Made For War (Mentor Daleks)

[The Grim Squeaker]

he loneliest being in Dalek space watched his subordinates perform their tasks and resumed the task of working on a plan which would result in total Dalek victory.

Aaaw, "Poor Little Dalek, all alone"

[Imperial Overlord]

Aaaw, "Poor Little Dalek, all alone"

"You will huggle us! Huggle! Obey! Obey!"

[The Grim Squeaker]

Aaaw, "Poor Little Dalek, all alone"

"You will huggle us! Huggle! Obey! Obey!"

Bah, stop ripping the Necrons off (Unless you introduce the Great Vampires in the inevitable "Daleks meet the Time lords" Sequel) .

And that line is pure Awesome

[Imperial Overlord]

A great cloud of Sontaran ships neared the planet Cherilon. A flurry of weapons fire was exchanged between them and the weapons platforms in orbit above the lush world. A single volley of Sontaran missiles blew them apart, costing the Sontaran's only one battlecruiser in exchange.

The Sontarans cautiously approached, sensors probing for ground based defence batteries as they did so. Fire rained down as they hammered the Senasha plains and the Karada mountain complexes with heavy missile barrages. Three mountains were burned to radioactive rubble in under a minute as missiles hammered them from orbit. Clouds of fire marked where the defence installations had once been.

They were soon joined by others as the obliterated every small community on the face of the planet, an action which took them merely two minutes. The single large population center, protected by a force shield dome, was left alone.

Sadra City consisted of a cluster of ziggurat like buildings located on the islands of the Dennos Estuary. Inside one of the buildings a high level military meeting was taking place. Five Rethenians, two with tentacles twitching nervously, met with Dalek Zress.

The Black Dalek addressed the Rethenians. "The Sontaran attack continues to conform with the predictions of Dalek battle computers. They have not directly attacked any large population centers. This has been done in order to preserve a labor force and make use of the industrial infrastructure in building Sontaran war factories."

"This is why they haven't destroyed all the transportation infrastructure," said one of the Rethenians. "They intend to make use of it themselves."

"That is correct," said Dalek Zress. "The Sontarans will round up all survivors and work them to death. The extermination of all the native population in the surrounding areas will minimize the guerilla interference. The Sontarans are willing to accept casualties in order to swiftly convert the planet."

"I do not like this Dalek plan," another Rethenian rumbled. "It kills too many of us for too little gain. The enemy still achieves most of his aims."

"The plan is logical in the context of larger war planning and local conditions," Dalek Zress replied. That was the truth. The plan would inflict heavy Sontaran casualties and force them to commit substantial resources to maintaining the occupation. This he could not say because the Sontarans must not learn about the latter part of the plan. Instead he said, "heavy Sontaran casualties are critical for survival of all Alliance species over the next two year span. The chance of anyone on this planet living for two years is too small to calculate. Only a massive victory in the near future will alter that. Survival of our species is the only victory possible. For that to occur we must exterminate as many Sontarans as possible."

Tentacles writhed in reluctant agreement. "Then we will proceed with your battle plan," said Sissone, the most senior of the Rethenians present.

"Excellent. I must withdraw to my command center to coordinate Dalek activities." Zress slid out of the room and down a long corridor to guard room. The pair of Rethenians let the Dalek pass. He then remounted the transolar disc. The clamps snapped on to the base of his casing, mating securely with it.

Zress then flew off the top of the ziggurat and half way across the city. The Dalek entered the base of the ziggurat, traveled along a corridor, and descended a lift shaft. Daleks in white casings with black globes guarded his path. He left the lift and traveled along another corridor. The door at the end slid open.

Four Daleks in blue casings awaited him in a small square room surrounded by hastily installed computer and communication consoles. "They have agreed to the plan. They will place their forces under Dalek control," said Zress.

"Dalek Zress," said Dalek Ko. "I have a question."

"Speak."

"Why do we not possesses a suitable suicide charge. A megaton or gigaton range thermonuclear weapon would maximize Sontaran casualties and destroy or contaminate the industrial facilities."

