Shadow of Humanity (comic story)
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Shadow of Humanity was a TV Century 21 comic story in The Daleks series.
Summary
When the Emperor commands the building of a new road to the Lake of Mutations, one of the Daleks questions his orders. The Emperor has the squad of Daleks taken for testing. He realises that the questioning of an order could lead to the destruction of the Dalek race.
Plot
Whilst clearing flowers from near the Lake of Mutations a Dalek discovers its humanity. The Dalek Emperor worries where this might lead.
It leads to Daleks proclaiming, "Protect Beauty...Flowers are Beautiful".
The Emperor finds a Dalek proclaiming this and claiming to be the new Dalek Emperor. When Daleks begin stating that "Beauty is Strength", the Dalek Emperor orders the Dalek's destruction.
Characters
Worldbuilding
- The Dalek Emperor knows that humanoids keep flowers.
- The Dalek Emperor commands the building of a new road to the Lake of Mutations.
- It is reported that a live atomic reactor has been dumped on the deserted planet X 400, which is a junkyard for space debris and obselete equipment. A solo spacecraft is believed to be landing on the planet and its occupant could be in grave danger. Fireball XL5 is moving to investigate.
- All space traffic has been banned from sector 23 until further notice. This statement from Space City follows reports that the atomic reactor dumped on the junkyard planet in this sector has become dangerously damaged.
- Reports reaching the offices concerning the bullion robbery from the Gold Reserve Fort in Siberia state that the gang of twelve men has been arrested and charged. They were caught in possession of the complete haul of gold bars. A police block stopped the hover transporter outside Kahra, the capital city of Mars, "early this evening" and made the arrest. The men are currently under heavy security guard pending court proceedings.
Notes
- The One in a Million Dalek's qualities are presumably rare ancestral traits reasserting themselves but his "diseased brain" is blamed on an accident in manufacture.
- Both "human" and humanoid are used to describe the One in a Million Dalek's qualities.
- In 2009, Altered Vistas released an animated adaptation of this story.
Continuity
- Daleks are laying down metal roads. These aren't strictly necessary for moving around, but Daleks still use electrified floors as late as the 25th century. (COMIC: City of the Daleks)
- TV: The Evil of the Daleks would revisit the threat of unidentifiable Daleks questioning orders and TV: Into the Dalek would have another Dalek who sought to protect beautiful things.
