Fabula
S22E1 · Attack of the Cybermen Part 1

Stratton and Bates plan Cyber Control infiltration

Stratton and Bates argue over their plan to infiltrate Cyber Control as the immediate threat of a Cyberman patrol forces them to take action. Bates insists they require another Cyber head to disguise Stratton as an escort, a critical resource that will allow them to infiltrate the Cybermen’s central hub. Stratton resists the dehumanizing tactic, revealing the moral cost of their rebellion against the Cybermen’s tyranny. Their exchange underscores the desperation and moral compromise inherent in resisting an oppressive force. key_dialogue: [ BATES: Once you've cleaned it out, you can wear it. As prisoner and escort, we might just get into Cyber Control. STRATTON: I will not wear that thing. BATES: You got a better idea? Then get started. ]

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Stratton and Bates discuss their plan to infiltrate Cyber Control, with Bates emphasizing the need for another Cyber head.

determination to anxiety ['Telos']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3

Urgent and resolute, masking frustration with Stratton’s hesitation under the pressure of immediate danger

Bates forcibly argues for the tactical necessity of a Cyber head, justifying its use to Stratton even as the Cyberman patrol approaches. He takes decisive action to disable the Cyberman using his pipe, seizing the opportunity to decapitate it as part of their escape plan.

Goals in this moment
  • Ensure their survival by acquiring the Cyber head to infiltrate Cyber Control
  • Convince Stratton of the necessity of compromise to achieve their goal
Active beliefs
  • Any method that leads to infiltration is justified by the dire circumstances
  • Stratton’s hesitation risks their survival and mission success
Character traits
pragmatic urgent commanding
Follow Bates's journey
Stratton
primary

Reluctant and conflicted, torn between survival instinct and revulsion at allying with Cyberman tactics

Stratton questions Bates’ plan and hesitates to wear the dismembered Cyber head, arguing against the dehumanizing tactic. He reacts impulsively to the Cyberman patrol’s approach, ducks for cover, and later physically attacks the Cyberman in a fit of desperation.

Goals in this moment
  • Survive the immediate threat posed by the Cyberman patrol
  • Resist the moral compromise of wearing a Cyber head despite its necessity
Active beliefs
  • Wearing a Cyber head symbolizes surrender to oppression and dehumanization
  • There must be another way to infiltrate Cyber Control without compromising oneself
Character traits
hesitant defiant impulsive
Follow Stratton's journey
Supporting 1

N/A — operates entirely within operational parameters, devoid of detectable emotional states

The Cyberman subordinate enforcer patrols the gully, forcing Stratton and Bates into cover. It is blind to their presence until Stratton exposes himself, provoking it to fire and climb the slope. Bates disarms it using his pipe, and together they tackle and decapitate it as a tactical maneuver.

Goals in this moment
  • Patrol designated area for threats or rebellious activity
  • Subdue or report any anomalies disrupting Cyberman operations
Active beliefs
  • Adherence to orders is paramount; individual will is irrelevant
  • Biological lifeforms are either resources or targets requiring conversion or elimination
Character traits
unquestioning mechanical directive-obedient
Follow Cyberman Subordinate …'s journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

3
Stolen Cyber Head

Bates insists on finding and using another Cyber head to disguise Stratton as a Cyberman prisoner escort, a critical resource enabling their infiltration plan. The head’s dismembered, cracked condition underscores its crude extraction and the urgency of their need. Stratton’s refusal to wear it highlights its moral abhorrence despite its tactical value.

Before: The first Cyber head has already been used …
After: Bates seizes the opportunity to obtain a second …
Before: The first Cyber head has already been used or lost; the need for a second is acute but unmet
After: Bates seizes the opportunity to obtain a second Cyber head by defeating a patrol and decapitating the Cyberman, securing the object in raw, functional form
Bates' Pipe

Bates uses his pipe as an improvised weapon during the confrontation with the Cyberman patrol. He strikes the Cyberman’s gun wrist, deflecting its aim and disarming it, before Stratton finishes the attack. The pipe serves as a physical extension of Bates’ will, turning a tool of personal habit into a weapon of survival.

