lesson not to question, knocks on the study door. After he has closed the hidden door, Waterfield allows Perry to enter. His eyes are immediately drawn to the new clock, yet another flawless reproduction, and he admires it. Waterfield turns this to his advantage, using the clock as a cover for the errand he asks Perry to do for him. The clock, he says, is for a new customer, a "Doctor Galloway", whom Perry is to meet at the Tricolour coffee bar. Waterfield shows him pictures of the Doctor and Jamie, his "secretary". Perry is to ask them both to come to the shop at 10:00 tonight. However, Perry may have to wait at the Tricolour for some time as the Doctor is "notoriously unpunctual". This is of course a cover for the fact that the Doctor may not go to the coffee bar straight away.

Perry accepts all of this and leaves the room to go to the Tricolour right away. When he is gone, Waterfield locks the study door and opens the secret room again. Inside, there are more Victorian pieces, but there is also some very odd futuristic equipment. Waterfield does not seem to notice them at first as he busies himself in the room. Once he is done with his task, he then activates the electronic equipment. He is an old pro at its use.

Outside the study, Kennedy has returned, stooping to peer through the keyhole. He is fascinated by the little that he can see of the secret room and seems to be determined to find out what is inside. Again, he is so fixed on what he is doing that he doesn't see Perry stop on his way out. He gazes coldly at the ruffian Kennedy before addressing him. Kennedy thinks up a poor lie about what he is doing and then slinks away under Perry's baleful gaze.

The Doctor and Jamie, meanwhile, have gone straight to the Tricolour, hoping to find the left-handed man called "Ken". It is a bustling, noisy place full of people and music and chatter. Jamie seems to like it, but wonders why they are here. Surely they should have traced the trucking firm Leatherman first to track down the stolen TARDIS. The Doctor tells Jamie he's checked in the London phone directory and there is no such firm. He is convinced it is a red herring and that the real plot is a complex one. He is certain they are being led into a trap, but he would feel much better about it if he knew who their enemies were. Jamie fears it could be the Chameleons again, but the Doctor thinks it something else entirely. He can feel them closing in all around.

In the secret room, Waterfield is facing the strange equipment, speaking out loud but not at the machinery. Someone or something had been there just before and Waterfield is pleading with whatever has just left. He laments that he has done all that has been asked of him and he demands the truth. He receives no reply but that does not stop his heart-felt rant.

Outside the study, Kennedy has returned yet again and can hear what is being said. He does not understand the strange gentleman, but he has an idea of what he might find in the secret room.

Back at the Tricolour, Jamie has been given the unenviable task of chatting up the waitresses to see if she knows anyone called Ken or Kenneth. He has had no luck with his inquiry, but has found quite a few young lasses interested in him...much to his embarrassment. The Doctor still thinks they are on the right track but he is distracted by a man who is staring at him intently. After verifying that he's not looking any stranger than normal, the Doctor decides that this man could be their contact. Noting the Doctor looking back at him, the man approaches. It is Mr. Perry.

Perry addresses "Doctor Galloway" and Mr. McCrimmon and presents his card. He apologises for Mr. Waterfield not meeting them in person. The Doctor plays along with this, accepting the apology graciously. Perry asks them to meet at the shop at 10:00 tonight to see Mr. Waterfield personally. The Doctor agrees and Perry leaves. Jamie is mystified, but the Doctor peruses Perry's card and decides that this may be the right contact after all. Mr. Perry's first initial is "K", which he believes could stand for Kenneth. Now they'll definitely keep that appointment with the mysterious Mr. Waterfield.

Perry reports back to Waterfield and he is pleased. Perry is still a bit confused about the late time of the meeting and the odd nature of "Dr. Galloway", but Waterfield cuts him off firmly and sends him home. He then calls out to Kennedy, who arrives shortly.

Waterfield reports the Doctor's arrival at 10:00 and tells Kennedy he shall need his help. He suggests that Kennedy put on some warmer clothes - dark clothes. Kennedy agrees, and helpfully suggests that Waterfield cover up the Doctor's police box so that he doesn't spot it. Waterfield thinks this is a good idea and goes off.

Left alone in the study, Kennedy wastes no time in checking out the secret room. He finds the key and opens the hidden door. Inside, he ignores the strange futuristic equipment but starts to examine the walls very closely. He is looking for a safe!

By tapping the walls, he finds a hollow spot that must be the hidden safe. To his surprise it is unlocked and he opens it easily. There is a stack of notes inside and he takes them all. Whilst his back is turned, the electronic equipment comes to life on its own. He does not notice the mechanical hum that accompanies this nor the increase of lighting in the little room.

Something materialises in the room behind him within the confines of the machine. Kennedy suddenly becomes aware of the presence behind him and turns. He is stunned by what he sees - a hideous machine-like creature with no legs and only one eye on a long flexible shaft. Two stubby arms point outward from its midriff, one looking suspiciously like a gun.

Unbeknownst to him, Kennedy is face to face with a Dalek!

Kennedy lies dead on the floor and the Dalek backs into the transmat device and vanishes.

At the front of the shop, the Doctor and Jamie arrive, a half hour early for their 10:00 meeting. They creep inside as quietly as possible, hoping to get the upper hand on the mysterious Waterfield by arriving early. However, the door is unlocked. Perhaps they were expected.

Dozens of Victorian clocks tick away in the silence, drawing the attention of Jamie. He immediately sees the paradox of Waterfield's shop: these "genuine Victorian antiques" are all brand new. Jamie is ready to dismiss this as a con but the Doctor's examinations have yielded more information. These "brand new antiques" are neither fakes nor reproductions. They are genuine.

Inside a box, the Doctor finds a bill from the manufacturer dated 1866. It too is genuine and looks brand new. Jamie puts all this information together and comes up with a simple answer: Waterfield has invented a time machine and is bringing Victorian pieces here to 1966. This does seem the simplest explanation but the Doctor doesn't fully embrace it. He seems to be several jumps ahead of Jamie at the moment and decides to keep investigating.

Meanwhile, Waterfield has returned to his study to find the secret door open. He sees Kennedy's body and is horrified. The Dalek has returned via the transmat and Waterfield confronts it immediately, accusing the creature of murder. The Dalek coldly explains the reason for destroying the intruder - fear of discovery and betrayal - its callousness in stark contrast to Waterfield's histrionic anger. The creature explains that human life is of no consequence and then disappears in the transmat.

Waterfield is left alone, terrified and helpless, shouting after the Dalek. He's not sure he can go on with the plan in which he has become enmeshed, but knows that ultimately he must.

Outside the study, the Doctor is certain he's heard shouting inside but the door is locked tight. He doesn't get too far into picking the lock when they hear someone approaching from the front of the shop. It is the ever-curious Mr. Perry, come to observe the meeting even when he was told not to be there. The Doctor and Jamie turn the tables and surprise him. Perry tries to question the two men but it soon becomes clear to them that he is not supposed to be here.

The Doctor reveals his belief that Perry's first name is Ken but Perry refutes that matter-of-factly. His name is Keith. However, talk of the nefarious Bob Hall and a man called "Ken" leads him to think of "Kennedy". The Doctor seizes on this, certain that Perry has valuable information, but Perry has some questions of his own that he would like answered first.

Inside the secret room, Waterfield works quickly, nervous and sweating. He takes a photograph of the Doctor and tears it in half. One half goes into a Victorian box, partially visible, the other half goes into Kennedy's hand. Waterfield then places the box within the transmat area.

The Doctor has explained to Perry about the police box for which they are searching, but Perry is finding all this hard to understand. He does at least reveal that the box is at the back of the house, appearing to believe the story. He agrees to lead them round another way as the study door is locked, but just as they start to go Jamie notices the study door opening of its own accord.

The three men enter and immediately rush to Kennedy's side. The Doctor pronounces the man dead and Perry is horrified. He goes to the phone to call the police but cannot get a call out. He then leaves the house to try and find a policeman. Jamie's a bit worried by this but the Doctor thinks it is the right thing. Besides, the silence will allow them to investigate the house more easily.

Checking the phone, the Doctor discovers some odd interference on the line. He then tries to figure out how and why Kennedy died. The position of the body seems strange somehow, Kennedy's arms outstretched toward what looks to be an ordinary bookcase. His face is a mask of horrible agony. Even stranger, he holds half a photograph of the Doctor.

Following a hunch, the Doctor has Jamie go out into the hallway that runs alongside the study and measure it out in paces. It quickly becomes clear that there is a hidden room somewhere behind the bookcase. It doesn't take them long to clear some books away and reveal the keyhole to the secret door. However, before they can start to prise it open, the door opens on its own. The Doctor and Jamie go inside the brightly-lit little room.

The Doctor takes in the transmat equipment quickly - he is sure it is the source of the telephone interference. However, before he can investigate much further, Jamie finds and opens the box with the other half of the photo. A thick gas spills from the box, overwhelming the two men very quickly. Both pass out inside the transmat area.

Waterfield rushes in and activates the transmat. All three of them vanish.

Perry arrives a moment later with two policemen. They see Kennedy still there and the secret room now exposed. However, the Doctor and Jamie are nowhere to be seen. They seem to have disappeared!

