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“And what do you mean by that?” The King wondered. “We haven’t moved with our plan yet.” The Advisor froze, giving herself away.
“You know, I’m suddenly having a very strong sense of déjà vu.” The Doctor muttered.
“We need to get Kareenarlus out of there.” Drishorn interrupted.
“Or disable that TARDIS.” The Doctor reasoned. “I’m not particularly well-versed with battle TARDISes, but if we can interrupt the flow of energy, the entire system should stall.” He plotted aloud. “Drishorn, do you remember the serial number of that TARDIS?”
“The what?” Drishorn questioned.
“Two letters, then a string of numbers.” The Doctor explained. “Never mind, we should be able to pick them up with a quick scan. Come on, into the TARDIS.”
“Guards!” The Advisor shouted, the guards in question pointing their spears at the two newcomers.
“I thought this was going too well.” The Doctor muttered to himself. “Tell me, was this always the plan, your majesty?” He questioned. “Get me and my friends here to lead a Divergent to Gallifrey, then hold it hostage by sending a TARDIS to suicide itself into us?”
“It wasn’t the,” The King began, before the Advisor interrupted.
“My Lord, allow me to take charge of this operation.” The Advisor requested. “The Time Lords must pay for what they have done to us.” She reminded. “Take them away!” She snapped. The two guards took the Doctor and Drishorn and dragged them out of the room.
“What did you do?” The King wondered. “What did you do?!” He snapped.
“What are you?” Kareenarlus gasped, taking a step back from the console. And then the creature spoke to her, in her mind. She didn’t want it to, but it did. “A what?” She asked. She tried to keep an open mind while travelling, but just looking at it felt wrong. Like it was something that should never have existed, something that flew in the face of the history of the entire universe. “What do you want?” And then her face dropped, as the creature told her what it wanted.
The Doctor and Drishorn were shoved into a small cell, the door sliding shut and locking behind them. The cell was large for only two people, so it was likely made for a larger population, thought the Doctor. The King didn’t seem the dictator type, but he hadn’t known them for very long.
“Alright, so what’s our plan?” The Doctor wondered.
“How should I know?” Drishorn wondered. “You’re the one with the plans.”
“Yes, but right now I haven’t got any.” The Doctor admitted. “So, I’m opening the floor. Any suggestions?”
“Sonic Screwdriver?” Drishorn offered.
“Sonic Screwdriver.” The Doctor smiled, pulling the silver device from his pocket and buzzing the door. It quickly unlocked, and the Doctor slid the door open. Unfortunately, the Advisor had placed guards on the door, and they quickly drew their spears.
“Of course they would be.” The Doctor muttered, pocketing the Screwdriver. “I believe his Majesty would like to see us?”
“What have you done?” The King growled.
“I put our plans in effect.” The Advisor informed. “The Time Lords must pay for what they have done.”
“If the Doctor speaks the truth,” The King began, his advisor at the base of his throne.
“If.” The Advisor emphasized. “He could have been lying.”
“Why would he lie?” Zoe wondered. “I mean, what purpose would him lying prove?”
“It would get him into his TARDIS and away.” The Advisor reminded. “It would alert the Time Lords of what we were doing.”
“Then why didn’t he leave?” Zoe asked.
“Because he wanted to play us for fools.” The Advisor reasoned. “I’ve heard about this Doctor, from your own father. He’s a tricky man, and he trapped Daqar here when he tried to escape. And don’t you want revenge, my lord?” She offered.
“Revenge for whom?” The King wondered, sitting forward on his throne. “For the Divergence, or for you?”
“I’ve no idea what you mean.”
“Don’t act like they haven’t wronged you too.” The King debated. “We both know what the Time Lords have done to us.”
“So, the words of one Time Lord prisoner, and you’ve given up?” The Advisor questioned. Zoe still wasn’t sure what exactly time was, and decided to add herself into this conversation.
“If I may ask.” She added. “What are Time Lords?”
“They rule over the universe out there in tyranny. They exiled our masters to this universe.” The Advisor explained. “And now, our masters have come up with a plan to take their rightful place as rulers.”
“But the Doctor spoke of a war. Between his people and the Daleks.” Zoe remembered, mispronouncing the name. The King corrected her pronunciation, and she continued. “He said that your Masters would be destroyed in it.” At that moment, the King had a realisation, not that his mask gave it away. “Is that what you want?”
“It would give the King the opportunity to rule without the oversight of Keep’s,” The Advisor paused, trying to contemplate what word to use. “Creatures.” She spat.
“That is enough!” The King snapped, standing from his throne.
