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The storm season had arrived, heavy rain and biting winds, night and day. It seemed like a fateful precursor to what was to come. There had been a sense of foreboding with the weather turning but no-one could have predicted just how grim the future really was. People had hauled up in their houses, bracing against the bitter cold. The time for hot chocolate, blankets and open fires had come. The colonists of Nixyces VII had grown accustomed to the extreme weather and were well prepared for it. That had been the state of affairs 48 hours ago. Now, there was not a roof left in the entire city. The customs for getting through storm season had gone out of the window, quite literally.
Amongst the heavy rain, space ships had descended without warning, without demands, without mercy. The Daleks had come to Nixyce VII and despite the colony world’s best efforts, they had nothing to hold against such overwhelming force. The fight had been over before it had even properly begun.
Now, the Daleks were rounding up the humans who were standing in the ruins of their world.
Liv Chenka wrapped her arms around herself. The wind was whipping into her and the rain had soaked through her clothes in no time. She looked at the people around her. Desperate, disoriented, terrified were just a few words that came to mind. Liv considered herself lucky. She had seen death and destruction before, but many of the people around her had not. To her left, there was a man who was carrying two toddlers, twins, that clung to his chest, burying their faces and crying. To Liv’s right, a teenage girl was supporting an elderly lady that could barely walk. Liv knew if the old woman caught pneumonia in this rain, she most likely wouldn’t survive. Maybe it would be a kindness, considering what the Daleks had in store for them. Not that any of them knew what exactly that was, all they knew was that the invaders were calling the remaining humans to the streets. The government had fallen. The world was occupied. They were at the mercy of the victors.
“Move, humans!“ A screeching Dalek voice demanded, ushering them along.
“What do you want with us?“ A man shouted.
“You will cooperate or you will die,“ another Dalek retorted. They were lining the streets and hovering in the air above. They were everywhere. Liv tightened her grip on her medical kit. She had been present-minded enough to grab it on her way out of the ruins of her house.
“This planet is under Dalek occupation now!“ Yet another Dalek, one up ahead announced, as they reached a square. In the large space between burned out buildings, one of the Dalek warships had touched down. The hanger ramps were opened, Liv could only imagine this was a means of taking prisoners away. But where to? And to what end? Others seemed to have come to the same conclusion. Not far from her, a group of young men appeared particularly rattled at the prospect. Their demeanour oscillated between anger and fear.
“You monsters!“ One of them shouted.
“We’re gonna chase you back to the stars, just you wait!“ Another joined in and Liv felt the anger and desperation that was sweeping through the crowd. Panic was taking hold. The situation would soon escalate. She pushed her way forward to where the young men were rallying up the others.
“Resistance will not be tolerated. You will cooperate or you will die,“ the Daleks screeched over the increasing noise level.
“Stop it, shut up, you’re making things worse!“ Liv snapped at the instigators, grabbing one of them by the arm. They were surrounded by Daleks who weren’t exactly known for their patience or mild manners. If things took a wrong turn, there was every chance they would simply exterminate them all. Liv couldn’t let that happen. She was a med-tech, a defender of life, her instinct to protect wouldn’t allow for her to lose her head.
“Things can’t get any worse!“ A woman to Liv’s left shouted desperately and the med-tech shook her head in disbelief.
“You’re alive, aren’t you, I can think of ways it could be worse!“ Liv hissed angrily but if anything, her call for calm only infuriated the people around her more.
“Who’s side are you on?!“ The woman snapped back. “We’re not going to be overrun!“ She called out and the crowd joined her in throwing abuse at the Daleks.
“Please, everyone, just calm down, there is nothing to be done!“ Liv yelled but her voice was getting lost in the shouting.
“One third of the population will be exterminated to ensure cooperation. Two thirds of the population will suffice as a workforce,“ a Dalek up ahead screeched above the noise and for a moment, stunned silence fell.
“No, no, you don’t have to do that, we will cooperate,“ Liv exclaimed, forcing her way to the front. She couldn’t allow anyone else to get hurt, so many had already died in the initial attack. The killing had to stop, she had to do something. “Please!“ The med-tech held out her hands appeasingly, putting herself in between the Daleks and the crowd behind her.
“Like hell we will!“ One of the young men called again, regaining his dead-man’s courage.
“Shut up!“ Liv bellowed at him as the Daleks raised their blasters at the crowd. Then she turned back to face their oppressors. “Think logically, if you execute a third of the population of this planet, you will be giving people more of a reason to rise up against you, people will feel like they have nothing left to lose.“
“Wrong. They will have their lives,“ the Dalek at the front, a commander by all indications, retorted.
