Fabula
S22E13 · Revelation of the Daleks Part 2

Assassins fall to Davros' deadly efficiency

Davros' laboratory becomes a slaughterhouse as Orcini and Bostock mount their reckless assassination attempt in the tight confines of the control chamber. Their coordinated assault initially confuses Davros but ultimately reveals his deceptive resilience—his body is a fragile lure while his Dalek essence remains intact. The hunters become the hunted when Davros activates his travel unit to retaliate with terrifying precision, destroying Orcini's prosthetic leg before executing Bostock. The slaughter culminates with Davros personally electrocuting Orcini, exposing the futility of defying his dementia-fueled ambition through brute force alone, while his mocking revelation that it was all a trap underscores his godlike perception of his enemies. "key_dialogue": [ "DAVROS: You are fools! You cannot kill me! I am Davros!

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Orcini and Bostock attempt to kill Davros with automatic fire, but Davros survives and retaliates.

action to tension ["Davros' laboratory"]

Davros zaps Orcini with electricity and kills Bostock.

shock to despair ["Davros' laboratory"]

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

5

Feigned vulnerability masking cold, calculating triumph, reveling in his enemies' humiliation

Davros initially staggers under Orcini and Bostock’s sustained fire, his travel unit juddering violently before he reveals his deception—his vulnerable form conceals an unkillable Dalek machine. With calm precision, he commands the guards to disarm the assassins, then dispatches them with electric bolts and the Dalek Supreme’s firepower while mocking their failed ambition.

Goals in this moment
  • Neutralize the immediate threat of assassination to reassert absolute control
  • Reveal his deceptive resilience to demoralize future challengers and expose the futility of resistance
Active beliefs
  • Believes his physical form is expendable as long as his Dalek essence survives
  • Views would-be assassins as naive fools incapable of overcoming his intellect or defenses
Character traits
Mocking and arrogant Physically fragile in appearance Mechanically precise in retaliation Deceptive and manipulative Cruelly dismissive of enemies
Follow Davros's journey
Bostock
primary

Focused and determined at the start, then increasingly panicked as Davros reveals his deception before succumbing to sudden, brutal defeat

Bostock leads the initial assault with practical efficiency, his pragmatic realism driving the attack forward as they split up to confuse Davros. Despite his combat prowess, he miscalculates by throwing his knife prematurely, failing to capitalize on the distraction. His bullets spray wildly as Davros retaliates, and he is cut down by Dalek fire after a desperate attempt to continue the fight. His body falls among the shattered equipment as the mission collapses.

Goals in this moment
  • Support Orcini in the assassination by creating confusion and distraction
  • Neutralize Davros’ physical presence using any means necessary within the confined space
Active beliefs
  • Believes Davros can be killed through brute force in the right conditions
  • Accepts the high-risk nature of their mission without question
Character traits
Bluntly pragmatic in tactics Loyal and steady under pressure Pragmatic acceptance of danger Efficient but not invincible Quick to adapt but ultimately outmatched
Follow Bostock's journey

Initially calm and self-assured, then shocked and desperate as his plan unravels, culminating in stunned defeat

Orcini confidently initiates the ambush with automatic gunfire, his initial strikes making Davros stagger before splitting with Bostock to confuse him. When Davros reveals his deception, Orcini’s confidence falters, and he scrambles to fire off his remaining bullets while pleading for Bostock. His prosthetic leg is shot off by a Dalek, leaving him helpless before Davros’ electric execution, his body falling motionless as his mission ends in ignominious failure.

Goals in this moment
  • Execute the assassination of Davros to fulfill a personal honor-bound contract
  • Protect and support Bostock during the ambush despite the odds
Active beliefs
  • Believes assassination must be conducted with proper ritual and tools to have meaning
  • Trusts in Davros’ physical fragility despite overwhelming evidence of his resilience
Character traits
Ritualistic and methodical despite desperation Oddly calm in command initially Cynical about success by instinct Haunted by his failures Still holding to personal codes despite defeat
Follow Orcini's journey
Supporting 2

Functionally ruthless, expressing no emotion beyond aggression and command, focused entirely on extermination

The Dalek Supreme acts as Davros’ immediate enforcer, deploying from the shadows to eliminate the assassins. With mechanical precision, it fires upon Orcini, shooting off his prosthetic leg with a single, efficient blast. When vision impairment temporarily disables it, the Dalek voice booms commands for immediate extermination, contributing to the chaos before the Supreme’s deterrence role is fully restored by Davros’ command.

