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Chapter One

The Last Order Given:

A Gentleman whose appearance would be around his late fifty's to a Human, sits on a bench outside of a great hall. He has with him a staff held in his left hand: showing his family crests and in his right hand a bag of gummy bears. As he was chewing some of the candy, he remembers the last time he was sitting here. Thinking out loud and speaking softly, "If I knew what I was getting into from the beginning, I would be sitting where he is, bringing this nonsense to quick end. So much time has passed since that first day, terminating enemies of the state. If my next targets crime doesn't fit the punishment, he can take care of it himself. I resign."

When he finished talking to himself, he hears a giant door handle turning. The assassin quickly clutched his bag of gummy bears, placing them into the pocket of his robe. His eyes fixed on the door opening to a great hall. A loud creaking noise is heard. Quickly thinking, the assassin asked himself, "Why was I not allowed to complete my mission?" A second later a man in a similar robe, wearing a dark red skull-cap exited the door way.

Seeing the assassin seated, he walks towards him and bows in front of him. Standing straight up again he addresses the assassin, "It is an honor to meet you Lord Wildcard, the council will see you know. Please follow me."

Acknowledging the greeting from the page with the bow of his head, the assassin stood up and follows him into the great hall. As he walked with the page at his side, they both came to a stop in an atrium. The page now stepped in front of the assassin and began to make an announcement, "My lord president, members of the high council of time lords, I present to you, Lord Wildcard!" When the page finished his announcement, a standing ovation is heard. Even the Lord President Rassalon was standing, applauding, while the page and assassin continued walking towards the chair of the presidency.

The assassin could see hundreds of Time Lords to his left and right cheering. Each Time Lord seen, represented a political party and or family; not one member of the high council was absent. The two Time Lords continued traveling side by side down the center of the great hall, reaching its end. Stopping together, both Time Lords stood before the president and six other Time Lords seated below him. Then the applause stopped, when the assassin and the page bowed together, to the chair of presidency. The six Time Lords, the lord president and the entire high council, bowed in honor of Lord Wildcard. When the formalities concluded, the council begins to applaud again, including the seven standing in front of the assassin.

The assassin stood confused. Normally when he is in this great hall, only seven Time Lords are in front of him, not the entire high council. The assassin turned his head to the Time Lord standing next to him and yelled over the applause, "What the hell is this all about page? What's going on?" The page applauding as well, yelled back in the assassin's ear, "You will find out soon my lord, in the meantime, enjoy this moment! You stand at the height of your career, with honor and utmost respect from this entire council!" The assassin, stunned by all this reverence, started to turn and bow again to everyone, and bowed again to his lord president and cabinet.

When the applause came to an end, the sergeant-at-arms begins to strike the end of his staff on the floor three times. His action creates multiple echoes of thunder. When the echo diminished, he announced, "My lord president, High Council of Time Lords, these proceedings will now come to order! I yield the floor to Lord Wildcard, he who has done so much!"

The assassin struck by stage fright, stood unprepared for the first time in all his lives. Lord Wildcard, an assassin. A Time Lord who lived by his name, stood speechless. Except this Time Lord was a quick thinker, not like a politician. So he decided to keep his question direct and simple.

Lord Wildcard, holding his staff in his right hand, raised it into the air. Then he struck its end on to the floor, creating thunder, echoing through the great hall. He yelled, "I accept the sergeant-at-arms last command, and now I ask you my lord president, and I ask you high council, why have you ordered me home? I have not yet completed my mission. The Master is still free. Free to do what he wants without regards to life or freedom, something which we all cherish. So I ask you, why have you summoned me home, while that lunatic is still out there among the stars?"

After conveying his question, a Time Lord sitting in front of the lord president coughed and continued to clear his throat a few times. Lord Wildcard recognizing this person, turned to face the seven highest ranking Time Lords and yelled, "Oh, I see a stupid answer coming!"

