THE POWER OF THE DALEKS

 THE POWER OF THE DALEKS.   Written by David Whittaker.   6 Episodes.
                            5th November - 10th December 1966.
                         
 COMPANIONS:- Ben Jackson and Polly Lopez.

   The Doctor has regenerated to the disbelief of his companions. He acts
 strangely and refers to himself in the third person, leading Ben to
 suspect that he isn't actually the Doctor at all.
   Exploring the planet, the Doctor meets an Earth Examiner who has been
 summoned to Vulcan but before he can divulge anything, he is murdered by
 an assassin and the Doctor is knocked unconscious. Ben and Polly are over-
 come by sulpherous fumes from the mercury geysers and are taken to the
 colony by Security Chief Bragen, along with the unconscious Doctor.
   The Doctor takes the identity of the Examiner and pokes around in his
 usual inquisitive manner, discovering a strange cannister in a laboratory.
 The scientist Lesterson explains that the cannister was found in the
 mercury swamps and states his belief that it may contain alien life.
 Lesterson says that he is about to attempt to open the capsule and manages
 to do so using a piece of metal. The Doctor recognises it as Dalekanium
 and as Lesterson obviously knew that it was a key, the Doctor realises that
 he has already been inside.
   Later, the Doctor steals back to the lab and discovers two inert Daleks
 inside the capsule, with marks on the floor indicating a third, active,
 Dalek.
   Lesterson has activated the third Dalek and is unaware of its abilities
 at first. Thinking it to be only a machine, he falls for its servile
 attitude and makes plans to revive the other two.
   Lesterson's assistant Janley is involved in a resistance movement which
 aims to declare the colony independent from Earth. After seeing the Dalek
 exterminate a lab assistant she plans to use the Daleks to take over the
 colony. Fellow conspirator Valmar constructs a limiter device for the Dalek
 guns which seems to work.
   When the Doctor discovers Lestersons' plans, he begs the governor to
 have the Daleks destroyed, to no avail. Meanwhile, Lesterson is giving
 the Daleks materials requested by them. He doesn't realise that they are
 building more Daleks and constructing a power system throughout the colony.
   Whilst the governor is away on the other side of the colony, Bragen, the
 secret leader of the resistance, takes control. He tells the Doctor that he
 knows his secret, as it was him who killed the real Examiner.
   Lesterson enters the Dalek capsule and finds the construction line. The
 realisation of what he has done unhinges his mind and he is eventually
 killed by the Daleks as they emerge and begin to kill the colonists.
   The Doctor feeds electricity through the static power system overloading
 the Daleks. Janley and Bragen are both killed.
   This story is one of those reputed to have been destroyed although at
 least one episode, episode four, is known to survive. The story is
 available on audio cassette and is one of the best stories in the history
 of Dr Who.