The Doctor awakes some time later to find himself in the stately drawing room of a fine Victorian home. This has a complete air of the authentic, although the Doctor doesn't notice that right away. His head is aching from the effects of the gas. Jamie is here as well, although he is still unconscious. A maid enters and provides him with a drink from a fine crystal goblet. Her name is Mollie Dawson and she is pleasant and efficient, but has obviously been fed a story about him and Jamie and the reason they are here.

The Doctor had assumed this was Edward Waterfield's house, but the maid says it belongs to a Mr. Maxtible. As the drink clears the cobwebs in his head, the Doctor asks about the date. Mollie is taken aback by this and doesn't answer right away. Before she can, the door opens and Waterfield enters with another, much larger man. Mollie is sent away. The larger man, with keen eyes and wild facial hair, introduces himself as Theodore Maxtible. Waterfield says nothing until the Doctor verbally chastises him for the subterfuge at his shop. Maxtible stops the squabbling to provide the Doctor with the information he asked for. This house is some miles from Canterbury and the date is June 2, 1866. Maxtible is very calm and controlled.

The Doctor is appalled at the fact that he and Jamie have been taken 100 years back in time, not to mention the loss of their property and the murder of a man along the way. He is furious and accuses Waterfield of the murder. Maxtible protests innocence to the murder, saying that all of them are "victims of a higher power - a power more evil and more terrible than the human brain can imagine". However, he will say no more. Waterfield, more emotional, explains that "they" have taken his daughter Victoria hostage, that is why he obeys "them".

All this vague information vexes the Doctor and he demands answers. Maxtible calmly promises to give him the answer, but they must take him elsewhere first. As he goes, the Doctor notices a portrait of a young girl over the fireplace in the drawing room. Waterfield says that it is his late wife, but that their daughter Victoria looks just like her.

Elsewhere in the house, young Victoria is indeed held captive. There are bars on her bedroom window and a piece of alien equipment in the room. She tosses her food to the birds as she gazes out, looking lost and hopeless. Suddenly a Dalek bursts into her room and accuses her of not eating, wasting her food by tossing it to the birds. She is terrified of the creature and admits to what she's done.

The alien equipment is used to weigh her and the Dalek discovers her body weight has fallen 17 ounces since her last weighing. This is unacceptable to the Dalek. Victoria screams at the creature, nearly hysterical. How can they expect her to eat under these conditions. However, the Dalek does not care. Its plans are dependent upon her staying alive and well for the time being. More food will come, she is told. She will eat it of her own free will or the Daleks will feed her by force.

Victoria sobs as the creature goes away.

Maxtible leads the Doctor to his laboratory, a room filled with tables and benches on which are bubbling beakers and steaming test tubes. He calls it "hallowed ground". The Doctor is unimpressed and demands an answer to his questions: why was he brought here and under whose orders? Maxtible is eerily calm in the face of the entire situation, in marked contrast to the excitable Waterfield. Maxtible refuses to take responsibility for Kennedy's death, blaming it on the creatures who hold power over them. Waterfield calls them inhuman monsters, but Maxtible can see the brilliant minds behind their callousness.

The Doctor has little time for these petty distinctions and again demands an answer. Maxtible goes ahead with a story. He explains how this laboratory was built by himself and Waterfield with the intent of finding a way to travel in time. He shows the Doctor a cabinet inside which are 144 mirrors. Starting with the theory that mirrors can project images, they tried to define the mirror images and then to project them using electricity. Like charges repel like charges. However, neither positive nor negative charges would work. They tried a final experiment in static electricity. That is when all hell broke loose.

The Doctor is concerned by this mention of static electricity and urges them to go on. Waterfield explains that during their final experiment, evil creatures burst from the cabinet and took over the house. They took Victoria hostage and forced Waterfield to travel to the future with the express purpose of stealing the TARDIS and luring the Doctor and Jamie here. He becomes hysterical as he explains, saying he was helpless to resist.

The Doctor, too, becomes desperate as he hears the story, his mind jumping to an obvious and horrifying conclusion. He begs the men to reveal the names of these evil creatures. But he knows the answer, and that answer is brought to terrifyingly real life when a Dalek emerges from the cabinet to confront him. It has all become clear now.

The Dalek is triumphal, telling the Doctor that he will obey all Dalek commands, otherwise they will destroy the TARDIS. The Doctor discovers he has been brought here to help the Daleks carry out an experiment. He is to help them test another human being, although it will not reveal why. The Dalek tells him he will not be harmed if he agrees to help. But there is another problem. The choice of human subject. The Dalek reveals that Jamie is the intended subject. The Doctor is horrified. He tries again to find out the nature of the test but the Dalek tells him only to obey. Then it returns to the cabinet.

The Doctor races to the cabinet and throws open the doors, but the creature is already gone. He rounds on Waterfield and Maxtible, demanding to know the nature of the test. Waterfield swears he does not know, but Maxtible - speaking like an all-seeing sage - believes that he does. He says that the Daleks told him that they have always been defeated by human beings, possibly due to some factor inherent in humans that the Daleks do not possess. He surmises the Daleks are hoping through this test to find and isolate that factor and then transplant it into their race. Waterfield is horrified anew, believing that with their intelligence and strength allied to his "human factor" the Daleks will be invincible.

Maxtible tries to calm him, downplaying this story by saying it is all a supposition on his part. And, as he has said all along, none of this is their fault. As long as the Daleks hold Victoria hostage, he and Waterfield are at their mercy.

The Doctor takes this all in quietly, his mind thinking through it all. His main concern now is for Jamie...

In the drawing room, Jamie finally awakes, feeling the effects of the gas just as the Doctor did before him. Again Mollie is there with the miracle elixir that clears the cobwebs quickly. However, Mollie seems a bit more solicitous with Jamie than she did with the Doctor. She seems taken with "the young gentleman". Jamie tries to engage her in conversation, asking questions of her as the Doctor did. However, before she can answer, she is dismissed by a severe-looking woman who enters the room behind them. The woman tells Mollie to fetch some tea for Jamie.

Jamie is concerned about the Doctor as he is not here, but the woman - Ruth Maxtible - says that he is with her father and Mr. Waterfield. All of them should be along presently. Satisfied, Jamie turns his attention to the striking portrait over the fireplace. She tells him exactly the same information that Waterfield told the Doctor earlier. With that, Ruth leaves the room.

Jamie, his head clearing, gets up to look around the room. Inside a desk drawer, he finds several papers dated 1866. He realises that he has been brought back to 1866 by Waterfield.

So engrossed is he in these searches that Jamie does not hear someone enter from the large window. He is a sallow-looking man in worn clothes. Seeing Jamie with his back turned, the man pounces and knocks Jamie out. He never even saw it coming.

There is a commotion at the door as Mollie returns with the tea. The ruffian hides behind the curtains as she enters. Mollie sees Jamie collapsed on the sofa and assumes that he's fallen back asleep. She sets the tea tray down for him, intending to leave it. Unfortunately, she too turns her back on the intruder. He leaps out and grabs her from behind, clamping his hand over her mouth.

In the laboratory, Waterfield and Maxtible are trying to convince the Doctor to not tell Jamie anything about the impending Dalek test. Both are working from selfish motives but the Doctor refuses to consider them. He will not allow Jamie to run into danger without telling him. Maxtible fears that Jamie will refuse to cooperate, but the Doctor is willing to take that risk. He heads off to the drawing room.

Only the Doctor and Waterfield reach the drawing room. Maxtible is no longer with them. Inside, the two men find a figure covered by a blanket lying on the sofa. The Doctor thinks it is Jamie, still asleep, but when he pulls back the cover he finds the maid Mollie Dawson. Jamie is nowhere to be found!

In the lab, Maxtible is being questioned by a Dalek. It seems clear that he is not only obeying the creatures out of fear. There seems to be something more to the relationship. The Dalek orders that the Doctor to begin the test, but Maxtible says that he must first explain to the Doctor what is to be done. He goes, under threat from the Dalek, but it appears that the creature has little hold over him.

Waterfield is becoming nervous. He knows that Jamie is vital to the Daleks' plan. There will be nothing to stop them from violent reprisals if he is gone. The Doctor agrees with all of this, and so determines that Jamie's kidnapping has nothing to do with the Daleks. However, it has thrown a dangerous problem in their path. If they cannot find Jamie in time, the Daleks will waste no time in killing everyone in sight. And he - the Doctor - will be their primary target.

Waterfield is becoming frantic at the possibility of delay in the Daleks' plans, fearing for his daughter and for everyone in the house. The Doctor wakens Mollie but she can provide no information on who kidnapped Jamie. Examining the carpet, the Doctor discovers straw on the floor. It is a clue.

Jamie awakes to find himself in a stable on the Maxtible property. The thug who knocked him out, a rough man called Toby, stands over him. Jamie tries to attack him to gain his freedom but the big man pushes him down and threatens him with a large cudgel. Toby won't answer Jamie's questions as to why he was kidnapped, only to say that he is to be well-paid for bringing him here.

A moment later, a gentleman appears in the stables. Toby is proud of himself for doing as he was told and wants his payment - a guinea - from the man for bringing Jamie here. The gentleman is horrified by this turn of events, denying that he ever ordered such a thing. Toby is appalled, thinking this a ploy to get out of paying him and demands his money. Just to get him out, the man tosses a coin on the floor. Toby scoops it up and leaves the stables, uncertain as to what just happened.

