The Dalek (1)

"Are you the Dalek?" said the man?

"Affirmative," said a cold metallic voice. It was a wasted question, the fear with which Dave was filled was evidence enough. It looked like a Dalek, talked like a Dalek, and could clearly kill like a Dalek, but the social niceties were just Dave's way of dealing with abject terror. He was polite to the firm's lawyers for the same reason. 

"It's good to meet you. I'm Dave. I'm to show you round the house. It's a bungalow, no stairs to navigate, and excellent wheelchair access.  Well, Dalek access in your case. Do you have any luggage?"

"Negative," said the Dalek. 

The Dalek didn't waste words, Dalek vocabulary is stripped to the very basics, like the bare-essential remnants of its surviving flesh. No pointless chit chat about how a bungalow was unnecessary as a Dalek comes equipped with the power of flight.  

"I'll show you round.  This is the main lounge-dinner. It's got an excellent view of the sea. This is the kitchen. Very spacious, all mod cons, and through here is the bathroom. I guess you don't really need either."

"Correct," said the Dalek. The Dalek was all machine, impenetrable, super-computer-brained, with an armory capable of destroying planets. Deathly, determined, all emotion and individuality stripped bare. The need for banalities such as food and sleep had long since been removed from the Dalek routine. 

The company had sent the Dalek to the north of England, because all previous Dalek invasions had been in London and the Daleks weren't as well known or feared in this area. The whole recruitment had been extremely secretive. If the general public found out it would ruin the company's reputation. But the benefits .... Dalek technology. They could dominate the market, every market. Just think what a Dalek brain could create. Technology a billion years ahead of ours, a mind of pure evil, without any sense of social impact. The perfect capitalist machine. 

Dave had been chosen because of his discretion and loyalty to the firm. He had kept quiet when the last CEO had started killing and eating junior members of staff. He had quickly organised replacement staff, so as not to leave a noticeable gap in human resources, organised discreet funerals and a lawyer sufficiently ruthless to get each of the victims' families insurance payments whilst avoiding the obvious question as to why so many young employees were dying for no reason. He had also been artful enough to avoid any legal case against himself or against the company when the CEO was finally found out.

Who better to have in place just in case the Dalek started going around exterminating people. 

"The spare room has been converted into a small lab, I know you have quite a few chemical projects you want to work on. Your bedroom has been converted into a workspace, linked up the company's main computer. You will have access to everything the company is working on. Do you have everything you need?

"Affirmative."

"I'll leave you to settle in. You have my phone and email if you need me, I'll look in tomorrow."