After his remark, the Lord President Rassalon, begins to smile, along with laughter from other members of the high council to his left and right. Lord Wildcard seeing this person preparing to speak, yelled, for all to hear, "Oh this better be good you!" Wildcard still observing the Time Lord holding paper in his hands, raises his staff, striking the floor with it, creating thunder. He yells facing the seven in front of him, "My lord president, I yield the floor to Lord Castilian!" The lord president stood from his chair and struck his staff on to hall floor, creating thunder. Then he announced, "The chair recognizes Lord Castilian!" Lord Castilian stands. He bows to his lord president, then turns to face Lord Wildcard, bowing to him. Then he cleared his throat again to begin his speech.

"My lord president, fellow Time Lords. Here we gather in this great hall to pay homage to Lord Wildcard, for his deeds in the defense of our state. Through him the people of Gallifrey are safe. Now we ponder, what is this Time Lords next true mission? He has done so much for us, never questioning an order, never-failing in his duties, always completing his mission. Now my Lord Wildcard, we the high council have a new mission for you. This mission may take many of your lives to come. It is imperative my lord, that you do not fail this mission. Your assignment, has the approval of every council member here, in this great hall. Not one family, not one political party stands opposed. "

Finishing his speech, Lord Castilian sets the paper he was holding onto his chair. He then turned and faced his lord president. Grabbing his family staff next to his chair, he starts to raise it into the air, striking its end on to the floor, creating thunder. He then announced, "I now yield the floor to our lord president." Rassalon stood from his chair with his staff and bowed to Lord Castilian, acknowledging his turn on the floor. Stepping away from his chair, the lord president strikes his staff on to the floor of the great hall and said, "I thank the Lord Castilian for yielding this moment."

The lord president begins to look directly at his assassin with pride like a father. Turning his head again he gazes upon the high council. Bowing his head for only a moment in quick thought, he strikes his staff again. When the thunderous echo concluded, he loudly announced, "Yes my lords! A new task is at hand! A new mission! A new target! The life of one single child will affect us all my lords; this child has been found living on Earth!"

There was a commotion in the great hall, even Lord Wildcard stood surprised, for he had just left that world, in search of the Master, everything was in order according to time its self.

Rassalon raised his staff, pointing it upwards towards the center of the great hall's ceiling. There a three-dimensional image floated above the high council. Wildcards new target, a little girl, between the ages of four and five . A commotion among the council members erupted, becoming louder with every second. Rassalon himself struck his staff on to the floor, giving order to the council.

A few second later the hall was silent, except for Lord Wildcard who yelled, "My lord president, I do not terminate children, regardless of the species!" Rassalon, not looking at the assassin as he spoke out of turn, turned his gaze upon him, while shaking his head. He then announced to the council, "Nor would I, ever order such a disgusting act, Lord Wildcard."

Seeing he had everyone's attention still, the lord president takes a deep breath and continues, "No my Lord Wildcard! Your mission is not to terminate this child! Your mission is to protect this child at all cost! Even if her world dies in her future, she must live my lord. She- must- live!" Rassalon turned his gaze from his assassin and looked at the high council.

Continuing his statement he announced, "One of the ten Peacemakers' has been found, my lords!" For a moment, silence is heard in the great hall. Then a commotion within the ranks of the high council erupts. The word prophecy is now echoing in the hall. Seconds later, cheering and applause is heard from every council member. Rassalon motioned his hands, waving them downward, trying to quell the cheering.

Lord Wildcard not following council procedure as other members would, spoke out again. His actions, surprising to everyone in the great hall. "My lord president, I have never served to protect! I have always served to terminate enemies of the state! Our own kind! Time Lords! You have more qualified people to handle such issues, I am not a nanny or a wet-nurse!" Following his interruption, laughter is heard in the background, among the other Time Lords. Lord Wildcard could see the concerned expressions on the face of his lord president and the other six Time Lords, seated in front of him.

Calmly looking at his assassin for a moment, Rassalon loudly spoke like a teacher to a student, "My Lord Wildcard! We have a procedure we use in order to be recognized! It maybe old fashion, but it works! You will follow that procedure, is that understood my lord?" Immediately, Lord Wildcard struck his staff, creating thunder, "My lord president, will you yield the floor so that I may ask a few questions of my own?" The lord president quickly turned to his cabinet members. Lord Castilian immediately stood from his chair and approached his lord president. Now standing next to him, he begins to whisper in the lord presidents ear.