“That is not enough for humans. Do you know what the human race is like? We need our families, or friends, else we turn desperate and dangerous, it’s in your interest to keep us on side,“ Liv carried on, trying her best to reason.
“What is your designation, human?“ The Dalek commander demanded.
“I’m… Liv Chenka,“ Liv answered, as she became aware that all eyes were on her. Not just the Daleks but the humans as well. Some friends, some acquaintances, some perfect strangers, but they all knew her now. Her heart started racing, adrenaline coursed through her as she considered how dangerous the situation she had put herself in was, but there was no turning back now. She had to find a way of protecting these people.
“Liv Chenka. Do you speak for the people of this planet?“ The Dalek commander screeched.
“I… no, no, I don’t but… I’m a med-tech, I’m… responsible for their wellbeing,“ Liv answered, trying her best to keep her voice steady.
“You will assist in calming these humans, Liv Chenka, if you wish to maintain their wellbeing,“ the Dalek carried on and Liv found herself nodding.
“That's what I’m trying to do.“ She looked back to the other humans. “Please, everyone, no-one else needs to die today, let’s live to fight another day…“
“There will be no fighting. There is only surrender. Nixyce VII is occupied,“ the Daleks chanted around them and Liv felt the futility of the situation in her very bones. There was nothing to be done, at least not now, not tonight.
Suddenly, there was an explosion and blaster fire.
“No! Stupid, stupid…“ Liv looked around, trying to work out where the attack was coming from. The Daleks were doing the same as some of them were shot down.
“Don’t listen to her! Fight! To the last man! We won’t bow to the Daleks!“ A voice roared on the other side of the square as a group of soldiers charged forward. The last remnants of the human resistance.
“Then you will be exterminated,“ the Daleks roared, launching their counter attack.
“NO! Please stop! Don’t be stupid!“ Liv exclaimed, trying to keep the people back that were trying to join in, but she was only one person. Stones started flying, the crowd was using what little they had, charging forward and the Daleks responded in kind.
“Any resistance will be subdued,“ they announced and started firing.
“Take cover!“ Liv yelled while others encouraged the insurrection.
“FIGHT!“
Liv tried her best to grab hold of people, pull them from the line of fire and encourage them to listen to her. Some did, she was relieved to find. The parents with children, the elderly, the ones that were smart and could see there was no point in fighting, not now. They took cover in the ruins of a nearby building.
“It’s okay, you will be okay!“ Liv tried her best to sound reassuring but her voice was shaky as she witnessed the massacre. They had nothing to hold against the force of the Daleks.
“Why are they still going?“ A man next to Liv asked, shellshocked.
“Military… they don’t know when to stop. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is to try to preserve life,“ Liv ground her teeth, her tone was bitter and defeated.
“Is it over?“ A woman asked, when the noise died down and the blaster fire stopped.
“Liv Chenka,“ the Dalek commander screeched and a wave of anxiety gripped the med-tech.
“Don’t go…“ A teenage girl grabbed hold of Liv’s arm. She had seen her a few times, she lived in the house opposite, but Liv didn’t recall her name. She wished she did, so she could do a better job of reassuring her. That was one thing she remembered from med-school, always use people’s names, it inspires confidence and makes them feel seen.
“It’ll be okay, I promise, stay here…“ Liv gave her a reassuring smile, masking her fear behind a carefully constructed facade of confidence.
“Med-tech Liv Chenka,“ the Dalek commander repeated, sounding almost impatient, despite the lack of emotion in his robotic voice.
“Yes,“ Liv called out as she stepped out of the ruins of the building and slowly approached. Her eyes were drawn to the destruction around her, the bodies, some dead, some dying, some who could, if she had the opportunity, be saved. She had to find a way of doing so, she had to.
“You will handle the medical treatment of these humans. Slave labour is required,“ the Dalek commander announced.
“Yes…“ Liv nodded and without a second thought and without paying any more attention to the Daleks around her, she hurried to the injured person closest to her.
“Didn’t take you two minutes to pick the winning side, did it, Chenka,“ the man snarled, as she leaned over him.
“Shut up and hold still, I’m just trying to prevent more pointless deaths, your death!“ Liv snapped, methodically examining the blaster burns that kept him from getting up.
“Bullshit,“ he bit back and tried to move away, seemingly resigned to his death rather than wanting her help. “Don’t touch me.“
“Traitor.“ Another voice called and Liv ground her teeth, determined to save as many lives as she could.