Dalek Empire I: Chapter Two - The Human Factor

Doctor Who: Dalek Empire #2

by Nicholas Briggs

Alby Brook and Gordon Pellan are following the best information they have to locate Suz in Dalek-infested space. But what is it the Daleks want with her?

On the slave planet Guria, Alby discovers Suz is already gaining a reputation as something of an angel of mercy. Could it be that she is now working for the Daleks?

But as Suz and Kalendorf travel from planet to planet a murmur of defiance is growing... 'Death to the Daleks... death to the Daleks...'

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, War, Aliens

1 pages, Audio CD

First published June 1, 2001

About the author

Nicholas Briggs is a British actor and writer, predominantly associated with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs. Some of Briggs' earliest Doctor Who-related work was as host of The Myth Makers, a series of made-for-video documentaries produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Reeltime Pictures in which Briggs interviews many of the actors and writers involved in the series. When Reeltime expanded into producing original dramas, Briggs wrote some stories and acted in others, beginning with War Time, the first unofficial Doctor Who spin-off, and Myth Runner, a parody of Blade Runner showcasing bloopers from the Myth Makers series built around a loose storyline featuring Briggs as a down on his luck private detective in the near future.

He wrote and appeared in several made-for-video dramas by BBV, including the third of the Stranger stories, In Memory Alone opposite former Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. He also wrote and appeared in a non-Stranger BBV production called The Airzone Solution (1993) and directed a documentary film, Stranger than Fiction (1994).

Briggs has directed many of the Big Finish Productions audio plays, and has provided Dalek, Cybermen, and other alien voices in several of those as well. He has also written and directed the Dalek Empire and Cyberman audio plays for Big Finish. In 2006, Briggs took over from Gary Russell as executive producer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio range.

Briggs co-wrote a Doctor Who book called The Dalek Survival Guide.

Since Doctor Who returned to television in 2005, Briggs has provided the voices for several monsters, most notably the Daleks and the Cybermen. Briggs also voiced the Nestene Consciousness in the 2005 episode "Rose", and recorded a voice for the Jagrafess in the 2005 episode "The Long Game"; however, this was not used in the final episode because it was too similar to the voice of the Nestene Consciousness. He also provided the voices for the Judoon in both the 2007 and 2008 series. On 9 July 2009, Briggs made his first appearance in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood in the serial Children of Earth, playing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Rick Yates.

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Daleks - quaint little fascist killing cyborgs that they are - sometimes play better and more realistically without the Doctor to thwart their terrible conquests than when the Doctor is there to thwart the menace.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid chapter. Good, entertaining and filled with excitement. I’m still feeling a little detached from the story though. Obviously I’m not going to root for the Daleks, but I still don’t feel like I know the characters, so it’s hard to get attached to the narrative.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will make a combine review because honestly I can't rate this audiodrama without the rest becuase they are one big story...

Some spoilers ahead...



The Daleks attack a planet and they were enslaved. One of those slaves was Susan Mendes. After the initial attack they made the human work on the mines until exhaustion and afterwards getting more slaves from other planets. Susan Mendes confronted the Daleks and made an arragement with the Dalek Commmander (With the blessing of the Dalek Emperor)- if the Daleks would give them food and rest and they would work better and faster. As Susan Mendes continue to be a bridge between humans and the Daleks her word went throughout the conquered worlds and she became known as the Angel of Mercy.

Meanwhile, with humankind working hard for the Daleks they conquered most galaxy and even Earth. Only one thing remain to defeat the Daleks - Project Infinity. Inittialy this project infinity was a way of looking through other alternative realities and discover a way to defeat the Daleks. It seems this project took hundreds of years to be discover/created. But, The Emperor of the Daleks had other plans for it. In the last audiodrama we understand that the purpose was to bring forth from other reality more Daleks.

So, most of the 2, 3 and 4 audiodramas was about Susan Mendes life and of Alby Brook a spy that worked for Earth Alliance and at the same time the love affair of Susan. One other important character was Kalendorf a man capable of speaking with the mind; Mirana a police of some sort (Bounty hunter is the correct term) and Gordon (Alby's boss).

In the last audiodrama, as the Daleks conquerered Earth Susan Mendes was to broadcast the news but instead she brodcast "Death to the Daleks!" and a rebellion went viral throughout the galaxy with winning on both sides.

As the Dalek Emperor discussed with Dalek Commander we got the hint that was the plan of the Dalek Emperor all along. It seems that everything she plotted against the Daleks was only a way to the Dalek Emperor to learn more about the Human Factor. What makes humankind Human.