"The Dalek Supreme has decided otherwise," said Dalek Zress. There was no need to ensure that Ko would not be captured. The chances of capture were too remote and Dalek Ko would die before allowing himself to be captured. "It is necessary for the Sontarans to commit to extensive planetary occupation and defence forces.."

"Understood," said Dalek Ko.

"Sontaran ships are descending from high orbit," said Dalek Sarn. "Trajectory indicates they will land near the city in fifteen minutes. Estimate Sontaran weapons more than sufficient to neutralize the force field."

"Signal all Daleks that ground assault is about to begin," ordered Dalek Zress. "Skaro will live by our actions. We will perish, but the Dalek race will survive."

[The Grim Squeaker]

Interesting, I smell capturing at work. They haven't been planting any mind controlling cactus plants, have they?

[Setesh]

Interesting, I smell capturing at work. They haven't been planting any mind controlling cactus plants, have they?

Nothing would surprise me at this point, the Pre-Genesis Daleks were far more devious than after the Doctor altered the timeline. Theories abound about why, most likely the limitations are a result of Davros having to accelerate the production of Daleks at an earlier period. The improvements he wanted the Kaled scientific elite to make to dalek machine designs never occured. Based on the conditions the Doctor originally found the Thal's missile hitting the Kaled dome poisoned much of the planet with neutron radiation. Davros and the Elite would have been sealed into the bunker. The surviving Thals moved away to avoid the worst of the radiation (which explains why it took hours to cross the no man's land, but took months for the future Thals to return to the area).

Sealed away the Kaleds would have devoted everything towards the development of the Dalek machines. The absence of Davros in that timeline means either the revolution succeeded and the more devious Daleks are the natural result of the genetic damage, or Davros finally succumbed to time, or the Daleks killed him in that timeline to. The Daleks of that timeline have a more advanced starting point, though they are clearly short on resources as their latter lack of internal power suggests.

And I seem to be hijacking he thread for a shot of temporal conjecture, so I'll stop now.

[Big Orange]

The trouble is most of the Dalek episodes were apparently badly written after "Genesis of the Daleks" with Davros taking over things (not unlike the Borg Queen) with the damage only repaired until "Remembrance of the Daleks" and the Dalek Empire audio series, when the Daleks were restored back into being their own villains again.

[Imperial Overlord]

Massive Sontaran assault transports landed under the cover a dozen Sontaran battlecruisers. Great portals opened in their lower sections and Sontaran soldiers poured out onto the plain. Armoured vehicles glided out after them, forming a massive crescent shaped line aimed at Sadra City. The began a slow, inexorable advance.

Eyes, electronic and biological. watched them move. In the Dalek command center eyestalks twitched as they shifted from monitor to monitor. "Sontaran forces nearing the city," said Dalek Naal.

"Continue to observe," ordered Dalek Zress. "Have resistance units stand by. The thick walls used in Rethenian construction should inhibit Sontaran sensors."

"I obey," said Dalek Naal.

"The Sontaran attack must succeed," said Dalek Zress. "Heavy casualties are essential. The Sontarans must commit to a strategy of extensive occupation."

"The Sontarans may realize we are manipulating them," said Dalek Naal.

"That is unlikely," said Dalek Zress. "Analysis of Sontaran mindset indicates a deeply established belief in their military superiority. The likelyhood of them anticipating manipulation after a difficult engagement is too low to calculate accurately. Proceed with the plan."

"I obey," said Dalek Naal.

The Sontaran forces entered the outskirts of the city, crossing the bridges to the ziggurat islands and moving over the land corridors. "Activate the mines," ordered Dalek Zress.

The Daleks had buried a chain of high powered mines near the river bank in anticipation of the Sontaran ground invasion. Dalek Zress extended his sucker arm and inserted it to the command console. The detonation command was sent to three mines.

The screen flashed white. When the image returned three mushroom clouds climbed towards the sky. "Mines detonated," said Dalek Zress. "Main body of Sontaran force has taken extensive casualties. Sontaran leading elements have entered the city."

"Signal our forces to engage them," ordered Dalek Zress. Doors opened on various levels of most ziggurats. Daleks emerged and targeted their gunstalks at the Sontaran detachments. The whine of Dalek beam weapons filled the air as the opened up.