Looking angrier by the minute, Lord Wildcard stood impatiently, watching the two converse. As he held his family staff, one could see the death grip he had on it. Once Castilian had finished, the lord president nodded to Castilian, then turned and faced the Wildcard. He announced, "My Lord Wildcard, we shall brief you in my office about the nature of your assignment! All questions answered! Transcripts will be sent to every council member here!" Rassalon picked up his staff and struck its end on the floor, creating thunder again. Once the sound completed its echo, the president gave out his last order, "Time Lords we stand adjourned!"

When his command was given, the cabinet bowed to the lord president, and the six Time Lords turned and bowed to the high council, within moments every member exited the great hall, except Lord Wildcard. The assassin, standing alone, holding his staff, looked disgusted. He was just silenced by an act of parliamentary rules and good manners.

Quickly turning around, he exits the great hall in the same direction he entered, he was on his way to see his lord president. As he walked, he loudly said to himself, in hoping that someone could hear him. "This better be good! If not, I'm going to kill me seven Time Lords today!"

Outside the office of the lord president, seated in a chair was the assassin. Lord Wildcard was patiently waiting, his facial expression, that of anger. He did not like limited information. As for not being allowed to ask a simple question before the high council, just added more fuel to the fire. Grinding his teeth, he said to himself, "I have always taken life, never protected it." After his comment to himself, the lord presidents secretary, called him into the outer office. The secretary ordered Lord Wildcard to leave his staff behind. Lord Wildcard begins to place his staff into a cradle holding other staffs of many great houses. The adjustable holes, allowed him to slide his staff into the cradle without hindrance, locking his staff in place. Lord Wildcard is now the only person who can remove it.

The secretary seeing the staff safely secured, turned and escorted him to the inner office of his lord president. As the secretary opened the doors to the inner office, Wildcard could see Rassalon sitting behind a large desk, standing behind him where his cabinet members. Rassalon looking at Lord Wildcard entering his office, smiles at him with pride; the pride he had could fill the room ten times over.

The secretary announced, "My lord president, Lord Wildcard to see you." Rassalon looked at his secretary and said, "Thank you, you may go." As the secretary left the office closing the door behind him, Lord Wildcard begins to approach the desk of his lord president. This Time Lord hated formalities, not bowing in the highest office of all of Gallifrey he asked, "My lord president, I am your servant and a servant to the High Council of Time Lords, how may I assist you."

Hearing his question, Rassalon nodded to his assassin and turned to Lord Castilian, who instantly began speaking, "My Lord Wildcard you have -." Before Castilian could finish, Wildcard yelled, "Castilian! Shut, up! I'm asking the questions here, not you!"

Except for his lord president, the cabinet members became startled quickly, such arrogance they had never seen in the office of the lord president. Lord Wildcard, still looking directly at Rassalon, repeated his question, "My lord president, I am your servant, and a servant to the High Council of Time Lords, how may I assist you?"

Rassalon smiled, slamming his palms on the desk in front of him. Standing up he proudly said, "Good, good! The Matrix has chosen you well! A Time Lord who is direct, straight to the point, never goes through a middle man! I can see why you hate politics Wildcard!" The assassin not smiling at the compliment, shortens his question, "My lord president how might I be of service?" Rassalon still smiling, sat back in his chair, leaned forward at his desk he jokingly said, "My Lord Wildcard, you are about to take on a whole new meaning to the name Time Lord. You might even change your name from Wildcard to Guardian." Lord Wildcard not smiling, stood in front of his president, with a straight look, like a soldier at attention. Rassalon sat back in his chair, with his hands clasped together, resting on his chest. Looking at his assassin he said, "I can see by your expression you're not amused. I must insist my lord, that you accept this assignment, making your way to Earth as soon as possible."