Goals in this moment
  • Eliminate the immediate threat posed by Orcini and Bostock
  • Enforce Davros’ will with immediate and overwhelming violence
Active beliefs
  • Believes all opposition must be exterminated without hesitation
  • Views assassination attempts as direct acts of war requiring violent suppression
Character traits
Mechanically precise and violent Dutifully obedient to Davros' commands Aggressively vocal in command Committed to exterminating threats Temporarily impaired but ultimately unyielding
Follow Supreme Dalek …'s journey

Terrified and in pain, reflecting the sudden, brutal reality of Davros' regime

A low-ranking guard moves into the chamber, acting as a procedural enforcer under Davros’ control. He is quickly shot and falls screaming down the laboratory steps in the opening moments of the ambush, setting the violent tone for the encounter. His role is brief but critical in establishing the immediate lethality of the situation.

Goals in this moment
  • Enforce Davros’ authority by controlling access to the control chamber
  • Obey orders without hesitation, even at the cost of his life
Active beliefs
  • Believes in the absolute necessity of following orders without question
  • Assumes his actions serve the greater purpose of order and control
Character traits
Procedurally obedient and expendable Noise and movement draw immediate lethal response No moral agency over actions Sacrificial presence Standard institutional enforcement
Follow Dax's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

6
Starbase Four Laboratory Spark

Davros’ eye energy bolt is a weapon of surgical precision, striking the bishops statue at the chamber entrance with electric ferocity before turning to incapacitate Orcini’s prosthetic leg. The crackling emerald discharge embodies his clinical ruthlessness, cutting through foes with mechanical efficiency while leaving the statue unharmed.

Before: Retracted or dormant within Davros’ optical sphere
After: Activated multiple times, charring bulkheads and ending the …
Before: Retracted or dormant within Davros’ optical sphere
After: Activated multiple times, charring bulkheads and ending the assassins, leaving a trail of destruction
Bostock's Throwing Knife

Bostock’s throwing knife is deployed in a desperate attempt to distract Davros, embedding in his shoulder during the chaotic exchange. Its strike is futile against Davros’ armored form, emphasizing the inherent flaw in their strategy and the futility of brute force against true tyranny.

Before: Concealed on Bostock’s person, drawn in panic during …
After: Embedded in Davros’ immobilized form before being rendered …
Before: Concealed on Bostock’s person, drawn in panic during the final moments
After: Embedded in Davros’ immobilized form before being rendered irrelevant by retaliation
Orcini’s Modified Automatic Weapon

Orcini’s automatic weapon is the primary tool of the ambush, spraying Davros’ travel unit with controlled bursts that initially make his movement judder under the assault. The weapon’s effectiveness falters against the true nature of its target, marking the gap between perception and reality.

Before: Ready and loaded in Orcini’s hands, deployed with …
After: Emptied and discarded, a symbol of the failed …
Before: Ready and loaded in Orcini’s hands, deployed with tactical intent
After: Emptied and discarded, a symbol of the failed attack
Bishop's Statue (Davros' Laboratory)

The bishops statue stands impassive in the laboratory as violence erupts around it, its rigid religious iconography contrasting with the grotesque scientific brutality. Hit by Davros’ energy bolt, it remains unphased, serving as a silent witness to the assassins’ doomed defiance and Davros’ godlike cruelty.

Before: Upright and overlooking the platform, a silent sentinel
After: Struck by Davros’ energy bolt, charred but unbroken, …
Before: Upright and overlooking the platform, a silent sentinel
After: Struck by Davros’ energy bolt, charred but unbroken, a mute observer of tyranny
Davros' Mobile Travel Unit

Davros’ mobile travel unit serves as both his mobility device and weapons platform, lifting his fragile form to engage the assassins directly. It retracts instantly when attacked but pivots with lethal precision to unleash electric bolts, embodying his manipulative survival strategy.