On other levels armed Rethenians emerged. Some were armed with one and a half meter long beam lances that had been designed to penetrate even Dalek casings at close range. They burned through Sontaran armour and flesh like knives through tissue paper.

Others were armed with stubby bomb launchers. They fired explosive shells at clusters of Sontaran troopers as Dalek rose from the waters and engaged the Sontarans by surprise. Other Rethenians rose from the water next to Sontarans and seized them with their tentacles. The high gravity adapted humanoids were immensely strong, but they were little more than rag dolls in the grasp of the Rethenians. Whole squads were pulled down in a frenzy of thrashing tentacles, taken deep under water and torn limb from limb.

The Sontarans fought back. Despite being beset on all sides they did not panic. They fired on the Rethenians and the Daleks and called upon their air support. Reinforcements and heavy weapons came to their aid. Water boiled. Dalek casings were cracked open. Rethenian bodies were torn asunder. Strong points were blasted to gravel. Meter by meter they took the city, paying an awful butcher's bill for every step.

"The Sontarans are nearing our position," said Dalek Naal.

"All other Dalek units have been exterminated," said Dalek Narn.

"Activate the self destruct," said Dalek Zress. "Let them have the rest of the city. For the ultimate Dalek victory."

"For ultimate victory!" the other Daleks cried.

[Big Orange]

Nuclear grade landmines and giant multi-divisional traps, great stuff.

[Shroom Man 777]

ULTIMATE VICTORY!

[Imperial Overlord]

A Dalek slid into the command center on Skaro. The Dalek Supreme turned to it. "Speak."

"I obey. Another wave of Sontaran invasions have been launched. Nerone, Shandar's World, and Sky Fall are all facing imminent attack."

"This is as I have anticipated," said the Dalek Supreme. He turned in place. "Signal all garrisons that full defensive measures are authorized. The Sontaran invaders are to capture only wrecked transportation infrastructure and radioactive rubble. The use of last stand nuclear defence charges is mandatory."

"Understood," said one of the Dalek's Supreme's aides. "I will issue the orders to our ground forces."

"Deploy the majority of our space fleet around Skaro. Marauder squadrons are to be deployed at two hundred percent standard strength and at full activity cycles."

One of the gold Daleks spoke. "Detection and location of Marauder squadron basing is inevitable under those conditions."

"Yes," said the Dalek Supreme. "Analysis of Sontaran personality traits and history indicates that the Sontaran commander will leave behind a strong garrison and deploy the rest of his forces in an overwhelming attack on Skaro. His eyestalk twitched and focused one of his subordinates. "Speak."

"This strategy seems reckless. It endangers the Mentor and the center of Dalek power."

"This strategy is necessary. Sontaran numerical superiority must be overcome. They must commit themselves to an attack. We will goad them with our marauder squadrons and present them with a high value target and a glorious victory. Psychological studies of captured Sontarans indicate the desire for such victories is a major weakness. The Sontarans are obsessed with physical superiority, like many other inferior species. We will demonstrate the superiority of the Dalek intellect. Proceed."

"I obey."

------------------------------------------------------------

On Cherilon the Sontarans were able to capture only a few slaves to do their will. Much of the grunt labour had to be performed by Sontaran enlisted ranks with the aid of a considerable amount of imported equipment. Slowly the debris was moved away from mass transit systems and it was restored to an acceptable level of function.

They had better luck with Cherilon's industry. The heavy ziggurat style buildings shielded the factories from much of the fighting, although sabotage bombs had been placed in many of them. Converting Cherilon to a war factory world be slow going.

As the Sontarans worked away, under the protection of their starships, weapon batteries, and shield projectors, life clung on tenaciously. On the periphery of the nuke blast zone, small shoots of green broke the surface of the barren earth. The next stage in the Dalek master plan had begun.

[NecronLord]

Are we going to see Sonatarans infected with Varga plants?

[Imperial Overlord]

Are we going to see Sonatarans infected with Varga plants?

Would I do that? *whistles innocently*

[Setesh]

Are we going to see Sonatarans infected with Varga plants?

Would I do that? *whistles innocently*

Yes, yes you would. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of Skaro's rather absurdly aggressive plant and animal life appear.

