Timechase ( short story ) Summary . Three Dalek s land on Earth outside a remote village . They spend several days sneaking around the countryside , alert to discover a particularly well - hidden laboratory . As they prepare to infiltrate it , two human s appear out of nowhere . David and his younger brother Peter have pinched their uncle ' s laboratory keys , allowing them to hurry towards the lab ' s prize content : the Time - Conveyor s . They had tried to get a glimpse of the machines earlier , when their uncle was hosting a press conference , but it had been far too crowded . They discuss some of what had been said during that meeting , while the lurking Daleks listened . The Time - Conveyors are not yet perfected . Their uncle has not quite figured out how to make them go precisely where he wants them to go , nor is there a guarantee that the operator could get back home once they departed . That ' s why , the boys conclude , there are two of them . Mark Two is really a rescue ship for Mark One . Still , when their uncle demonstrated the machine for the gathered press , it worked flawlessly — so well , in fact , that the boys now just want to get a better look at the wondrous new technology . As they circle the machines , they tempt each other with thoughts of using the Time - Conveyors themselves . Of the two , David is the more enthusiastic ; Peter must remind his older brother they have come to look , not touch . Suddenly the Daleks reveal themselves and block the lab ' s doorway . They tell the boys to stand aside . Announcing that they intend to take the Time - Conveyor back to Skaro so that their scientists can improve upon it , they enter Mark One and dematerialise . Instinctively , the boys rush into the Mark Two and give chase . The " rescue " Time - Conveyor naturally hones in on the Mark One . The boys find themselves close to the Daleks , who have landed in a trench in the middle of World War I . The boys notice that the Daleks can ' t seem to work the calendar control well . They decide that their main objective is to get close enough to the Daleks to get into the Mark One and try to set it for home . They try to approach the Mark One , but the incoming mortar fire has enshrouded the area in smoke . The boys lose sight of the Daleks and the Mark One . Through the cloud , the boys eventually see that the Daleks are taking direct fire . One takes multiple heavy ordinances simultaneously and explodes — though not before inadvertently helping the British by effectively repulsing the German offensive . The remaining Daleks move to depart . The boys return to the Mark Two and give chase . The boys escape Flanders just before a massive shell detonates next to them . In an instant they ' re onboard a sailing vessel . They quickly see that their Dalek enemies are already aboard . The ship ' s sailors are running scared from one on the deck . They jump overboard , leaving the ship crewless . Noticing that one of the Daleks is itself close to the edge , David rushes forward and gives it a mighty shove . It topples over the side . The one remaining Dalek has little option . It retreats to the Mark One and dematerialises . The boys return to the Mark Two to follow , without having the time to notice that they ' re on the " Marie Celeste " . The boys end up next in Pompeii , in the middle of the Vesuvian eruption . They immediately notice the Dalek has left the Mark One , so Peter makes a mad dash for it . The Dalek tries to return , but its progress is blocked by the screaming crowd of Italians trying to outrun the lava . Peter makes it to the Mark One and presses the return switch . David immediately follows his brother , leaving the last remaining Dalek to be buried in the lava . Both Time - Conveyors end up back at the laboratory . They creep out of the lab , carefully locking it . As they go back towards the house , they pass by their uncle , who ' s relaxing on the terrace with a pipe . He wonders where his nephews have been , but they only say that they ' ve just " been wandering about " . References . " to be added "