There are plenty of minor details mentioned but not explored in ‘Into The Dalek’ that could provide the seed of an adventure.
WHERE DID RUSTY THE DALEK COME FROM?
We are told that the Dalek is found floating in space. We know that part of its change of alliance is due to a radiation leak from its power supply but not how this damage was done.
It could be that the rebels destroyed a Dalek ship and that Rusty was found amongst the wreckage. However the impression given is that the rebels are in no position to defeat a Dalek ship.
It might be that the other Daleks realised that something was wrong with Rusty and ejected him. If this is the case why didn’t they destroy him or take him to the asylum (if it exists in this time period).
Might something else happen to destroy the Dalek’s ship? This is never introduced within the episode, leaving room for your to provide the rest of the details. Is a third party hunting the Daleks and is this good or bad news for the humans?
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO RUSTY THE DALEK?
At the conclusion of the story Rusty remains with the rebels, as he has unfinished work. Clearly he’d continue slaughtering Daleks where ever he found them. Yet his mission is not an easy one.
As evidenced by his own attack a Dalek is no less vulnerable to their weapons. He is just a likely to be killed as the other soldiers, meaning that he might only make a small difference on the battlefield.
The rebels might find him more useful for the information he could give them. He’d have data on their technology, plans and locations of ships and planets they control. Would Rusty be content to give up this knowledge or would he only be interested in fighting?
Now the rebels know about the cortex vault they might decide that simply accessing his memory banks would be more efficient and that they don’t need to keep him alive. Having a Dalek amongst them might actually be bad for morale.
Would Rusty’s sense of good and evil develop over time? Could he begin to imagine a life without killing? What if he were to change sides once again? What if this has all been a ruse to get Rusty close to the heads of command?
THE HISTORY AND FATE OF THE ARISTOTLE
The Doctor correctly identifies the Aristotle as a hospital ship. Morgan explains that there is no need for a hospital in a war where the Daleks don’t leave wounded and the rebels don’t take prisoners but what of its past?
The adventures of a hospital ship can also be exciting. ‘The Invisible Enemy’ is a good example a medical centred adventure. The Aristotle can be sent to colonies, alien worlds and space stations to deal with a variety of situations with the PCs arriving coincidentally at the same time.
It can be recognisable name and you have the freedom to detailing the previous crew. You can develop their history, exploring what happened to them leading up to the conflict with the Daleks.
We don’t know if the rebels were on the Aristotle when they discovered Rusty. It would seem too coincidental that they just happen to be on a vessel with the medical equipment required to shrink someone to allow repairs to take place.
In all likelihood the rebels transferred Rusty to the Aristotle after they found him. It might be that the ship was already in their possession but there could be an adventure based around obtaining the vessel. It could have been abandoned, drifting in space, or it could be in Dalek controlled space, meaning it would have to be stolen.
What becomes of the Aristotle after this story? Will it eventually be destroyed or does it survive to see the freedom of humanity. Might it once again return to its original function? PCs could encounter it as the universe recovers from the Dalek occupation.
COMBINED GALACTIC RESISTANCE
The rebels are part of the combined galactic resistance. This could suggest that there were individual resistance to the Daleks but they have now organised themselves to be part of a combined effort.
PCs could be vital to making sure that this happens. They could oversee the meeting of a variety of rebel forces even as the Daleks attempt to hunt them down. Are all the rebellions human or are there other races?
Adventures could explore how the Resistance is organised and follow their efforts. Do they have bases? Have they managed to free any worlds? What steps will they take to destroy the Daleks?
JOURNEY BLUE
Journey requests to travel with the Doctor but is rejected. What happens to her then? Her farewell kiss to her uncle will be difficult to explain away, although she might convince him that she wasn’t going to run away.
Would her fellow soldiers trust her knowing that she was willing to escape into history rather than secure their future? Any way you look at it her request to leave was an attempt at desertion.
From this point forward Journey Blue would think of the Doctor’s refusal to take her with him whenever she was in danger. Would that make her bitter (possibly making them enemies should he reappear) or would she be inspired by his actions?
CLARA IN GLASGOW
When the Doctor is reunited with Clara she explains that it has been three weeks since he left her in Glasgow. If he took her back close to when she left with the 11th Doctor in ‘Time Of The Doctor’ it would be around Christmas time.
Considering what she was wearing it isn’t likely she had any money with her. This raises the question of how did she get back to London. Did she manage to contact her family and get them to collect her or send her money? If she didn’t want to get them involved (and answer awkward questions about where she went) did she find some other way to make money to purchase a train or plane ticket? Did she take a gamble and hitchhike?
This could be a minor incident to base an adventure around but could highlight how even the mundane problems can be challenging. You can spice it up by having Clara get involved in an alien invasion or other type of weirdness on her way back.
Another Time Lord and his companions (your PCs) might happen by and give Clara a lift. Depending on the Time Lords piloting skills this might take some time. A future incarnation of the Doctor could also stop by to make amends for his 12th incarnations actions.
Bigger On The Inside 