[Imperial Overlord]

"There is a report from one of our ranger scope platforms," said a gold shelled Dalek. "A large Sontaran battle fleet has been detected. It is on course for Skaro."

"It is proceeding as we have predicted," said the Dalek Supreme. "Signal all allied fleets to converge on Skaro. Our forces will assemble at the Third Security Perimeter. Signal Dalek Rek aboard the Sword of the Stars."

"I obey." A communication projection appeared, covering the upper half of a wall. The image of a Black Dalek appeared.

"What is the will of the Dalek Supreme?" asked Dalek Rek.

"You will assume tactical command of the combined fleet. A Sontaran invasion force is en route to Skaro. You will fight them at the Third Security Perimeter. You will fall back to the Second Perimeter after sustaining light to moderate casualties and you will fall back to the First Perimeter on my orders. Is that understood?"

"I understand and will obey. Are there any additional instructions?"

"You and your crew have the most experience fighting the Sontarans in fleet engagements. You must be alert for changes in their established behaviors and anticipate their actions."

"Understood. We will not fail. Skaro will not fall."

"Skaro will not fall. We are Daleks."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Battle satellites and sensor platforms dotted Skaro's outer system. Among them were cluster after cluster of Dalek battle saucers and the massive bulk of Dalek dreadnoughts. Dagger shaped patrol ships joined them along with the egg shaped Rethenian battleships and weapon sprouting cylinders of Nentari strike vessels.

A cloud of seven hundred Sontaran vessels advanced on their position. The cloud unfolded, forming a great flying wall and then curved inward towards the alliance fleet as it advanced. In the command center of the Sword of the Stars Dalek Rek watched them advance.

"All ships are to hold fire until I give the command."

"Understood," said Dalek Zarn. "Command net is active and includes all alliance vessels. Your orders are being relayed."

"Sontaran warships are opening fire," reported Dalek Marr. From the gathered Sontaran host missiles began to stream forth from battlecrusiers, battleships, and missile carriers. The great swarm flew through space at incredible speed.

Explosions blossomed in their midst as counter measures detonated. Beams of energy glittered as they flashed into the missile swarms, blasting their targets into component atoms. The swarm, its numbers considerably thinned, made the final approaches through jamming and disruption fields to begin their final attack patterns on their targets.

Shields collapsed and ships burned. Weapon platforms were torn apart and destroyed. On tiny fraction of the fleet fell, but there was another swarm of missiles hard on the heels of the first. Behind that was the third, fourth, and fifth.

"Open fire," commanded Dalek Rek. The Sontaran vessels were very powerful, but they had limited missile magazines. The multiple layers of the Dalek defence perimeter meant that the Daleks could fall back to defensive positions deeper in the system and thus more of the battle would be conducted at long range. The Sontarans had miscalculated and were expending their missiles too rapidly at ranges were their weapons would have sub optimum effect. Dalek Rek intended to capitalize on that error.

More ships died on both sides. The Sontarans pressed forward, aiming to flank and envelope the alliance fleet. Superior Dalek electronic warfare capacity along with the powerful ranger scope stations connected to Dalek Command net and boosted by dedicated satellite platforms gave the Daleks the edges in sensors. Against the superior numbers of the Sontaran missile swarms, it wasn't quite enough.

More ships burned. Dalek battle saucers were blasted apart, Rethenian battleships cracked open, and Netari vessels blown in two. Dalek Rek made a decision. "All mobile units will retreat to the Second Perimeter." The few surviving weapon platforms would help cover their retreat. The Second Perimeter was reinforced by the new defences ordered by the Dalek Supreme. They would be more able to resist the Sontarans from there.

The alliance fleet withdrew, leaving dying vessels and missile volleys in its wake. The Sontaran fleet slowly pursued, leaving its own trail of dead or dying ships. The Sontarans did not question the retreat of their enemies. Other species lacked the martial virtues of the Sontarans and this was one more proof of their inferiority. Soon they would close on the enemy fleet and set the Dalek home world on fire. Victory was near and inevitable. They would have been quite puzzled to learn that the Daleks believed the exact same thing.

[NecronLord]

I'm guessing that next up may be the second defence perimeter...