Jamie watches this all with confusion. But the worst is yet to come. Terrall suddenly staggers, steadying himself against a wall. He looks as if he has experiences some sort of attack on his mind. When he regains himself, he looks strangely at Jamie and asks where Toby is! Jamie is stunned and tells him that he himself just sent him away.

The man asks where Victoria is and gets angry when Jamie says he doesn't know. He swears that Jamie must know and demands an answer. Suddenly the man staggers again, suffering another "attack". When he straightens again, he apologises for Toby's behaviour and offers to escort Jamie back to the house. Jamie is thoroughly confused and asks what the man wants with Victoria Waterfield. The man pleasantly introduces himself as one Arthur Terrall and says that Victoria's in Paris.

Jamie is getting angry now and asks Terrall point blank if he had Toby kidnap him. Terrall denies it, seemingly stunned by the ridiculous accusation. Suddenly the Doctor enters. Jamie is glad to see him and Terrall takes the opportunity to slip away.

The Doctor examines Jamie's head for any damage but the lad is more concerned about Terrall's head. He is certain the man is stark staring mad. The Doctor says he overheard all that Terrall said and can't make much of it. However he doesn't seem overly concerned. He tells Jamie that Victoria Waterfield is most definitely not in Paris - she is in the house, a prisoner of the Daleks!

Meanwhile, preparations for the test have continued at Maxtible's house. Victoria is being moved by a Dalek from her room. She is very frightened and demands to know where she is moving and why. The Dalek will not answer, only to tell her that she is not to be exterminated. The creature's attempts to "reassure" her only makes her more worried.

The Doctor informs Waterfield of what has happened. Waterfield is glad that Jamie has been returned before the Daleks noticed he was gone but he is angry that the Doctor disobeyed the Daleks and told Jamie of their presence in the house. The Doctor thinks nothing of this, certain he was doing the right thing in warning Jamie. Waterfield fears that Jamie will not cooperate but the Doctor says he will. With confidence, he says that Jamie will do all that he is told. He and Waterfield head off to find Maxtible, unaware that Jamie has overheard the end of their conversation. He is concerned over what he has heard and the thought that the Doctor may be colluding with Waterfield and Maxtible.

The Daleks inform Maxtible that Victoria has been moved to a new location. The next phase of preparation can begin. Maxtible wishes to show off "the man he's had specially brought from London" to assist in the test. He is "rather simple" and "quite dumb" and Maxtible fears he will not understand the Daleks, so the Dalek hides out of sight in the mirrored cabinet while the man is brought out.

His name is Kemel and he is enormous. Tall, broad-shouldered, muscular and imposing. He does not speak but obeys instructions. Kemel bends a thick iron bar in full view of the cabinet. Then he breaks a board in half with one blow. Maxtible is pleased. He then gives Kemel his orders, as if Maxtible himself were directing the test.

Kemel will be put on guard somewhere in the house. Showing Kemel a photograph of Jamie, Maxtible tells him that Jamie is going to try and get past him. Jamie is an evil villain who would murder them all in their beds and must not be allowed to get through. It is Kemel's job to stop him... at all costs.

Maxtible takes Kemel to the entrance to the south wing of the house. It is a heavy carved wooden door on the other side of which Kemel is to stand guard. Kemel starts to step through and Maxtible shouts a warning to pull him back. Sharp iron spikes slide across the doorway, a booby trap intended to skewer anyone who goes heedlessly through. Jamie will clearly have many obstacles to face. If he gets through the spikes, then it will be Kemel's job to "deal with" this foul villain, Jamie McCrimmon.

The Doctor is ready to receive his instructions but the Daleks state that they do not trust him. It is a ploy to get him to admit he will cooperate, especially once they threaten to destroy the TARDIS. He does not specifically say he will help but does get more information about the nature of the test. The "human factor" is indeed their goal - that rare quality possessed by human beings that have allowed them to defeat the Daleks despite the Daleks' superior strength and (supposed) superior intellect. The Doctor wishes to know why Jamie was chosen for the test and the Dalek replies that his traveling through time makes him "unique". The Doctor is not considered a suitable subject because he is "more than human" due to his extensive time travel, although it appears clear that there is another reason which the Dalek will not reveal.

The Doctor is shown three dormant Dalek creatures. These will be implanted with the "human factor" once it is synthesized and then will be activated. The Doctor realises that he is helping to create a race of "super Daleks" and seems to balk. The TARDIS is again threatened with destruction and at last the Doctor agrees outright to help them, saying he has no choice. He also agrees to keep Jamie in the dark about the test. At last he learns - from Maxtible - the nature of the test. Jamie is to attempt to rescue Victoria Waterfield.

Jamie is still in the drawing room, pondering over the Doctor's words and the odd behaviour of everyone in this house. He is shocked to see Ruth Maxtible enter escorting Arthur Terrall. Terrall is curt with Jamie and he responds in kind. Ruth is surprised to find that the two men know each other and is even more surprised when they begin sniping at each other. It is hard to tell what Terrall is trying to hide, but his anger is very thinly-veiled. Jamie agrees to try and be civil, for Ruth's sake.

Suddenly Terrall staggers again, clutching his head. This time he cannot clear it and excuses himself, rushing from the room. Ruth follows, very concerned.

Jamie is left alone with Mollie, unable to make sense of any of this. Mollie has come to fetch Jamie and the Doctor's luggage to take it to their rooms. Thinking quickly, Jamie says it will "follow along", to avoid a difficult explanation. Jamie learns from Mollie that things are not well in Maxtible's house. Several of the servants have quit recently and more are talking about leaving. It seems that the house is haunted, although Mollie does not believe this. She's heard nothing, sleeping as she does "like a log".

Jamie strikes up a friendship with Mollie and doesn't like her calling him "sir". She will have a hard time calling him by his name, despite the obvious attraction she feels for the young gentleman. Jamie changes the subject, asking about Terrall. Mollie says that he is Ruth's fiancé and is usually a very kind man. However, he has been behaving very oddly lately. Jamie couldn't agree more, but he does not accept Mollie's explanation that he's suffering from after-effects of being in the war in the Crimea. Jamie unfortunately does not know what "the Crimea" is but before he can ask, the Doctor enters the room.

Mollie is startled and feels guilty for spending time alone with a young man and not tending to her duties. She becomes very flustered and goes quickly out, begging the Doctor not to tell the master that she was dawdling. The Doctor tries to put her at ease before she goes.

He then turns to Jamie and speaks - rather sternly - about the problems that could come from his ignorance of history. Then he lectures Jamie about the Crimean War and how he himself was there to watch the famous charge of the light brigade. However, Jamie bristles at this and is very short with the Doctor, demanding to know where he's been. When the Doctor asks what is wrong, Jamie reveals angrily that he overheard him talking with - and collaborating with - Waterfield. And he makes it very clear that he is not pleased.

Jamie continues, reminding the Doctor that Waterfield stole the TARDIS and murdered Kennedy. There is not good reason for the Doctor to be friendly with him. The Doctor protests, trying to explain that the Daleks were responsible for all of this but Jamie will not listen. He has heard of the Daleks endlessly since joining up with the Doctor and he still has yet to see one. He doubts that they are here in this house, despite the Doctor's insistence. He believes that the Doctor is collaborating with fellow scientists Waterfield and Maxtible on some invention or something and he wants nothing to do with it. He refuses to "go along" as the Doctor assured his friends.

Before the Doctor can speak further, Waterfield arrives, drawn to the room by the sounds of shouting. The Doctor tries to smooth things over but Jamie persists in his opposition to whatever is going on. He disbelieves Waterfield regarding Victoria and points out that Terrall believes she is in Paris. Waterfield admits to the lie but says he had to due to the pressure put on him by the Daleks. He swears to Jamie that Victoria is being held prisoner in the south wing of the house.

Jamie becomes even more angry that nothing is being done to rescue Victoria, nor to find and recover the TARDIS, and he blames the Doctor for forgetting these important things and starts to stalk off. He says he wants to be by himself for a while. The Doctor addresses him seriously before he goes, entreating him not to try and rescue Victoria by himself saying that it will "ruin everything" if he does. Jamie stalks off without replying.

The Doctor breathes a little sigh of relief. He believes that he's succeeded in encouraging Jamie to rescue Victoria - submitting himself to the Daleks' test - without giving away the test itself. But he seems inordinately pleased with himself regarding the deception, even congratulating Waterfield for adding the information about the south wing. The Doctor is acting rather oddly, but he is certain that Jamie will disobey him and go after Victoria. He tells Waterfield that he will be along to the laboratory presently to begin the test.

Terrall, meanwhile, has returned to the stables at the beckoning of Toby. Seems that the uncouth Toby has a problem with only being paid half a guinea for the job he was asked to do. Terrall becomes very much the gentleman and refuses to pay. He doesn't confirm or deny he asked for the job to be done but simply plays tough. Toby seems to relent after a bit, thinking he might take Terrall's advice to leave Canterbury and head to London. Toby plans to take his "stories" with him.