“My Lord, you must crave freedom, this would allow you to travel freely. To reign freely over this universe! You must desire freedom to rule.” The Advisor debated. The King’s mask was passive, and his large cape made him look intimidating to Zoe. A guard near the doors placed her hand against the side of her head.
“Guards. Take her away.” The King ordered. “And bring the Doctor and Drishorn back here.”
“My Lord!” The guard called, as the Advisor was dragged away by two other guards. “We’ve received reports of a silver capsule rising from the bays.”
“Get them here now!” The King barked.
The Doctor and Drishorn were sneaking their way through the corridors of the castle. It looked different to the last one, being made of silver metal welded together with iron grilles for windows.
“What did you do again?” Drishorn wondered.
“It’s an old technique, I call it the ‘look, over there!’ trick.” The Doctor explained, smiling. “Now come on, we need to get,” He continued, before realising where the TARDIS was. “Ah. I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Thought of what?” Drishorn queried.
“The TARDIS. It’s with the King.” The Doctor sheepishly admitted.
“So we’re stuck here?” Drishorn asked.
“Not necessarily, if we can get to those bays the King was talking about, we can use another TARDIS to get to mine. Or we could intercept Kareenarlus’s TARDIS.” He plotted aloud. “No, there wouldn’t be any power. Although, if I could alter the dimensional transfer units on the doors, then I could link those transfer units to my internal transfer units.” He muttered to himself, stopping in place. “Okay, new plan.” He enthusiastically smiled, before setting off in a different direction. “Come on, Drishorn, you’re my guide on this!” He called back, as he walked off. Drishorn sighed, and then followed, before taking the lead.
The King sat in his chair, sighing. He looked up from his hands to see Zoe looking up at him in worry.
“You may approach.” The King sighed. Zoe cautiously walked up the steps to the throne. “What worries you?”
“My Lord. Did you truly do this to appease my father and his creations?” Zoe wondered.
“Your father placed me on this throne.”
“Would you have done it?” Zoe asked. The King froze in his seat, wondering whether he would’ve actually done it. Whether he would have condemned the Time Lords to death for their actions, and whether they deserved it. He thought about all that he had done to get them here, all the Time Lords he’d had to kidnap or kill. And he realised that this wouldn’t help anybody.
“I think I would have. But not anymore.” The King admitted. “Without a doubt, I wouldn’t.”
“Why not?” Zoe wondered. She wouldn’t do it either, but she wondered why he wouldn’t.
“The war he mentioned. It would be made worse by removing the Time Lords.” The King reasoned. “Our,” He hesitated. No, no he couldn’t call it that. “The Daleks would destroy the Divergence.” He added. “I simply hope that the Doctor arrives in time to stop the plan.”
The Doctor was in the TARDIS bays. They were poorly guarded, and the Doctor had Drishorn to give him directions. He was on his haunches, screwdriver pressed against the pale doors while Drishorn kept watch.
“How are you holding up?” The Doctor asked, almost absently.
“I’m doing alright. A bit worried for Kareenarlus, but,” Drishorn admitted.
“I meant about Skaro.” The Doctor added, his screwdriver changing in pitch. Drishorn froze. “Look, I know we haven’t exactly gotten along, but I hate Ollistra almost as much as you do.” He reminded. “And I’m sorry for what happened to your planet. I really am.” He apologised. “I hope you understand that if I could do anything, I would. Within a heartbeat, I would save your home. But Ollistra set fire to the timelines.” He explained. “I can’t get close without taking the TARDIS into the fire.” He finished. The pair worked in near silence, the warbling of the Sonic Screwdriver the only noise. A few seconds later, the Battle TARDIS gave a noise. The Doctor stood up and pushed open the doors. Drishorn was surprised to see the familiar console room of the Doctor’s TARDIS.
“How did,”
“I reconfigured the dimensional transfer units to transfer us into the internal dimensions of my TARDIS, thereby linking that capsule to my console room.” The Doctor explained.
“Then how do we get out?” Drishorn asked, still looking at the doors. They had changed from the white police box doors to the pale silver doors of the Battle TARDIS. “If the console room is linked to that capsule, then we can’t get to the throne room.”
“Can’t we?” The Doctor wondered, with a twinkle in his eye. And with a pull of a lever, there was a bright flash that enveloped the doors. Drishorn threw his hands up to shield his eyes, and when he pulled them down again, the doors were back to normal.
“Come on, out we go.” The Doctor seriously stated, marching towards the doors. He opened the doors into the throne room, guards standing ready to strike. The King raised his hand, to signal the guards to stand down.