[Big Orange]

Are the Daleks employing a similar tactic to Hannibal, when his Carthaginian army allowed the Romans to initially walk all over their weakpoint then suddenly enveloped them in a counter attack from most sides?

[Imperial Overlord]

Are the Daleks employing a similar tactic to Hannibal, when his Carthaginian army allowed the Romans to initially walk all over their weakpoint then suddenly enveloped them in a counter attack from most sides?

The strategy the Daleks are using is based on one in Dalek Empire, with a little tweeking by yours truly.

[Imperial Overlord]

The Sontaran fleet engaged the surviving weapon platforms at the Third Security Perimeter at close range, finishing them up in a haze of energy beams. Ahead of them the alliance fleet was reforming around the Second Security Perimeter. Weapon platforms and battle satellites reorientated themselves and shifted positions in anticipation of the next attack.

Fleet Marshall Gond had no intention of delaying his assault on the Second Perimeter for any longer than was necessary to make brief repairs. Here, in a heavily industrialized star system, the Dalek's logistical capacity far outweighed his own. They could rearm and repair far faster than his fleet could and so he would not wait.

He shifted position in the his command chair in the heart of a Sontaran battleship. "Begin the attack. Maximum speed this time. When they break again, we must capture as many ships as possible."

The Great half-sphere formation of the Sontaran fleet glided forward. With Skaro's sun shining behind them, the alliance fleet met them. The Sontarans were more conservative now with their remaining missiles, not opening fire until the Dalek's did. Weapon platforms, some of very recent construction, joined the alliance fleet in opening fire.

Missiles streaked through the void in either direction. Force fields failed and hulls were shattered. Fire and light briefly flared into being before fading once again into darkness. The greater number of space stations helped blunt the worst of the Sontaran assault, as did the Sontaran's earlier losses and their greater frugality with munitions, but the Sontarans still had the greater strength. Losses mounted as they reached the edge of effective beam weapon range.

The Dalek weapons struck first and hard, blue-white beams of destruction that struck with almost unerring accuracy. The force fields on a dozen Sontaran battlecruisers failed almost simultaneously and the ships themselves were then blown apart. The Sontaran fleet continued forward at full speed, spewing missiles as they came. Their own beam weapons fired, but they were at the edge of their effective range. Alliance jamming robbed the Sontaran weapons of much of their accuracy and dissipation attenuated their power.

In the command center on Skaro the Dalek Supreme watched the battle closely. The ancient and cunning Dalek signaled Dalek Rek through the command net. "This is the Dalek Supreme. Dalek Rek withdraw the fleet to the First Security Perimeter at maximum speed."

Dalek Rek was momentarily puzzled. Optimal disengagement time would occur in about two hundred rels, plus or minus fifteen rels. There was no question that the Dalek Supreme knew this as well. There were two possibilities for this order. One was that the Dalek Supreme was wrong. The second was that the Dalek Supreme knew something he didn't. Dalek Rek didn't need to run that calculation to determine which possibility was more likely. "I obey," was Rek's response.

"All vessels retreat at maximum speed," Dalek Rek ordered. "Destination is the First Security Perimeter. The Sword of Stars turned swiftly, its beam weapon turrets and missile tubes still spewing destruction at the Sontarans. The dreadnought's engines went to full power and drove the Dalek vessel towards Skaro with surprising speed. All around The Sword of the Stars Dalek saucers and Patrol frigates joined it flight. The slower Nentari strike cruisers and lumbering Rethenian battleships trail the faster vessels as alliance fleet becomes a fleeing mob of ships.

The sudden collapse of the alliance fleet startles Fleet Marshall Gond. The Sontaran stairs mutely at his screens. His experience had taught him that morale collapses could be sudden and his Sontaran conditioning forced him to believe that all other species were inferior in courage to Sontarans. The collapse was earlier than previous experiences with the Daleks suggested, but alien psychology was never truly understandable even if Sontarans bothered to study races by the Rutarans in any depth.

"Fast advance," he ordered. "Catch and destroy all the Rethenian and Nentari ships. Weapon platforms are acceptable secondary targets for beam weapon batteries."