Terrall is suddenly worried and Toby plays on this. He believes that any number of people would pay handsomely for information on the weird goings-on in this house. When Terrall shows a bit of concern, Toby then asks for payment to keep his mouth shut. Terrall is offended and begins struggling with Toby. The fight is short and Toby knocks Terrall out. He then heads to the house to try and find something of value to make up the rest of his payment.

Later that night, the Doctor's predictions have come true. Jamie is up and about, waiting in the drawing room for Mollie. She arrives with a plan of the house, showing him the south wing and how to reach it. However, she is concerned that it might be completely closed off and agrees to go with Jamie to investigate. When she asks him why he is doing this, he says he is hunting "a few wee ghosties".

The Daleks have assembled the testing equipment and the Doctor is settling in, ready to begin the test. Every one of Jamie's reactions will be recorded and it is up to the Doctor to choose and synthesize those that are most important to isolate the "human factor". Maxtible is in awe of the technology but the Doctor treats it as a matter of course. Maxtible vouches for the Doctor in the face of continuing Dalek scepticism.

The Daleks announce that Jamie is on his way to the south wing of the house and Maxtible tells the Doctor to begin the recording.

Mollie leads Jamie to the door that opens into the south wing. The whole area of the house is disused, dusty and quiet. Jamie regards the heavy door.

In the empty lab, Toby looks around. He is searching for something of value but is bewildered by all of the technology, both earthly and unearthly. As he searches, he is suddenly confronted by something moving about in the dim light. Far too late he sees the Dalek. It fires and he dies with a horrible scream.

Jamie and Mollie hear the scream. She thinks it perhaps a ghost, but Jamie knows the sound of a human voice when he hears one. Mollie is very nervous and Jamie encourages her to go back to her room and lock herself in. He volunteers to go with her but she says she'll be fine on her own.

Jamie watches her go and then turns back to the door. He steels himself and then approaches. Surprisingly the door is not locked. It opens and he is about to step through. At the last minute, however, he backs away briefly. In that moment, the sharp steel spikes slam across the door but Jamie is far enough away to avoid them. He has survived the first booby trap by sheer luck.

Steeling himself once again, the resolute Jamie crawls between the spikes and enters the gloomy, dusty hallway of the south wing. His next test is close at hand.

Jamie attempts to get past the silent giant and the struggle begins in earnest. The two men are fairly evenly matched at the start and they each gain the upper hand alternately. The battle is long and protracted, moving up to a higher floor. There Kemel runs at Jamie, trying to push him out of a window. But Jamie dodges at the last minute and it is Kemel who crashes through the window.

Jamie rushes to the window to see that Kemel has not fallen to the ground but is holding on to a precarious handhold on the outside of the house. He will soon tire and fall. Jamie decides that he must try and save the man, if only to learn why he opposed Jamie. Shortly Kemel is back in the house and safe. Jamie has saved his life.

After resting for a bit, Jamie decides to move on, not wanting to stick around and see what this stranger will do. Down the gloomy corridor, he finds a room. It is empty but for a scrap of cloth on the floor. Rashly he goes inside to retrieve it. Suddenly another booby trap is unleashed, a razor-sharp blade, which would neatly dissect Jamie. However, Kemel reaches in and pulls Jamie out just in time. He has returned the favour and saved Jamie's life.

The two men now size each other up anew... and shake hands as friends.

Elsewhere in the house, the Doctor has been monitoring Jamie's progress using the Dalek instruments. He is watched over closely. The Doctor points out Jamie's courage in fighting the giant Kemel, suggesting that he put this into the make up of the "human factor", but the Dalek is unimpressed. They do not need courage as they are afraid of nothing. The Doctor also points out Jamie's mercy in saving Kemel at the window. While the Daleks dismiss this as "human weakness", the Doctor reminds them that if it wasn't for that act of mercy, Kemel would not have saved Jamie from the blade. The "human factor" must include mercy.

Meanwhile, in the laboratory, Waterfield and Maxtible have discovered Toby's body. He died just as Kennedy did, in horrible agony.

Waterfield is shocked at yet another death and he becomes increasingly agitated. A Dalek enters from the mirror cabinet and orders Waterfield and Maxtible to hide the body so that it will not be detected. Waterfield wishes to tell the Doctor of this but the Dalek bars his way. Maxtible tries to calm his friend down, urging him not to antagonize the Daleks. Waterfield resists as long as he can, but as soon as he is reminded - by Maxtible - of his daughter's safety, Waterfield capitulates.

The Dalek leaves and Waterfield begins sobbing. Maxtible tries again to calm him, explaining again that they are not to blame for the murders. The Daleks alone are to blame and no jury would ever convict them. Waterfield suddenly becomes calm. He knows that no jury will ever hear of this case. He vows to tell the police everything once his daughter is free. His guilt is overwhelming him.

Inexplicably, Maxtible reacts to this by secretly pocketing a revolver. Waterfield begins gathering up the body, his hands shaking, and he begs Maxtible to help him.

In the south wing, Jamie and Kemel recover from their latest brush with death. Jamie thanks Kemel for his help. They are fast friends now. Jamie learns that the silent giant is unable to speak but Kemel does write his name in the dust for Jamie to see.

Now that their friendship is cemented, Kemel turns his attention to the scrap of cloth that Jamie was able to rescue from the nearby room. It is actually a beautiful and delicate embroidered handkerchief bearing the initials V.W. Jamie thinks it a clue, not conceiving that it had been planted there by Victoria's kidnappers. Kemel shows Jamie a flower pressed in paper which he carries with him. He indicates through gestures that Victoria gave him the flower. They are friends.

Jamie cannot understand in that case why Kemel was ever trying to stop him. He reveals that he is here to find and rescue Victoria and Kemel wishes to help. Kemel realises that Maxtible lied to him about Jamie but he cannot express that without speech. Jamie is very pleased to have his assistance.

The Doctor and the Daleks continue monitoring Jamie as he heads off deeper into the west wing.

Waterfield and Maxtible have borne Toby's body to the stables to hide it. Waterfield's nerves are on edge and he thinks he hears something. Maxtible suddenly becomes irritated by his sniveling and lashes out. He accuses Waterfield of blaming him for this mess and reminds him of all he has done for Waterfield and his daughter. Waterfield is confused and somewhat cowed by this. He says he knows that Maxtible has tried to help but he is still concerned over the deaths the Daleks have caused. How many people must die just so that Victoria can live?

Maxtible insists they are not to blame for the murders but appears to relent in the face of Waterfield's crushing guilt. He sends the man back to the house, but this is just a ploy. As Waterfield turns to go, Maxtible raises his gun, ready to kill his friend in cold blood.

However, his arm is knocked away by Terrall, who has been hiding in the stable and observing them. Terrall orders that Waterfield is not to die just yet. Waterfield leaves, unaware of the activity behind him. Terrall orders Maxtible back to the house himself while he disposes of Toby's body, repeating a very familiar chant: "You will obey! You will obey!!"

In the south wing, Jamie and Kemel watch from the shadows as two Daleks glide by. Jamie realises that the Doctor was right about their presence here, but that does not deter him from his mission. He notes the direction they are taking - same as he and Kemel. They must be heading toward Victoria.

They move on down the hallway, following at a safe distance from the Daleks. However, they trigger a hidden mechanism and yet another booby trap is launched - a razor-sharp pendulum swings down from above, cleaving the air where Jamie and Kemel had stood only a second before.

Monitoring them, the Doctor tells the Daleks of human instinct, a step above the five senses, which Jamie used to avoid the trap. The Daleks are dubious, to say the least.

Deeper in the south wing of Maxtible's house, Victoria is forced out onto a balcony outside her room. A Dalek forces her to repeat her name very loudly, tormenting the girl to tears. The Dalek ends the "inspection" and she is returned to her room.

Jamie and Kemel have arrived just in time to witness this inspection. Jamie is awestruck by the girl's beauty, much more luminous in person than in the portrait of her look-alike mother. He is more determined than ever to free her from the Daleks. Kemel agrees, proposing through gestures to draw the Daleks off himself while Jamie climbs up to the balcony to rescue Victoria. Jamie thinks this plan too dangerous. They should stick together and both try to reach the girl. But how?

At the machines, the Doctor analyses this change of plans. The idea of suicidal plans to gain an objective is typically a Dalek action, but humans can consider them as well. However humans are driven by self-preservation and take a different view of success. They must not only reach Victoria, but also get her away alive.

Elsewhere in the house, a possessed-looking Arthur Terrall drags a terrified Mollie Dawson into a room by her arm. He is furious at her because she says she heard Victoria's voice here in the house. Like a devoted servant should, Mollie doesn't contradict Terrall when he says Victoria's in Paris, but she still insists that she heard Victoria's voice. Terrall becomes more and more angry, shaking the girl violently and demanding to know what she was doing creeping about the house at night and how she can possible explain the paradox. Mollie is trapped and frightened and bursts into tears.

Ruth Maxtible enters and is shocked at what she sees. She releases Mollie from Terrall's hands and questions the girl herself. Mollie lies and says she had extra duties that took her from her room in the middle of the night, but it is clear she's lying. Mollie fears she'll be accused of stealing from the house and vehemently denies this. She can't afford to lose her job.