It seems, all the fightning, all the conquest and Death was a trial of some sorts.

In the end, the Daleks managed to bring forth the Daleks from an alternate universe but there, the Daleks were different. Their they were the keeppeacers/police of the Galaxy and they united all worlds (not by subjucation or extermination but by peace).

[J.E. Remy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: I love the Dalek Empire series. While the first chapter in this series is mostly unnecessary backstory, this chapter hits the road running. Alby Brook is searching for Susan Mendez, the love of his life. Meanwhile, Susan and Kalendorf are prisoners working for the Daleks, while trying to build a resistance movement from the slaves they have been sent to calm into submission. Kalendorf's ability to pass messages telepathically under the eyestalks of the Daleks, and Susan's new identity as the “Angel of Mercy” succeed in creating a science fiction equivalent of the French Resistance—which goes quite far in building upon the already existing Nazi element inherent in Dalek stories.

Personally, this is the story that made me invested in the Dalek Empire, and it only got better from here.

[Dione Basseri · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the previous Dalek Empire story, Suz managed to save the humans of Vega 6 by making a deal with the Daleks, getting food and rest for the humans in exchange for their labor. Now, a year later, the humans still slave in the Vegan mines, and Suz is being asked to travel across the galaxy, speaking to other humans and offering the same terms.

Accompanied by her telepathic friend Kalendorf, Suz quells human rebellion, while secretly spreading the seeds of rebellion in their minds. Advising them to wait for a day they may all rise up.

But not all humans are willing to wait.

A great continuation. It's just a pity that this was released as individual episodes, rather than all together, as really makes more sense!

[Kelly McCubbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suz's role as a collborator grows. As do her and Kalendorf's plans. This is a rip snorter of a story and Briggs never let's the pressure off of Suz as she is forced to face what collaborating with the enemy, no matter what the reason, really means.

[Kam Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect throw off for me, I didn't see much of this coming. This chapter was great, I can't wait to see what comes next.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reactions of the voice actors are very believable. They are able to convey shock, fear, and grief convincingly as the Daleks try to take away all that the characters value.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

ダーレクがスーザンの提案を飲んだことでダーレクに支配され奴隷とされた人々は労働の合間に休息と食事と睡眠を与えられるようになった。それを成果とみなしたダーレク幹部はスーザンに支配した他の惑星にも人々の説得に行かせる。スーザンは条件としてカーランドの同行を求め、ダーレクの指示に従って労働すれば殺されず食事と睡眠と休息が保証されることを説いて歩きながらカーランドのテレパシー能力で反乱計画も同時に人々に話して聞かせていた。しかしガリアの君主はすぐに反乱を起こしたがり人々を焚き付けていた。
そのことを報告されたスーザンは反乱の計画がバレてはいけないとダーレクに抹殺することを提案する。
一方ガリアにスーザンがいるらしいという情報をえたアルビーはそこへ向かう途中でダーレク船と遭遇する。

慈悲の天使というあだ名でダーレク支配下にある人々に広く知られるようになったスーザン。
アルビーは元々スペース・セキュリティの工作員でレインズバーグ社に雇われたの地質学者であるスーザンから情報を引き出そうとしていたが本気で恋してしまっていた。
スーザンもアルビーに恋していた感じだけれども全然覚えてない感じが。
覚えていて再会したとしてもダーレクへの反乱計画を守るための殺戮もダーレクを促すことでおこなってしまっているので、とても元通りの関係に戻れるとは思えない。

[Billy Martel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better than the first chapter. And I thought the first chapter was great. One of the worst aspects of fascism is the way it’s leaders get the people under them to do what they want by turning them all against each other. Between this and “Dalek Occupation of Winter” Big Finish does a great job showing the ways Doctor Who’s favorite parody of fascists play this aspect of their real life counterparts out.

[C.A. A. Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second part of the Dalek Empire story. The plot moves on and there are some surprises in store. Very atmospheric and great to listen to if one works outdoors as I do. I would highly recommend this well written and wonderfully presented audio story.

[rabbitprincess · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Sara Habein · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is... fine enough. I am interested enough to see how it shakes out with the next two stories, but it's not love.

[morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty good parable about slavery, survival instincts, how one becomes a collaborator, or as an overseer of other slaves.

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story about the ethics of collaborating with the enemy in order to survive long enough to build a rebellion against them.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - I can see the plot is starting to get spread out between too many storylines.

[Livia Bergstrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of just pure Dalek horror, the Daleks Empire series is a must for anyone who likes the Daleks