The Dalek Supreme watched the sensor screens as the Sontarans rushed into the Second Security Perimeter. This was the moment he was prepared for and the reason for the construction of the new layer of defences. "Set the reactor output of all new platforms to super critical. Link the mass-energy output of all reactors to the platforms near the Sontaran fleet."

White lines blazed into existence in the depths of space as Dalek weapon platforms overloaded their reactors. In moments a great lattice of blazing energy was formed, with all of the power concentrating on a half dozen surviving battle satellites. Fleet Marshall Gond's eyes went wide as he tried to comprehend what was happening. Then the lattice work detonated.

For a moment Skaro's sun was a dim and feeble thing in the sky. The awesome brilliance of the destruction of the Second Security Perimeter consumed two-thirds of the Sontaran fleet in a moment. Gond never learned exactly what was happening as his flagship perished before his brain could process what the flash meant.

Many of the trailing ships, mostly Rethenian battleships, were destroyed as well but most of the alliance vessels were battered by the blast wave but survived. Chaos and static flooded the command net for a moment and Dalek commander are momentarily paralyzed by indecision.

Then Dalek Rek's voice blazed through the static and order was restored. "All alliance vessels attack! Neutralize!"

[Shroom Man 777]

Awesome

[LadyTevar]

Always a great tactic: Retreat through the Landmines and blow your enemy to HELL

[Imperial Overlord]

Starlight glinted off pieces of wreckage. Missile flares and glittering beams pierced the void, impacting with a flash against force fields or brilliant blooms of fire as they destroyed ships. Throughout the system the same scenes were repeated over and over again as alliance vessels cruised through the space, cracking open crippled Sontaran ships with beam weapons and missile volleys.

The Dalek Supreme turned away from the image of an exploding Sontaran battlecruiser. "Estimate for how long sweep and kill operations will continue?"

"Approximately five thousand rels," one of the gold Daleks replied.

"Satisfactory," said the Dalek Supreme. "Status on insurgency operations?"

"Approximately one standard week until operations reach the maturation point."

"Excellent," said the Dalek Supreme. "Open communications to Dalek Rek."

"I obey."

Dalek Rek's image appeared on the screen. "What do you require of me?"

"New battle plans will be downloaded to your computers. After clean up operations are concluded, you will take the majority of the combined fleet and attack Sontaran staging zones beyond Alliance space."

"We are to abandoned occupied systems to Sontaran control?"

"That is correct," said the Dalek Supreme. "All raiding operations will cease. Marauder squadrons will join with your fleet for your attack on the Sontaran staging areas. You will neutralize all Sontaran vessels it is feasible to destroy and take no more than thirty percent casualties. You will then withdraw back to Dalek space."

"I understand. I will obey."

"Proceed. Cut communications," said the Dalek Supreme. "Analysis from the main battle computer?"

"Battle computer concurs that the logical targets are the newly conquered Sontaran worlds," one of the gold Daleks said. "Sontarans currently have superior numbers of ships, but inferior production capacity in this sector. They can expect little in the way of reinforcements from the rest of their empire because of their conflict with the Rutans. Mind probe extractions indicate standard Sontaran tactics in this situation are to heavily fortify captured worlds and conduct an offence while they continue to enjoy numerical superiority."

"That is correct," said the Dalek Supreme. "It will take some time to mass all the ships from their expeditions of conquest in this sector. We will strike before that recall occurs. We shall devastate the Sontaran fleet. And while we do, the Sontaran holdings will collapse from the attack we have already launched against them. The Daleks will reign supreme! Victory will be ours! Victory!"

The other Daleks joined in the call. "Victory! Victory! Victory!"

[Big Orange]

Nice follow up, Imperial Overlord, I wonder why you left this story by the wayside...

[Imperial Overlord]

Nice follow up, Imperial Overlord, I wonder why you left this story by the wayside...

Because I have a lot of stories to write.

[LadyTevar]

Nice follow up, Imperial Overlord, I wonder why you left this story by the wayside...

Because I have a lot of stories to write.

Sometimes, I'd like you to slow down and work on only one or two... but then I start wondering what's happening in one of the stories on hiatus. Considering all the stories you have going right now (two 40K, Daleks, Nal&Co, ShadowRun, StarWars...), I'm just amazed you have time and energy to RP!