Terrall persists but finally does relent a bit under Ruth's admonitions. He sends Mollie to the sitting room to wait for Mr. Maxtible to discipline her. She runs off, sobbing. Ruth tries to reassure her but the girl does not hear.

Ruth turns to Terrall, who has once again clutched at his head. His anger vanishes, replaced by a mild curiosity. He says that nothing's wrong and cannot seem to understand Ruth's concern. She asks whether her father has influenced him in any way and he says no. However, he does admit that something else is "influencing" him. Ruth suggests that they leave the house, an urgency in her voice. She fears that something terrible will happen if they don't go, but Terrall says he cannot. Not yet.

Maxtible has returned to the house and now reports to the Daleks. His voice is commanding and he seems little afraid of them. He says that he has done all he has been asked - being the Daleks' agent on Earth and engineering the capture of the Doctor and Jamie. He says that he is "tired of waiting" and wishes the Daleks to keep their side of the "bargain". It is clear that Maxtible has been duped by the Daleks, who have promised him something in return for his obedience. Maxtible does not realise how ruthless the Daleks are, nor how empty their promises.

When Maxtible mentions that he can still "ruin the entire enterprise", the Dalek advances on him gunstick leveled. He is ordered to obey and the threat is very clear. Maxtible relents and promises to obey. As the Dalek starts to disappear into the mirror cabinet, Maxtible begins to plead with it. He wants "the secret" which he was promised. It is the only reason he obeyed and he fears that his actions may all have been for naught. Surprisingly the Dalek responds to this. It tells Maxtible he will learn "the most important" of the Daleks' secrets. Then it exits.

Maxtible relaxes a bit as the Dalek goes. He convinces himself that they will follow through on their promise and that their threatening actions are just "the ways of aliens". Somehow he has convinced himself that the end justifies the means, but deep in his mind is the painful possibility that al l he has done for the Daleks may have no payoff at all.

Ruth arrives and is shocked at her father's ashen expression and rumpled clothing. He is angry at her for entering the laboratory but she insists. She heard him speaking to someone and now there's no one here. Something strange is going on and her fiancé and Victoria Waterfield are caught up in it as well. She demands to know what is happening in this house.

Maxtible suddenly gets a gleam in his eye and determines to tell her - perhaps not everything that is happening but at least what will be the end result of it all. He shows her a bar of ordinary metal and tells her in hushed tones of the "alchemists' secret" - the lost art of the ancients for turning metal into gold. That is the secret he is expecting to learn, very soon. He does not tell his daughter how, but that is the reason he keeps secrets from her and the source of the strange goings-on here in the house.

He tells an increasingly worried Ruth that possessing this secret would mean power and influence beyond all imagination, becoming more and more maniacal as he speaks. His eyes glow, his voice rises. Nothing will stop him from obtaining it - nothing and no-one!

In the south wing of the house, Victoria is forced to endure another "inspection" by a Dalek. She shouts out her name for all to hear, then returned to her room. Jamie and Kemel wait for this to finish, then move from the shadows and go into action.

They have secured a length of rope for themselves and are now ready with a plan. Creeping up behind the Dalek, they string the rope taut between them and use it as a slingshot to propel the helpless creature into the fireplace beneath the balcony. It explodes in flames, dead.

The two men waste no time. They use the rope to climb up to the balcony, there being no stairs here. Jamie climbs first, followed by Kemel. But the old wooden railings are not prepared to take the strain that Kemel's giant body puts on them and they start to break. At the last minute, Jamie grabs Kemel's hand and hauls him to safety on the balcony.

Jamie knocks on Victoria's door, calling out to her. Suddenly there is a commotion below as another Dalek arrives. Jamie and Kemel turn to the door in front of them as it swings open.

Jamie and Kemel react quickly. Recovering the rope from the railing, they manage to loop it around the Dalek and slingshot it through the railing and off the balcony. The Dalek explodes on the floor below. As an alarm sounds behind them, Jamie drags Kemel into the room and slams the door behind them.

Victoria is surprised and delighted to see her friend Kemel and she greets him warmly. She seems to trust Jamie straight away but would like to know who he is. First things first, Jamie begins piling furniture in front of the door. The Daleks can't get in, but they can't get out either. Then the lad introduces himself to a bemused Victoria. He tells her he's come to return her handkerchief!

Meanwhile, the Doctor is taking a break from his work recording Jamie's feelings and reactions to distill the so-called "human factor". Relaxing with a drink, the Doctor is pleased when Arthur Terrall enters. The Doctor wishes to know more about him and tries to get him to take some drink or perhaps some food. Terrall is in a foul mood and wishes to keep to himself. He tries to get the Doctor to leave but he stubbornly refuses to take the hint. Terrall decides to leave himself. The Doctor follows.

Mild chitchat about Maxtible's collections does nothing to engage Terrall and he rudely suggests the Doctor should get back to his "experiment". The Doctor persists, saying that his main interest right now is Terrall himself. He mentions offhandedly that he has not seen Terrall eat or drink anything since he arrived and Waterfield has noticed the same thing. The Doctor wishes to know why that is.

Terrall tries a bluff which fails and then idly picks up a fencing foil from among the collected weapons and antiques. While swishing the sword around, he passes it uncomfortably close to the Doctor's face while mentioning how unwise it is to meddle in others' affairs. Ignoring the threat, the Doctor tries a quick experiment. It appears that the foil Terrall holds is magnetised. However, when Terrall drops the sword, there is no trace of magnetic attraction. If the Doctor didn't know better, he would think that Terrall himself is full of electricity and causing the magnetic attraction himself.

Terrall is stunned by this pronouncement, but before he can respond, Maxtible arrives to summon the Doctor. As he turns to go, Terrall warns this "keen student of human nature" that there are some things better left alone. The Doctor leaves with a strong parting shot that implies much: "I am not a student of human nature. I am professor of a far wider academy of which human nature is only a part. All forms of life interest me." Then he is gone.

Terrall is left alone in the room and goes to pour himself some wine, seeming to consider the Doctor's words. However, this is a much more difficult task that one would expect. As the glass reaches his lips, his hands begin to shake and as the liquid touches them, he jumps as if shocked. He cannot drink the liquid.

In his head, he is assailed by insistent inhuman voices chanting "obey, obey, obey...."

For the time being, all is calm in the little room in the south wing. Jamie, Kemel and Victoria share some water and tell their stories. Jamie explains how he and the Doctor came to be here, leaving out nothing. Victoria tries to explain how she was captured by the Daleks, but the details seem lacking. She may have been drugged and even led to them by someone. This is as Jamie suspected. He believes that there is someone in the house working for the Daleks who drugged or hypnotised her to get her to cooperate.

This is a disturbing thought for all of them.

In the sitting room, the answer is being revealed. Maxtible is hypnotising Mollie using a gleaming gemstone on a chain to focus her attention and make her susceptible to suggestion. Her eyes close and Maxtible begins to implant instructions. He tells her that she dreamt the sound of Victoria's voice and that there is something sinister going on in the house. When she wakes, she will forget all of her suspicions. The plan works and Mollie is completely unaware of what has happened to her. She leaves without a further word. Terrall, who has been watching all along, is impressed with Maxtible's mesmeric skill. He gloats that it also worked on Victoria as well.

Terrall asks about the progress on the experiment and is told all is well. None of them is entirely sure of the Doctor's cooperation, but he is closely watched. Discussion turns to Waterfield but suddenly Terrall calm demeanour dissolves. He begs Maxtible to help him - something is invading his thoughts and he cannot fight it. But instead of helping him, Maxtible takes advantage of his confusion to bend Terrall to his own will. He wants Terrall to go to the south wing via a secret entrance and fetch Victoria Waterfield.

Terrall knows this order is in violation of his orders from the Daleks but in his confusion he cannot resist. Maxtible brings all his mesmeric influence to bear on him and Terrall agrees to obey and to bring Victoria to him.

The Doctor meanwhile is near to completion of distilling the "human factor" from Jamie's reactions. He has included the better part of the human make-up, including courage, pity, chivalry, friendship, and compassion. He tells Waterfield that all these things have been distilled and will be added to a positronic brain for each of the three dormant Daleks.

The idea is to turn them into super-Daleks, with the best of humanity and the "best" of Dalek nature. The Doctor fears that it might actually drive the creatures insane. He wonders if there might not be more to this experiment than first meets the eye.

A Dalek arrives and learns that the experiment is nearly finished. The Doctor is instructed to report the completion of the positronic brains via the mirror cabinet. The Dalek then leaves.

Suddenly Waterfield has an attack of conscience and begs the Doctor not to complete the experiment. The Doctor becomes angry and tells him it is far too late for this now. Waterfield seems to have only just become aware of the magnitude of the Daleks' plans. He can see that their brilliance and might combined with the best of human nature will allow the Daleks mastery over all humanity forever. They will be unstoppable. The Doctor doesn't appear to agree fully with Waterfield but he cannot fault the logic. He has outlined the Dalek plan clearly, but it remains to be seen if they will be successful. But Waterfield, worked up into a state by his fear and guilt, sees the Doctor as handing Earth over to the creatures.