“Doctor. Thank goodness you’re here.” The King sighed. He looked at the Doctor. Despite his eyes being obscured by his mask, the Doctor knew what the King was about to ask him to do, and he called back to Drishorn.
“Drishorn! I need you to read out the serial number of that Battle TARDIS.” He requested. Drishorn looked at the scanner, confused at what to do. “There should be a button to your left, on that black panel, kind of moss coloured. Press that,” He instructed from outside, Drishorn finding the button. The scanner fizzed, before changing to a flat circle. A red dot lit up, with a number attached to it. “Now read me the number.” He requested, getting down on one knee with his screwdriver in hand.
“BT-T3 27112025.” Drishorn read aloud, looking over to see that the doors to the outside world had vanished.
The Doctor stepped into the TARDIS, but not his. Kareenarlus was against the railing, a creature looming over her.
“Hey!” The Doctor shouted. “Over here, you big lump!” The creature turned and looked at the Doctor, before making his way over. The room shook, the Time Rotor still rising and falling. With the creature moving, Kareenarlus was able to get to the console. She searched the controls for a way to cancel the flight, put her back where she was. Scanning the console, she found an emergency stop cord, held under glass. She slammed her elbow through the thin glass, cursing as it stabbed into her. She pulled her arm away, the creature changing its attention back to her. She grabbed hold of the red handle and yanked on the ripcord. Nothing happened. The Doctor scanned around, trying to find some way to get its attention back. He couldn’t find anything. Kareenarlus yanked on the cord again, trying to stop the TARDIS. Then, she remembered something from her training. The Anachronism Atom. It was a nuclear option, turning the TARDIS it was activated in to turn into the equivalent of a nuclear bomb. She looked at the Doctor, her eyes a mix of determination and sadness. She turned on her heels, and ran around the console. The Doctor looked at her, coming around the console, with a wide smile on his face. The wind was blown out of him when Kareenarlus lowered her shoulder, and barged into him, straight into his waistcoat. His face dropped as he was forced out of the TARDIS, Kareenarlus closing the doors behind him. The Doctor banged on the doors, shouting to be let back in, but Kareenarlus had locked the doors. When the Doctor had managed to open the doors, he found that inside the TARDIS was nothing but an average police box. “Siege mode.” He sighed, his eyes widening. With a buzz of the Screwdriver, the console room he was used to was back, Drishorn included.
“What did you do?” Drishorn questioned.
“Changed the internal dimensions. Move.” The Doctor ordered, pushing past the Thal, and jamming a finger down on a button. “What are you doing?” He snapped.
“Saving you.” The calm voice of Kareenarlus responded. “I’ve activated Siege Mode, but we’re still moving.” She explained. “And the emergency stop system hasn’t worked, so I’m going to the next option.”
“The Anachronism.” The Doctor realised.
“The what?” Drishorn wondered.
“It releases Anti-Time into the Time Rotor. The slightest hint of Temporal Energy, and boom.” Kareenarlus explained.
“You’ve activated it, so why not get out?” Drishorn asked.
“Because then it could deactivate it.” Kareenarlus added. “I need to be here. To make sure it goes off.” She smiled. Despite not being able to see her, the Doctor and Drishorn were sure she was crying.
“I can get you out, just give me,” The Doctor frantically began.
“No, Doctor.” Kareenarlus denied. “I have to do this. For the good of the universe, this thing must not reach our universe.”
“Then let me do it.” The Doctor requested. “Let me hold the dead man’s switch, please, let me do this!” He shouted.
“No can do.” Kareenarlus chuckled. “The universe still needs you. And Drishorn?”
“I’m here.” Drishorn hollowly stated.
“Take care of him, okay? I’ve read about him. He’ll be sad. Maybe you could both be sad together?” Kareenarlus morbidly smiled, locking eyes with the creature who was frantically trying to stop the countdown. “And do me a favour. Whoever activated this TARDIS, punch them for me. Hard.” She grinned. “Still, I get to take this whatever with me.” She smiled, staring into the soul of the creature. “Goodbye, Doctor.” She farewelled, a lone tear running down her youthful face. She tugged at her yellow hair, messing it up slightly. If she was going to die, then she’d die a friend of the Doctor’s. not as a soldier. “Thanks for all the memories.” She could’ve sworn she saw a blue box on its way in to this universe. But she must’ve been mistaken, there was no way there would be another
The TARDIS speakers showed nothing but static, the Doctor’s face dropped, tears stinging at his eyes.
