The Oil Well (comic story)

The Oil Well (comic story) was the third story and second comic strip in The Dalek Book. It continued the story of the Stone brothers' search for their sister, begun after the brothers were reunited in the closing moments of Red for Danger.

Summary

On Skaro in the Dalek Council Chamber, the leading Daleks grow impatient. They want to invade Earth now. One tells the other the wait is due to a lack of oil. Venus holds the richest supply outside Earth, so they order their compatriots on Venus to work the slave labour harder. Oil production must be dramatically increased.

Mary Stone is at one of the oil wells on Venus. She suffers with other native Venusians under the Daleks' new production regime. She goes to the lead Dalek to offer an alternate work schedule. She says that they should work for four hours and rest for four. This will ensure round-the-clock production, but also mean the humans will get adequate rest. The Daleks agree, but Mary's fellow Venusians think she's colluding with the enemy. After she explains her plan will keep them all alive, they calm down. The Daleks are soon satisfied with the increase in efficiency and they move Mary to New Paris. From the Venusian capital, she will now direct a changeover of all mines to her new schedule.

Meanwhile, her brothers have found the oil well where she was stationed, and have even caught a glimpse of her. Somehow, they must break her out of the labour camp. Jeff starts a fire in the nearby forest. The Daleks order their prisoners to evacuate the oil well to keep the fire from reaching the camp. Meanwhile, Andy uses glass to magnify heat directly onto the oil well. While the Venusians are safely away from the camp, the oil rig explodes, taking some of the Daleks with it. The remaining Daleks are overpowered by the humans.

Unfortunaely, the boys' plan has come too late. Yes, the humans at this location are now all free, but Mary's not here anymore. The duo set off to find their sister in New Paris.

Characters

References

to be added

Notes

It's never explained why the Daleks need oil so desperately. This is made even more curious by the fact that a later story explicitly states they have nuclear power plants.

Continuity

to be added

Timeline

The story follows directly on from Red for Danger and leads into The Secret of the Mountain.