Before: Intact and carried by Bates as a personal …
After: Unbroken but now marked by the force of …
Before: Intact and carried by Bates as a personal item, unadorned and functional
After: Unbroken but now marked by the force of impact, having successfully disrupted the Cyberman’s weapon
Orcini's Backup Pistol

The Cyberman’s sub-machine gun is brandished during the patrol, firing at Stratton when exposed. Bates’ swift deflection with his pipe disrupts its aim and functionality, rendering it temporarily ineffective. Its presence catalyzes the confrontation and exposes the fragile balance between escape and annihilation.

Before: Fully operational and wielded by the Cyberman subordinate …
After: Snapped or disordered in structure after Bates’ intervention, …
Before: Fully operational and wielded by the Cyberman subordinate enforcer
After: Snapped or disordered in structure after Bates’ intervention, left inoperative and discarded

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

2
Telos Gully Tactical Chokepoint

The gully functions as the initial hiding and observation point for Stratton and Bates, providing fleeting cover from the Cyberman patrol. Its steep walls and uneven terrain force them into crouched stillness, where every sound or misstep could betray their position. The gully’s acoustics amplify the dread of discovery.

Atmosphere Clammy and breath-holding, thick with the acrid reek of decay and the icy dread of …
Function Cover and concealment zone
Symbolism Embodies the suffocating limits of survival under Cyberman dominion
Access Guarded by systematic patrols, limiting safe passage to brief windows of stealth
Wind carries the metallic corrosion stench of Cyber technology Shadows pool densely, hiding movement but also preventing clear vision
Telosian Slope (Choke Point)

The Telosian Slope serves as the immediate battleground where Stratton and Bates confront the Cyberman patrol. Its steep, uneven terrain amplifies every movement, forcing desperate footing and heightening the precariousness of their actions. The slope’s drop intensifies the tension, making failure synonymous with annihilation.

Atmosphere Tense and breathless, marked by the acoustics of shifting scree and the metallic tang of …
Function Confrontation choke point and exposure risk area
Symbolism Represents the steep cost of resistance and the fragility of defiance on Telos
Access Patrolled by Cybermen, restricting free movement and access to vulnerable targets
Loose scree cascades with every shift, betraying movement A jagged drop to unseen depths below exaggerates consequences

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

1
Cybermen

The Cybermen extend their oppressive control through patrol units executing routine surveillance of dissent. Their presence in the gully and slope reflects systemic enforcement, where any deviation risks terminal consequences. Stratton and Bates’ actions are forced responses to this unrelenting oversight.

Representation Through the subordinate Cyberman unit patrolling Telos and responding to perceived threats according to operational …
Power Dynamics Exercising absolute authority through patrols, enforcing occupation and suppressing rebellion
Impact Demonstrates the Cybermen’s totalitarian grip on Telos, where survival depends on navigating their systems while …
Internal Dynamics The subordinate unit acts with doctrinal precision under a command hierarchy, reflecting a unified, hive-like …
Maintain surveillance and eliminate threats to Cyber Control operations Preserve operational secrecy and dominance over slave labor and local resources Constant mechanical patrols and immediate, escalatory response to perceived threats Imposition of oppressive conditions that minimize organized resistance

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 2

"Stratton and Bates successfully obtaining a Cyber head (beat_cfb82bdc8dfb76a0) leads to them fending off a Cyberman and removing its head (beat_168d8255fbf44e8c), showing increased resourcefulness and simultaneously escalating the Cybermen's hunt for them."

Stratton and Bates steal Cyber head develop plan
S22E1 · Attack of the Cybermen Part …

"Stratton and Bates observing a Cyberman work party and discussing escape plans across Telos (beat_797b09e6907d8f7e) parallels their later dialogue about securing a Cyber head and infiltrating Cyber Control (beat_dec842e90633eb5b), both emphasizing resilience and strategic resourcefulness against the Cybermen."

Bates and Stratton plan Cyber Control strike
S22E1 · Attack of the Cybermen Part …

Part of Larger Arcs