Desperate to do something, he finds a piece of metal with which he plans to attack the Doctor. But the Doctor sees him and admonishes him. They must concentrate on constructive, concrete action - to release Jamie and Victoria from the power of the Daleks. Once that is done, action may be taken against the creatures, but the Doctor seems pessimistic about their possible success.

Barricaded in Victoria's room, Jamie and Kemel describe for the girl how they destroyed the Dalek outside. Perhaps it makes them all feel better to know that the Daleks are not indestructible. Suddenly they notice some activity at the door. The Daleks are attempting to get in using a heat ray. Jamie and Kemel busy themselves trying to further reinforce the barricade while Victoria stands as far away from the rapidly-warming door as she can.

However, Victoria is near to the wall, next to a hidden panel and a secret passage. Terrall emerges silently from it and clasps a hand over Victoria's mouth. He drags the girl away, unseen by the others.

Jamie shortly notices she is gone and calls to her. Victoria, struggling with Terrall in the passage, bits his hand and he releases his grip. She calls out to Jamie just before Terrall regains control of her. He drags her off down the passage.

Jamie and Kemel hear the call. Jamie realises there is a secret passage and they enter, hoping to catch up to Victoria. However, the passage goes off in two directions and the two men must separate.

Terrall reaches the end of the passage in the main part of the house. By then he is alone. Jamie catches up to him and there is a struggle with Maxtible's cache of swords. The conflict spills out into the hallway where Ruth and Mollie are drawn to it. Mollie rushes to fetch the Doctor.

Suddenly, the fight ends when Terrall collapses. The Doctor arrives and fears that Jamie has done something to him, but it soon becomes clear that some other force is at work on him. Ruth is at his side and the Doctor takes advantage of the situation. He begs Ruth to take Terrall and Mollie and leave this house. Go as far away as possible until it is safe to return. Ruth agrees to this and she and Mollie go to ready the carriage.

The Doctor tends to Terrall who is regaining consciousness. The Doctor finds and removes a small Dalek control device attached to Terrall's head. He is dazed and frightened, freed of Dalek influence, and he warns them all of some kind of danger in the house. The Doctor has all along suspected that he has been under the influence of the Daleks. Now he is certain. Terrall's actions in the thrall of the Daleks have been as a dream to him and he vaguely recalls something to do with Victoria Waterfield. He insists she is safe and well but does not say where she is. To put his mind at ease, the Doctor says he will take care of Victoria and Terrall finally agrees to leave with Ruth and Mollie. Jamie is still very worried about Victoria. They must find her wherever she is.

Kemel has also been forgotten in all the excitement and has continued his search for the girl. He finds her unconscious in the laboratory, but he also finds a Dalek.

There is nowhere for him to go and no way to get Victoria safely away. Kemel is helpless and forced to obey the creature's orders. He picks up Victoria as directed and carries her into the mirror cabinet, the Daleks' gateway to time.

Some time later, a weary Doctor leads Jamie into the laboratory. There is no sign of activity. They have not found Victoria and the Doctor seems to have forgotten all about her. When he starts to talk about the Dalek experiment, Jamie becomes angry once again. He is certain that the Doctor has given in to the Daleks and done their bidding merely out of fear for his own life. Jamie tells a stunned Doctor that he is too callous and uncaring and that he will leave the Doctor just as soon as this adventure is over. But he still has one question: just whose side is the Doctor on?

Before the Doctor can answer, three Daleks approach. Jamie starts to run for safety but the Doctor pulls him back. These are the Daleks enhanced with the "human factor" now come to life. The Doctor calls them friends. He explains about the nature of the experiment and the Daleks' plans for the "human factor". However, the Doctor has long-since realised something the Daleks did not - humanising the Daleks will lead to friendship with humans, not hatred.

Instead of creating invincible super Daleks, the experiment has yielded thoroughly human machines. Just as he suspected.

Suddenly and remarkably, one of the Daleks picks the Doctor up with its sucker arm and begins to move him round the laboratory. However it quickly becomes apparent that this is not a threatening move but a playful one. The Daleks are taking him for a ride!

Maxtible enters and watches this little game with barely disguised contempt. The Doctor thinks this a fantastic success for their experiment but Maxtible doesn't agree. Soon the game changes and the Daleks begin following the Doctor about in a line. They are playing "trains" with the Doctor in the lead. They end up in a "roundabout" and the Doctor gets quite dizzy.

The Daleks begin to speak, their mechanical voices changed to express feeling. They sound strangely joyful. Maxtible watches this with disgust and eventually leaves. There is an edge of concern in his demeanour. Perhaps he fears for his pact with the Daleks.

The Doctor explains to Jamie that these Daleks are mentally like children right now but are growing like humans, only very quickly. They should reach mental adulthood in a matter of hours. The Doctor gathers the Daleks round him like an anxious parent and identifies Jamie and himself as friends. The Daleks accept this happily.

He also chalks signs on each of their heads - Greek letters corresponding to their own names. Alpha, Beta, Omega. The Daleks seem to like their new names and chant them happily.

Shortly, the Daleks turn to go. Sadly they say they must leave as they have been called - with all the other Daleks - back to Skaro. The three Daleks enter the mirror cabinet and disappear, leaving their friends.

The Doctor and Jamie are concerned at this development and go in search of Victoria.

Maxtible finds a weary and haggard Waterfield and tells him that Victoria has been released by the Daleks and is safe somewhere in the house. However, Waterfield does not believe him. He has not seen her despite searching and Maxtible's assertion that she is with Ruth is clearly as lie as Ruth has left in a carriage with Mollie and Terrall.

Maxtible is surprised to hear this but covers quickly. He suggests Victoria may be in the garden and shoos Waterfield away to look. He is becoming concerned as things in the house seem to be moving out of his control. Little does he know that his "control" has been an illusion since the Daleks arrived.

Alone in the laboratory, Maxtible tries to make sense of it all. His attention is caught by a small box on the floor. It is new and clearly of alien design. Inside is an incomprehensible array of Dalek technology, lights winking away on their own.

A Dalek bursts in and orders him to leave the box alone. It will answer no questions and orders him to find the Doctor and Jamie and bring them here to the laboratory. Maxtible agrees but also plucks up the courage to ask again for the transmutation formula - his reward. The Dalek impatiently tells him what he wants to hear and dismisses him.

Just outside, he runs into Waterfield and asks him to fetch Jamie and the Doctor. However, Waterfield does not obey. His face is set and his eyes hard as he asks a question: what deal has Maxtible made with the Daleks? Waterfield has overheard the conversation.

Maxtible tries to deny the allegation but Waterfield persists. He knows about "the formula" and demands to know what it is he's sold them all to the Daleks for. Angrily, Maxtible tells him of the transmutation of metal to gold. Waterfield is appalled that base greed has made them all victims of the Daleks. But that is beside the point now. He demands to know where Victoria is and when Maxtible refuses to answer, he attacks and throttles the man.

Maxtible, much larger and perhaps even more determined, prevails in the struggle and knocks Waterfield down. He lays there, stunned, fighting unconsciousness.

A Dalek arrives, impatient to have the Doctor brought here for transport to Skaro. Maxtible says he will go, but tries again to find out the purpose of the mysterious box. This Dalek does tell him: it is a bomb to destroy the house. The machine begins bleeping a countdown.

Maxtible is stunned and angry. This laboratory is his life, without it the transmutation formula is useless to him. He can barely think straight but decides to fetch the Doctor. Somehow the bomb must be stopped. He hurries out.

The Doctor and Jamie arrive at the lab on their own and see Waterfield on the floor. They hurry to him. He has recovered somewhat and tells them confusedly of the Daleks' plan to destroy the house. The Doctor opens the bleeping box and sees they have little more than a minute left. There is no time to move it or defuse it. Their only hope of survival is to escape through the Daleks' cabinet to Skaro.

However, the doors are sealed tight and they must struggle to get them open and to drag Waterfield with them. Eventually, they succeed. Jamie is concerned for Victoria and Kemel, neither of whom have been seen for some time. The Doctor knows they have no time to search.

Just as they are about to depart, Jamie spies a pressed flower on the floor. It is Kemel's, given to him by Victoria. Jamie is sure this means Kemel and Victoria have already gotten away via the cabinet. He clings to this slim hope.

The Doctor beckons him and all three disappear. A second later, the bomb explodes and Maxtible's house is destroyed.

Victoria awakes in a dimly-lit prison cell in some very alien place. She knows she is no longer in Maxtible's house but isn't sure exactly what happens. Kemel is in the cell with her and she clings to her friend. A Dalek enters the cell, along with Maxtible. He also managed to escape the house before it was destroyed and his mood is black indeed. He tells the girl that they are on the Daleks' home planet, far from Earth, and tells her that he doesn't know where her father is. He is very cross at being detained here like a common prisoner and lumped with the girl, whom he finds simpering and annoying.

Shortly another Dalek arrives and leads Maxtible out. The other two are to stay here. Victoria tries to be brave, saying she will protect Kemel. She laughs at the silliness of the statement but the two are bonded in their adversity. They will fight the Daleks as best they can, together.

The Doctor, Jamie, and Waterfield have arrived on Skaro outside the Dalek city. They stand on a hill overlooking it. Waterfield is impressed at the massive metallic spectacle. Jamie returns from a scouting trip for water for the injured water but he has found nothing. Waterfield says he's feeling better. With that, the Doctor is ready to enter the city.

