A Doctor's Farewell

by Songbrony

A Kaled's Tale

I looked at Fredrick shocked. He didn't have his armor on and he looked like an ordinary pony, not a Dalek. "The Doctor...What an honor." he said, extending a hoof to him. The Doctor stepped back from him. "Oh...right." Fredrick said, lowering his hoof. "You've never met a real Dalek, have you? Never met one before the Emperor turned us into war machines."

"War machines, you've always been war machines. Ever since you were born you were war machines. You were created for war." the Doctor said, frantically.

"I see the Emperor did better than he expected." he said. "The Emperor wanted to erase all memory of what we originally were. He wanted us to be feared across the Universe and not be remembered by who we were."

"I read up on your species. Every single article in the Time Lord's archives has stated as you always being war like. Never peaceful and never forgiving." the Doctor exclaimed. "Your species is the reason for the Time War, the destruction of millions of planets and numerous galaxies. You attempted to rule the Universe numerous times and tried to kill me more than I care to count."

"Doctor, listen to me." Fredrick pleaded. "Those archives were created a hundred years before the Time War. We used to be peaceful beings, millions of years before then. We were magnificent, culture driven beings. For most of our existence, we lived in peace. Until we were attacked by the Thals. They killed us and slaughtered us thousands of years before the Time War. It led to a nuclear war and we almost went extinct. The Emperor knew we needed to win the war to save our species and the only way he knew how was to erase all feelings and turn us into machines bred for war." he explained.

The Doctor glared at him.

"I know because I helped build them." Fredrick grimaced. "I helped Davros create them.

"But that makes you almost as old as the Doctor." I pointed out.

"One of the things I did was enhance my lifespan so I could destroy the Daleks once and for all. I knew that some of them had survived, but I wasn't sure how many or if the Doctor would be able to kill them all." he explained.

"Why not just find him yourself?" I asked.

"Because he's always on the move and I don't necessarily have the same technology here as I did on Skaro." he said, almost like it was obvious. "Can I continue?"

"Oh, right. Yeah." I said.

"The Thals nearly killed us all and he didn't want that to happen again, so he had me help him build a machine to erase our old selves from all existence. And it worked. We were able to extinguish every last part of us, but with a terrible price. The Emperor became paranoid thinking that every thing wanted to attack us and kill us. So, he started converting the Kaled race into these murderous creatures. Every Kaled was ordered to go through the conversion process or be executed. It was the worse thing to happen to us since the Thals."

"But I don't understand. How did the Emperor convert an entire species to those metal cases that have been around for so many years?"

"Through a varied form of Meto-Crisis. We were able to re-triangulate the bio-converter. It's how he erased our emotions." he explained.

"Not possible. The Meto-Crisis is something only Time Lords can achieve. How were the Daleks able to get their slimey paws on it?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know the details. I was only to build the new Dalek war machine. The Kaled responsible for the Meto-Crisis was one of the first to go through it. So all the information on it was destroyed with him at the end of the Time War."

The Doctor continued to glare at him. "I still don't see how I have any reason to believe you."

"Search my mind then, Doctor. Look into my thoughts and tell me I'm lying then." Fredrick said, getting into the Doctor's face. I stood there frightened as they stared at each other, almost as if they were sizing each other up, despite being the same size. "Doctor, don't tell me that one war has changed your knowledge of us?"

"It hasn't. But a Kaled has not been seen since the Nuclear War of Skaro." the Doctor replied.

"Because I was the only one to make it out." Fredrick said. "I'm like you, Doctor. The one who stayed true to our species."

"I haven't stayed true." he said. "I'm not like the Time Lords of old."

"But not the same as the Time Lords bred from the Time War. You and I, a mix in between the two. Both born from peace, but then bred for war."

I had never heard the back story about the Daleks. The Doctor always said that they were vicious monsters only made for war and destruction as if that's what they had always been. I never heard him say that they used to be a different race. "Doctor? Is he telling the truth?" I asked.

He hesitated before answering me. "Yeah. Yeah it's true."

"But Daleks and Kaled are two different species and race. While we both were born Kaled, they are a disgrace to what we once were." Fredrick said quickly. "And when the Time War broke out, I was the only one who was able to convince the Emperor that I was needed as a Kaled should a catastrophe occur and wipe out all of Davros' creations.

"What he didn't know is that I had been planning on wiping out every single Dalek for a long time. I put a small chip inside each ball bearing on the Daleks and made sure that they were a part of the blue print design. It works two ways, giving them their force field. It protects them from the outside, but leaves the inside vulnerable."

"How did you accomplish that without being found out?" I asked before the Doctor had a chance to explain.