“It should’ve been me.” Drishorn muttered to himself. The Doctor’s blood began to boil. Turning his face to stone, the Doctor marched out of the TARDIS. The King was waiting for him, just outside.
“Doctor, I,” He began.
“Don’t you dare speak to me.” The Doctor spat. The King tried to reach a hand out to the Doctor’s shoulder, but was intercepted by the Doctor’s hand. The guards instinctively raised their spears, ready to impale the Doctor. “And don’t even touch me.”
“I truly am sorry.” The King apologised.
“That’s what they all say.” The Doctor grumbled.
“Then let me assure you I mean it.”
“What does that mean now? Sorry won’t bring her back.” The Doctor hissed. “I never want to see you again, is that clear?” He wondered.
“Crystal.” The King confirmed. The Doctor let go, and walked back to the TARDIS. “But you will.” He debated. The Doctor turned his head to look at the King. “One day, I will see you again. And on that terrible day, you will know what to do.”
“Make no mistake. If I ever see you again, I will kill you. Is that crystal?” The Doctor threatened. Zoe stared in shock. She couldn’t believe that this was the same man who had graciously let her into his TARDIS, that her mother had told her about. The King bowed his head. The Doctor couldn’t tell if it was in mourning, acceptance, or whether he was inviting the Doctor to execute him. The Doctor didn’t care, and stepped into his TARDIS, and with one last glare, closed the door.
The Time Rotor rose and fell in total silence, only the slightest shudder to indicate they’d entered their native vortex.
“There.” The Doctor monotonously informed. “We’re back in our own universe. So where to now, Drishorn?” He wondered.
“Somewhere away from the battles.” Drishorn requested. “Somewhere nice and calm.”
“You want nice and calm?” The Doctor snapped, setting the coordinates. Before long, the Time Rotor stopped, a subtle noise signalling their arrival.
“Where are we?” Drishorn asked, suddenly cautious.
“Right where you’ve wanted to be. Home. Out there is Skaro.” The Doctor calmly informed. Drishorn looked over, and saw the barren charcoal wasteland. “Let me guess, you help them, and in return, they restore Skaro?” He offered.
“I haven’t a clue what you’re,” Drishorn began to lie.
“Don’t lie to me!” The Doctor shouted, like a crocodile snapping at its prey. “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t Kareenarlus, nobody else had even seen a TARDIS, so it must’ve been you.” He reasoned, with cold logic. His eyes were ice-blue, rather than the warm that Drishorn had thought they were.
“She wasn’t meant to die.” Drishorn breathed.
“You have killed one of my close friends.” The Doctor calmly berated. “All for what? To get your planet back?”
“I thought you said Ollistra had no right to destroy it.” Drishorn debated.
“So that gave you the right to burn the universe?” The Doctor questioned. Drishorn squirmed, it was clear he wasn’t going to win this one.
“That wasn’t what I,” Drishorn began.
“Get out.” The Doctor calmly whispered. Drishorn was about to ask him to speak up, when the Doctor roared, “Get out of my TARDIS! Get out!” The doors opened, seemingly of their own will. Drishorn looked outside, then back at the Doctor. He’d never seen the Doctor like this, ever. The kind man whom Kareenarlus had made him out to be had vanished, replaced with a burning inferno. One that was bearing down on him. The next thing Drishorn knew, he was on his back in the charcoal remains of Skaro, the Doctor looking down at him. He seemed enormous, leering down at Drishorn. “You are no longer my companion.” He coldly glared. He closed the doors behind him, and Drishorn watched as the TARDIS dematerialised, stranding him as the only living thing on a burned planet.
The Doctor stood over the console, hunched. The sound of a woman’s voice began to play from the record player.
“Cause my poor heart aches, each time,” Came the voice, before the Doctor threw something at the record player, causing the record to fall off as the player fell against the wooden floor.
“Shut up.” The Doctor glared at the console. Then, the noticed something new attached to the scanner. He reached up and yanked it off. A small red light blinked on and off. “A tracking device.” He realised. “No, a remote control unit. Ollistra.” He grumbled, storming over to the doors. He opened them, the purple and gold lights of the Time Vortex illuminating him. He could feel the force trying to pull him out, but he instead decided to just let the unit go. Away it floated into the swathes of the Time Vortex, never to be seen again. Kareenarlus was right. He’d be sad and angry if he was alone. There’s an android kit here somewhere, thought the Doctor. But she’d need a name. Ria would be a good one. Short, shoutable, memorable. “No more. No more missions for you, Gallifrey. No more choices I should never have to make. No more, Gallifrey.” The Doctor muttered, partially to himself. “No more.”