Jamie is a bit surprised at the Doctor's boldness, thinking he plans to march right in. But the Doctor has stealth in mind. He shows Jamie and Waterfield - to their astonishment - the entrance to a tunnel which is certain will lead them into the city. It was well hidden and Jamie cannot figure out how the Doctor knew it was there. The Doctor does not explain and urges his friends inside.

The Daleks are angered to learn that Maxtible did not bring the Doctor to them as instructed and will entertain no excuses. Maxtible begins to protest the destruction of his house and starts to demand an explanation. Instead, he is knocked to the ground and surrounded by very angry Daleks. His horror grows as he realises they are going to kill him. The extermination cry rings out but the deadly blast - fortunately - does not come.

An alarm sounds throughout the city and the Daleks react immediately. Maxtible is bustled away while the Daleks investigate.

The alarm indicates human beings at liberty somewhere in the city. A Dalek checks the cell and reports Victoria and Kemel are still locked up. Clearly there are other humans now inside the city.

Victoria overhears this and is excited. She believes it may be Jamie and the Doctor. This gives both her and Kemel renewed hope for rescue.

All around the city, the emergency call goes out. All Daleks are to report to observation station immediately.

As they move about, one Dalek stops another. It asks the other about a mark on the outside of its casing. The Dalek reports that the mark is its name, given to it by the Doctor. This is Omega. Omega says that the Doctor is his friend. The Dalek orders Omega to follow, without explanation. Omega obeys.

Maxtible is brought back to the cell. He seems disconcerted, at last starting to suspect that the Daleks won't keep their bargain, yet his is most uncivil to Victoria. His contempt for the girl is obvious.

After a moment, the Dalek returns and fetches him. He is ushered away and out of sight, protesting along the way. Victoria and Kemel can no longer see him but a moment later they hear him - screaming in agony. Victoria is very frightened.

She is helpless with the Dalek comes for her. She goes with the creature and Kemel is left behind, alone in the cell.

In the tunnel, which is now merely a ledge next to a precipice, Jamie swears he has heard a human voice crying out. Suddenly there is another cry, this one female. Jamie is sure it's Victoria and he quickly moves off toward it. The Doctor and Waterfield follow.

The trio does not get far before they are stopped dead by a Dalek barring the way. Jamie turns back in fright but the creature assures them it is a friend. It bears a mark on its head and says its name is Omega. It has come to lead them safely to the city. Oddly, its voice is that of a normal Dalek.

The Doctor decides to follow it but nearly falls off the ledge as he tries to pass the Dalek. Jamie's quick thinking saves him and the Doctor looks at the Dalek suspiciously. The Doctor asks Omega about the screaming and is given a curt answer. The Doctor's suspicion resolves itself and he takes action. As soon as the creature turns to begin to lead the way along the ledge, the Doctor leaps forward and levers the Dalek toward the precipice. It topples over, unable to respond in time to the sudden attack, and is destroyed on the rocks below.

Jamie is stunned by the Doctor is triumphal. He knew that the mark on the Dalek's head was not his own writing and it finally decided him. This was not Omega. The group moves on along the ledge, more vigilant than ever.

Back in their cell, Victoria is furious with Maxtible. He hadn't been hurt at all, simply screaming at the order of the Daleks. It was he who made Victoria scream by twisting her arm suddenly. She is furious at herself as well for reacting with a scream as was the Daleks' intention. She knows full well why the Daleks wanted them to scream - to draw the intruders into a trap. She collapses in sobs, realising that that is just what they've done, thanks to Maxtible.

The Doctor, Jamie, and Waterfield at last emerge from the tunnel into the city corridors. It is plain and metallic like every good Dalek city. There is no sign of Daleks about so they move on.

They make their way into a nearby chamber but the Doctor suddenly has a very bad feeling about it. They turn to go but are stopped by a Dalek which forces them back inside. Lights go up in the room and they can see that it is enormous. Dominating it is the most immense and evil creature the Doctor has ever seen: the Emperor Dalek. It is enormously tall but unmistakably a Dalek. Wires and cables are fixed to its casing and it clearly cannot move from this chamber. Jamie is clearly impressed.

The Emperor's voice is huge and multi-layered and it seems to have a bit of emotional range unlike conventional Daleks. It addresses the Doctor. He responds to it, saying he has found and implanted the "human factor" in three Daleks as ordered. But he explains somewhat smugly that the Emperor's "experiment" will mean the end of the Dalek race. He is certain the three humanised Daleks will soon begin to question orders and the Dalek way of obedience. They will persuade others to do the same and there will be rebellion among the Daleks. The Doctor is positive this is the case. He has beaten the Daleks and he has no fear: they can do to him what they like. He has won.

But the Doctor is shocked to learn that the quest for the "human factor" was just a ruse. By isolating the "human factor", the Doctor has unknowingly identified the "Dalek factor" as well. This, he learns to his horror, was the Emperor's plan all along. This will now be used on the humanised Daleks and their threat will be ended. The Doctor is stunned.

Pressing its advantage, the Emperor tells the Doctor that he has more work to do concerning the "Dalek factor". The Doctor steadfastly refuses to help them but the Emperor seems very confident that he will do so. The TARDIS is revealed standing just off the control room and the Emperor reveals its master plan - the reason the TARDIS was stolen in the first place.

The Doctor will take the "Dalek factor" - the blind obedience, mindless violence, and the desire to subjugate - and spread it through the entire history of Earth!

The Doctor protests vehemently, saying he will never do as the Emperor suggests. Never!

He, Jamie, and Waterfield are herded away by the Daleks, the might voice of the Emperor in the ears: "You will obey!"

Elsewhere in the city, a Dalek experiment is underway. The machinery hums as the Emperor's plans move forward.

The Doctor, Jamie, and Waterfield have been placed in the cell with Victoria, Kemel, and Maxtible. Waterfield seems much calmer now that he is reunited with his daughter after so much horror. The group is up to speed on developments and Maxtible is being treated as the turncoat he is by the others. Even the backward Jamie believes that transmutation of metal into gold is a myth and he cannot believe that Maxtible has been working for the Daleks for that. The Doctor - and Maxtible - assure him that the quest for the secret remains a powerful desire for scientists everywhere.

Maxtible, despite all the evidence against it, believes that the Daleks will keep their promise and give him the formula. He has "faith" in them. Jamie finally snaps and attacks the miserable, amoral man for all he has done to them with his greed, but he is forced back by a Dalek who enters the cell.

He and the others are ordered not to harm Maxtible on pain of extermination. The others agree and Jamie steps away. Supported now by his masters, Maxtible's arrogance and superiority return. He refuses to countenance any escape plans. He is the Daleks' lap dog once again. Waterfield despairs once again. Thanks to Maxtible, they are no better off than they were in the house and Victoria is still at the mercy of the Daleks.

While Maxtible sits mumbling scientific formulae in one corner, the Doctor tootles on his recorder in another. His mind is far away. Victoria approaches him. The Doctor is concerned over the Emperor Dalek's plan and its insistence that the Doctor himself will help spread the "Dalek factor" via the TARDIS. He tells Victoria that he would rather die than do this - that there is no persuasion strong enough to convince him. Not even the lives of all his friends are enough when a whole planet lies in the balance. He cannot understand how the Emperor can be so confident. There must be more to this plan.

In the midst of telling Victoria that he could escape with them to his home planet for safety, the Doctor suddenly remembers the Dalek control device used to manipulate Terrall. Perhaps the Emperor plans to use that on him! But Maxtible says no. There is not one on him and it proved quite unreliable on Terrall. Aside from the implication of blind, unforced obedience it puts on Maxtible, it still leaves the Doctor with his puzzle...

Elsewhere in the city, the Dalek experiment continues. As does the daily labour associated with Dalek machinations. In a room, a group of Daleks stand at their stations, carrying out their assigned tasks. However, when they are ordered to stop, at least one continues working. In fact, one of the Daleks asks why they should stop.

The Dalek in charge reacts with a sort of shock that verges on apoplexy. Never before has a Dalek questioned an order. It demands to know which one spoke. None of them responds and the order still is not obeyed. The Doctor's prediction of dissent in the Dalek ranks has come true.

A Dalek comes to the cell and brings Maxtible out. A machine has been set up just outside to at last demonstrate for him the secret of transmutation of metal. The Doctor and the others watch the demonstration from the cell. The machine is set up at some distance, with an archway of some sort in between and Maxtible is not allowed to approach. He much watch from far away.

The demonstration is protracted and is only "proven" by readings of atomic weight and specific gravity which show iron turned into gold. He is ecstatic when the machine is presented to him. The Daleks at last invite him to go to the machine and he moves forward.

To reach it, he must pass beneath the arch. The Doctor realises in a second what is about to happen and he shouts a warning for him to stop. But Maxtible has invested everything in obtaining the secret of transmutation and nothing will deter him. He passes beneath the arch and it suddenly comes to life, bathing him with light.

Maxtible freezes and lets out a cry. His face goes blank. Jamie and Victoria are confused and horrified. Soon the truth becomes clear. Maxtible responds to Dalek commands, moves like an automaton, and speaks in a blank, machine-like voice. He has been infected with the "Dalek factor" and is now a human Dalek. He will obey without question.