"Because before the Time War, I was Davros' right hand scientist. For years we both did what we could for our race, so we were never suspected. To this day, they use the same blue prints because of how well they work. They appear flawless." Fredrick replied.

I saw the Doctor's eyes grow wide. "So you can destroy them? All of them?"

"Yes. Across all of time and space. And I would have done so in those years during the Time War. But I wasn't brave enough. My friends and family had become Daleks in order to save their own lives, and those who didn't and shared my view perished. I was weak and unable to kill the Daleks when I had the chance." he said backing away from the Doctor finally.

"It's why I hold the Doctor in such high standing. He was able to succeed, where I could not. And it was much worse for him though. He didn't wipe out just the Daleks, but he wiped out his own kind."

"But isn't that exactly what you wanted to do?" I asked him.

"Yes. But like I said, I was weak and unable to do so. It cost everyone too many lives and forced the Doctor to destroy them both." he said.

"But then how did you escape?" I asked.

"He's not Dalek. He's Kaled. While born of the same biology, they are created and changed into a new species." the Doctor said.

"Precisely. It was my own defense against the weapon the Doctor had and one of the main reasons I wanted to stay a Kaled."

"Then why go around and telling these ponies that you were a Dalek?" the Doctor asked.

"I knew that one day, sooner or later, you would come here. And you'd be more interested in a war mongering Dalek than a race that you knew to be extinct." he said. "I hated calling myself a Dalek, but it was necessary for you to believe I was until we met."

The Queen cleared her throat. "Are you two done catching up? From what I've just heard, we are in danger of being wiped off of this planet, and I will not let that happen to my citizens."

"Right. Sorry, your Highness." Fredrick said. "We should get working on the machine then, Doctor."

"Hold on Fred." the Doctor said looking to the Queen. "Why did you act like you knew nothing of the Daleks?"

"I didn't want our greatest weapon to go and become public. He's our most guarded secret against George." she said.

"And he helped breed the species that are threatening you now!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"And I'm the only one who can destroy them for good!" Fredrick shouted. "But I need a Time Lord to help me do it."

"Why? If you can blow them up from all corners of time and space why haven't you done it yet?" he asked.

"Because I can't time travel." he said. "The machine requires time energy, energy that I don't have."

"And that's why you need me." the Doctor said calmly.

"Yes. So, will you help me or let these ponies die because of inaction?" Fredrick asked.

I looked at the Doctor who seemed to be having an internal fight with himself. "Doctor, why not help him? If it could destroy the Daleks, why not help him?"

He looked back to Fredrick who turned his head. "Because I don't necessarily trust him."

"Then work with him and see how he plans to destroy the Daleks. Then make your decision." I said.

The Doctor looked at me. He smiled as he saw my face. "Alright! Fredrick, show me this machine. The Daleks aren't going to wait much longer to attack once they know I'm here. Derpy, we need the TARDIS' power supply. Go to it and take it back here. We have to keep out of the Dalek control or they could destroy the Universe."

"Right. I'm on it." I said.

"What would you have us do, Doctor? While you're on your own nobel and saving quest, what should we do?" the Queen asked.

"Get as many of the soldiers you know to be hesitant towards George and get them on your side. Send someone disguised as a family member to get them to come or whatever you need to do. You're going to need an army against George. Once war starts to break out, the civilians will fight for themselves. It'd be best to keep them out of your army or George will slaughter them easily. He might try to place the war on you and place the whole coup on you. So letting them fight on whoever's side they wish will keep George distracted." the Doctor explained.

"And the Daleks?" Grell asked.

"Fighting them is useless." he said.

"Not once they enter the castle." Fredrick said. "I was able to build a machine out from my old spaceship that brings down a Dalek's shielding. Once they enter, they can be hindered by getting a solid kick onto the eye stalk. If you take that out, they can't target you and then you can start hammering at them repeatedly. It will take time, but as long as you take out that eye stalk when one enters, you should be able to take them down."

"Brilliant!" the Doctor said with a smile. "Now let's go!" he said rushing out with him. I flew out of the room and into the clouds high above the planet's surface and well out of sight from the ponies on the ground. I flew hard to get to the TARDIS before the Daleks could. As I scanned the plains, I saw them. There were three Daleks moving straight toward the TARDIS. They were a good distance away, but if I didn't get there fast they'd have it.

I shot down to the ground to gain speed. I almost lost control and started to pull out of the dive. It was all I needed. I zoomed past the Daleks and was only a few yards from the TARDIS. I landed rough and opened the door as a Dalek shot at me, barely missing me. I got in and closed the door, locking it behind me. I rushed up to the controls and up to the console. I could feel the TARDIS getting pushed around by the Dalek shots and quickly pulled down the lever. It began its usual low hum and sent us both straight to the Doctor. Of course, things never go that easily.