Before: Lifting Davros’ body smoothly above the control chamber …
After: Dented and scorched from gunfire, but fully functional, …
Before: Lifting Davros’ body smoothly above the control chamber floor
After: Dented and scorched from gunfire, but fully functional, continuing to serve Davros’ command
Orcini and Bostock's Assassination Pistols

Orcini and Bostock’s pistols are surrendered per Davros’ command, their last physical tokens of defiance stripped away. The weapons clatter to the floor, marking the assassins’ complete loss of agency and the transition from hunters to victims under Davros’ absolute dominance.

Before: Held in the assassins’ hands, ready for the …
After: Discarded and useless on the laboratory floor
Before: Held in the assassins’ hands, ready for the final stand
After: Discarded and useless on the laboratory floor

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Davros' Laboratory Complex

Davros’ laboratory rapidly transforms from a clinical command center into a slaughterhouse, its cramped control chamber amplifying the assassins’ chaotic assault while giving Davros the decisive advantage. The steel walkways and life-sign monitors register the violence in flickering lights and erratic beeps, underscoring the dehumanized efficiency of Davros’ operations.

Atmosphere Oppressive and chaotic, filled with the acrid tang of ozone and burnt electronics, the air …
Function Battleground for a desperate power struggle between tyranny and rebellion
Symbolism Represents the futility of individual resistance against overwhelming, dehumanized power structures
Access Restricted to Davros and his inner circle, with deadly consequences for unauthorized entry
Flickering emergency lighting casting frantic shadows Erratic beeping from life-sign monitors and scattered equipment alarms

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

2
Grand Order of Oberon

The Grand Order of Oberon is invoked through Orcini’s ritualistic approach to assassination, with his ceremonial walking stick and adherence to codes shaping the mission’s execution. Despite Orcini’s personal philosophy, the organization’s ethos of honorable killing crumbles as the assassination fails against Davros’ deception.

Representation Through Orcini’s ceremonial adherence, his walking stick as a symbol of rank, and his ritualistic …
Power Dynamics The organization is a personal framework for Orcini, who derives ethical justification from its codes, …
Impact The Order’s involvement highlights the clash between personal morality and the harsh realities of tyranny, …
Internal Dynamics Orcini’s detachment from the Order due to past excommunication is implied, yet he clings to …
To maintain the integrity of its honor-bound assassination contracts To uphold ritual and ceremonial standards in lethal operations Through symbolic relics such as ceremonial swords and walking sticks Through internal codes that shape the assassins’ professional conduct
Dalek Empire

The Dalek Species functions as Davros’ primary coercive force, instantly responding to his orders with systematic violence. The Dalek Supreme’s immediate deployment to eliminate the assassins demonstrates the species’ role as both enforcers and agents of extermination, embodying the regime’s brutal efficiency.

Representation Through the Dalek Supreme’s voice, actions, and unquestioning obedience to Davros’ commands
Power Dynamics The Daleks wield absolute power under Davros, serving as his immediate and violent tools for …
Impact The Daleks’ presence emphasizes the dehumanized, systematic nature of Davros’ tyranny, where individual lives are …
Internal Dynamics The Dalek Supreme’s temporary vision impairment and its rapid recovery under Davros’ command highlight the …
To eliminate direct threats to Davros’ authority with immediate and overwhelming force To enforce the Dalek command structure without hesitation or independent thought Through mechanical extermination units equipped with suppressive weaponry Through vocal declarations of absolute command, such as 'Exterminate'

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 1

"Orcini’s early declaration of his last mission (his honor-bound resolve) leads directly to his assassination attempt on Davros in Act 3, where he attempts to fulfill his contract despite Davros’ enhanced power in a Dalek travel unit. His sense of finality and honor is actualized in these confrontations."

Orcini wages his final war against the Daleks
S22E13 · Revelation of the Daleks Part …