The Doctor is stunned at the immediacy and efficacy of the "Dalek factor". He is even more opposed to the Emperor's plan. Humans being turned into Daleks is a horrifying thought on any scale.

Meanwhile, the Emperor receives news of the Dalek that questioned an order. Realising that the Doctor's prediction of revolution could come true, it orders the Dalek to be found immediately.

Some time later, the Daleks' exhausted captives get some sleep in their cell. Maxtible enters stealthily and approaches the sleeping Doctor. He proceeds to hypnotise the Doctor. Once he is in a susceptible state, he tells him that the TARDIS has been placed outside the city and that he will take the Doctor to it. All he must do is follow.

The Doctor rises and follows Maxtible out of the cell, his face blank. Jamie is roused by the movement and races to the cell door, trying to stop the Doctor. Maxtible's promise is just a ruse to get the Doctor to walk through the conversion arch. But Jamie's warning comes too late.

The Doctor passes through and is bathed in light and infected with the "Dalek factor". When he emerges, he is just like Maxtible - blank-eyed and with a flat, mechanical voice. The Doctor is now a Dalek! Jamie is despondent, knowing this is how the Emperor will force the Doctor to help. Maxtible leads the obedient Doctor out to work further on the "Dalek factor".

He shows the Doctor to a machine for the mass production of the "Dalek factor". The plan is to convert the thought patterns that make up the "Dalek factor" into a steam which will then be sprayed into the atmosphere of Earth. It is this which the Doctor is to work on.

The Doctor asks to examine the equipment and Maxtible lets him, leaving him alone to work. As soon as Maxtible is gone, the Doctor's blank stare vanishes and he reverts to normal. He hasn't been turned into a Dalek after all. The Doctor goes to the conversion arch and makes a quick modification, exchanging a capsule in the machine for one from his pocket.

He then goes to the cell to try and explain to his friends what he's up to. He tells Jamie to trust him and to walk through the arch when told. Confused, Jamie does not understand what he's being told, and the Doctor has no more time to speak when a Dalek arrives. The Doctor reverts to his "Dalek state" and asks to be taken to the Emperor.

As they leave, Jamie, Victoria, and Waterfield puzzle over what has happened. They saw the Doctor converted just like Maxtible and yet he was speaking normally just now. Victoria thinks it yet another ruse but Jamie is sceptical. However, he still can't be absolutely certain the Doctor can be trusted given all he's said and done, whether he's been converted or not.

The Doctor is led to the control room where he announces that another Dalek has questioned an order. This is a lie, but in light of the danger such a fact would pose, the Emperor does not question. Maxtible reports that the first disobedient Dalek has yet to be found. The Emperor knows that swift action must be taken.

The Doctor repeats the Emperor's initial suggestion of sending all the Daleks through the conversion arch so that those with the "human factor" will become full Daleks again. The Emperor agrees to this - it's own idea - and orders it done.

Soon, hundreds of Daleks are gliding one by one through the arch - the arch which the Doctor has altered.

After the first wave of Daleks is completed, the Doctor heads for the cell. He opens it and urges his friends out and through the arch - the only escape route. They all hesitate and the Doctor frantically tries to explain. The arch didn't convert him to a Dalek because it is calibrated for human. He is not human. He says he has replaced the "Dalek factor" capsule in the arch with the "human factor" capsule from the test Daleks. All of the Daleks just gone through have received the "human factor" and soon there will be even more rebel Daleks.

But the Doctor still has more to do and he urges his friends to leave - to go back to the tunnel and escape from the city. He promises to join them shortly and runs off.

Jamie steels himself, deciding to trust the Doctor, and goes through the arch. He is overjoyed when nothing happens. The others pile out and they move in the direction of the escape tunnel - all but Waterfield. He is determined to find Maxtible and to make him pay for all that he has done. Nothing can dissuade him. Jamie and Kemel take Victoria and escape. Waterfield heads off into the city.

As the newly-humanised Daleks adjust to their new personalities, they are mentored by the others - Alpha, Beta, and Omega - who have already gone through the conversion. The new Daleks are still mental children but Alpha, Beta, and Omega are now grown up. They welcome these new converts, the new humanised Daleks.

Maxtible and a Dalek run into a group of these converted Daleks, led by Alpha, outside the cell area. Maxtible has seen the empty cell and demands to know where the prisoners have gone. Alpha does not know and says so. The Dalek sends them all back to their work but they all refuse, wanting to know why they should go. The question "why?" rings out as a chant and the Dalek is stunned. It orders obedience and is refused. Rebellion is growing.

The Dalek fires on the rebel Alpha and destroys it. The other two human-Daleks fire back and destroyed the Dalek. It is the beginning of the end for the Daleks.

The Doctor, meanwhile, has corralled another group of humanised Daleks and has led them to the control room. He hopes to convince the Emperor that his cause is lost. A Dalek loyal to the Emperor meets them and orders the Daleks back to work. Egged on by the Doctor, they refuse to obey without question. They demand to know what the work is and why it is necessary.

The Daleks wish to ask the Emperor these questions and begin pushing the guard back to reach him. Suddenly the guard opens fire, killing one of the rebels.

An alarm goes off all over the city, warning of escalating rebellion. The Emperor orders the forces still loyal to him - the black Daleks - into action to crush the rebellion. All opposition is to be exterminated.

The rebellion begins in earnest as Dalek fires upon Dalek, launched by the Emperor itself.

The Doctor hurriedly leads his Daleks away from the control room, trying to keep them safe from destruction, but nowhere is safe now. Battles between Daleks are breaking out all over the city. Waterfield runs into the Doctor in the midst of the chaos. He has rethought his plan to find Maxtible and now only wants to help the Doctor escape. But the Doctor has one more piece of business.

He explains to the human-Daleks the danger they are now in. The Emperor has ordered them destroyed because they question. They must defend themselves or they will be killed. He urges them to take action and destroy the Emperor.

Unseen, a black Dalek approaches. It sees the Doctor and the rebels and opens fire. At the last second, Waterfield sees what is happening and jumps in front of the Doctor. He takes a glancing blow from the beam meant for the Doctor and falls to the ground.

While the human-Daleks attack and destroy the black Dalek, the Doctor tends to Waterfield. Both men know that nothing can be done, but Waterfield is glad to know that he has saved the Doctor's life: "a good life to save". His only remaining concern is Victoria, whom the Doctor promises to look after. The Daleks thwarted and his worries alleviated, Waterfield dies at peace.

There is precious little time for the Doctor to mourn. He turns his attention back to the humanised Daleks around him and tells them again - even more urgently - that they must defend themselves against the black Daleks. The fighting is now all around them and many of their friends are already fighting and dying.

These Daleks do not obey without question and he must work to convince them. But he does so. The group of Daleks moves out to join their friends in battle against the black Daleks. Their goal: the destruction of the Emperor. The Doctor races for freedom.

The battle in the control room heats up as more and more Daleks of both factions pile in. The Emperor - taking heed of the Doctor's prediction - tries to stop the Daleks from fighting. It can see the end of the Daleks in this rebellion, the extermination of the entire Dalek race. But nothing the Emperor can say can stop the fighting.

Weapons fire and explosions escalate all around the control room. The Emperor's warnings rise in volume and urgency. In the end they are drowned out in explosions.

Jamie, Victoria, and Kemel have reached the tunnels and are on their way out of the city when they are confronted by Maxtible. He is still controlled by the "Dalek factor" and he is there to stop them from escaping. He calls out for Kemel and the two are soon locked in struggle. Maxtible's strength is superhuman and he hears voices in his head urging him to kill. Despite Kemel's strength and determination, Maxtible prevails and Kemel plunges to his death over the ledge into the abyss.

The black Daleks are defeated and the remaining humanised Daleks turn to the Emperor. It sends out a call to all Daleks but it is far too late.

Victoria is saddened by Kemel's death. Her loyal friend and protector. Jamie comforts her as best he can, leading her away from the ledge and to safety. Maxtible is nowhere to be seen.

In the control room, the Emperor is now under direct attack and begins to scream.

Maxtible, heeding the Emperor's emergency order, has returned to the control room. But he is far too late. The Emperor is dead, killed by the humanised Daleks. But Maxtible himself is the true human-Dalek and is still the enemy. He shouts out loud the glory of the everlasting Dalek race... just before he is destroyed by the humanised Daleks.

The city is now engulfed in flames from the incessant battle.

The TARDIS sits on a hillside overlooking the city, just as Maxtible told the Doctor. Jamie and Victoria wait nearby as the Doctor finally arrives. They are overjoyed to see him. Jamie tries to explain what has happened to Kemel but Victoria stops them. She demands to know where her father is. The Doctor doesn't need to tell her - the look on his face says it all.

The Doctor tells her that he didn't die in vain and pronounces the carnage below as the end of the Daleks. Forever.

He turns to Jamie and urges him along to the nearby TARDIS but Jamie won't leave Victoria. They must help her. The Doctor agrees and says they will take her with them. Both are pleased with this.

The Doctor goes to Victoria, who stands on the edge of the hill gazing absently at the burning city. The Doctor sees the conflagration and calls it the end of the Daleks. The final end.