Rudkin’s fatal confrontation with Cybermats
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Rudkin discovers Cybermats attacking the Bernalium boxes and attempts to defend himself with a wrench, but the Cybermats react aggressively, injuring him. More Cybermats appear, overwhelming and disabling him with their attacks.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
None (as machines). Their 'aggression' is programmed—purposeful, relentless, and devoid of mercy. The glowing eyes serve as a chilling indicator of their single-minded focus: disable, destroy, and pave the way for the Cybermen.
The Cybermats swarm the Bernalium boxes in the Power Room, their metallic bodies scuttling with mechanical precision. When Rudkin enters, they immediately turn on him, their eyes glowing as they emit electric shocks. They systematically disable his attempts to fight back—first the wrench, then the plastic spray—before closing in for the kill. Their actions are coldly efficient, revealing their true purpose: not just sabotage, but elimination of obstacles to the Cybermen’s invasion.
- • To sabotage the Bernalium boxes (crippling the station’s power and defenses)
- • To eliminate Rudkin as a witness and potential threat to their mission
- • The station’s defenses must be neutralized to facilitate the Cybermen’s invasion
- • Human resistance is irrelevant—it will be overwritten or destroyed
Panic-stricken but determined, shifting to sheer agony as the Cybermats’ electric shocks render him helpless. His final screams are a mix of pain and frustration—knowing he’s failed to stop the sabotage.
Rudkin enters the Power Room and immediately spots Cybermats swarming the Bernalium boxes. He grabs a wrench and swings at them, but the Cybermats retaliate with electric shocks, forcing him to drop his weapon. In a final, desperate act, he sprays a Cybermat with quick-drying plastic, but the others overwhelm him, zapping his hands until he collapses in agony. His screams alert Corwyn and Duggan in the corridor, who rush to investigate.
- • To defend the Bernalium boxes (critical power source) from Cybermat sabotage
- • To neutralize the Cybermats before they can disable the station’s defenses
- • The Cybermats are a direct threat to the station’s survival, requiring immediate action
- • He can outmaneuver or overpower them with available tools (wrench, plastic spray)
Alarmed and adrenaline-fueled, his initial curiosity about anomalies now replaced by visceral fear. The screams trigger a primal response—he’s no longer dismissing oddities; he’s confronting a direct threat.
Duggan is in the corridor adjacent to the Power Room when Rudkin’s screams pierce the air. He reacts instantly, rushing toward the Power Room alongside Corwyn, his alarm growing as the sounds of struggle intensify. Though he doesn’t witness the attack firsthand, his arrival signifies the crew’s belated realization of the Cybermats’ lethality.
- • To reach Rudkin and assess the threat in the Power Room
- • To support Corwyn in whatever action is needed (even if he lacks a clear plan)
- • The screams indicate a life-or-death situation requiring immediate intervention
- • Corwyn’s medical expertise will guide the response (he defers to her leadership)
Sharp and focused, her alarm tempered by professional detachment. She’s transitioning from skepticism (about earlier anomalies) to urgent problem-solving, but the screams hint at a deeper dread—this is no mere malfunction.
Corwyn is in the corridor when Rudkin’s agonized screams cut through the air. She reacts with medical instinct, sprinting toward the Power Room with Duggan. Though she doesn’t yet understand the nature of the threat, her presence foreshadows the station’s shift from denial to action—she will soon demand answers and coordinate a response.
- • To determine the cause of Rudkin’s distress and neutralize the threat
- • To ensure no further crew members are harmed (prioritizing safety over immediate answers)
- • The station is under a coordinated attack, and Rudkin’s screams are a symptom of a larger problem
- • Her medical and leadership roles require her to take control of the situation
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The quick-drying plastic spray is Rudkin’s last-ditch weapon against the Cybermats. He grabs it from the Power Room shelf and sprays a Cybermat, hoping to immobilize it. However, the plastic fails to stop the swarm, and the Cybermats retaliate by zapping his hands, forcing him to drop the canister. The spray’s ineffectiveness underscores the Cybermats’ resilience and the crew’s desperate, improvised tactics in the face of an unstoppable threat.
The Bernalium boxes are the Cybermats’ primary target in this scene. They are critical to the station’s power and defense systems, and the Cybermats are systematically sabotaging them. Rudkin’s discovery of this sabotage triggers his desperate attempt to stop the Cybermats, but his failure leaves the boxes vulnerable. Their corruption foreshadows the station’s impending power loss and the Cybermen’s ability to breach its defenses unopposed.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Power Room serves as the battleground for Rudkin’s final stand. Its humming machinery and confined space amplify the tension as the Cybermats swarm the Bernalium boxes. The room’s shelves, tools, and technical equipment—meant for maintenance—become weapons or obstacles in Rudkin’s futile fight. The Cybermats’ metallic scuttling echoes off the walls, creating a claustrophobic, high-stakes environment where every second counts. The room’s role shifts from a place of order to one of chaos, mirroring the station’s unraveling defenses.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Duggan discovers a Cybermat and hides it. Later, Rudkin discovers Cybermats attacking the Bernalium boxes, a direct consequence of one having entered the station."
Jamie’s Sabotage Exposed and Cybermat Hidden"Duggan discovers a Cybermat and hides it. Later, Rudkin discovers Cybermats attacking the Bernalium boxes, a direct consequence of one having entered the station."
Duggan hides Cybermat in power room"Duggan is distracted and more Cybermats come. Later, Rudkin discovers Cybermats attacking. Because Duggan was distracted, more Cybermats came out and caused the death of Rudkin, had he seen them he could have raised the alarm"
Duggan discovers Cybermat sabotage"The Cybermen plot to destroy the Wheel, which is shown later on in the story with Rudkin being attacked by cybermats."
Cybermen activate sabotage sequence"Rudkin discovers Cybermats so tried to protect himself. This leads to screaming is heard and the characters become suspicious."
Flannigan Blocks Jamie and ZoeThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"RUDKIN: (screams as Cybermats attack) No! Get away from me!"