Lord Wildcard looked at his lord president for a moment. Then turns his head and begins looking at his cabinet members. He said, "The Peacemakers are a legend, a myth. The act of peace, impossible throughout the stars. Each intelligent life-form is predatory in nature. By this act alone, each species becomes the dominant ruler of their world. When they expand outwards among the stars, the cycle repeats itself. This is why we don't interfere, such an act is disgusting and beneath us."

Rassalon nodding his head in full agreement said, "I know all about the law of life lord Wildcard. Now you must understand the orders given to me!" The Wildcard now had a look of curiosity on his face. Rassalon seeing his expression pause for a moment. The assassin was thinking. In all of his lives, The Lord President Rassalon was never ordered to do anything, he was to powerful a Time Lord. The lord president, still observing the expression on his assassin's face continued. "It is not I giving you this order, it is she, the Matrix herself. She has shown us and every member of the high council, what is to become of this child of Earth. You are only ordered to protect her, is that understood my lord?"

Lord Wildcard, still looking surprise, cleared his throat and asked, "My lord president, how is a Human child going to save us and the universe? Their life span is too short? A hundred years at most, if they remain healthy? Are you all certain she is one of the peacemakers to come?" Lord Castilian interrupted, "Without a doubt my lord, she is one of the ten Peacemakers. Together they will change the Universe." Wildcard was truly becoming annoyed as Castilian spoke, he did not trust the Time Lord. Staring again at his lord president he asked, "My lord president, what about my daughter? If I'm assigned to protect this child, we will be separated? My family comes first! She is ready to look into the Untemperd-Schism and begin her training. I must attend."

Lord Rassalon, looking at his cabinet members asked, "Well, is their time my lords?" The Matrix's emissary, who would draw her interpretations on manuscript and chant, was present. She begins to read out laud, "He has time to see his daughters event, he must not delay, not delay. The event is coming soon. The child, the child will be given a new name by you. Other Time Lords shall assist. Now two, two shall be reborn. Three will awake. One shall be saved, one shall die. The daughter you cherish must stay. She shall remain here, remain loyal; the traitor will be found."

Lord Wildcard was furious when he heard that his daughter was stay behind, while exiled to Earth. He was not like the people born in the cities. He was of the mountains, even when a member of his family becomes a Time Lord, their duties to their family came first. Wildcard looked at the emissary and asked, "What of the Master? I had him on Earth, what is his part in all this?"

The emissary of the Matrix, repeated over and over, "The Master, nothing, nothing, nothing." Then she begins to draw circular pictures on a manuscript. The emissary chanted, "Nothing. His time shall come, he must live, he must live. One life touching another. The Doctor. The Doctor." Lord Wildcard yelled, startling everyone except the emissary. "The thief! He has been a problem for us since he left Gallifrey! How is he going to help us?"

Rassalon calmly looking at his assassin said, "The Doctor will always help us in our time of crisis." Lord Wildcards blood pressure was about to pop. Then he yelled again, "This is madness! A human child one of the ten! The Master free to do want he wants! Now the meddling pacifist enters the picture." Wildcard, laughing into the faces of every one present yelled, "You're all delusional!"

A moment later Lord Castilian yelled, "Mind your words Time Lord, you're in the highest office of all Gallifrey!" Lord Wildcard seeing an empty threat, turned and walked up to Castilian and stood in his face. He was sizing him up. Castilian was becoming very nervous.

Wildcard staring at him straight in the eye's said, "Castilian, don't you ever forget who you are addressing. I could terminate everyone here, assuming the role of this office, bringing this nonsense to a close. If the emissary wasn't present, I would have five minutes ago!" Lord Castilian swallowing hard do to nervousness asked, "Do you accept the mission?" Wildcard turned his back on him. Walking back to the center of the office where he originally stood. Turning around again he said, "You're dumber than you look Castilian. I will never go against the orders of the Matrix. As I said, you and everyone here would be dead, if the emissary wasn't present, I accept this mission." Rassalon taking a deep breath with concern asked, "What's stopping you from taking power, my lord?" The assassin looked at his lord president and said without blinking, "I don't want your job my lord president. On my last assignment, I learned an old Earth saying. Anyone can conquer a nation, try running it."

There was silence in the office, not one single person had a response. Wildcard looking at everyone in the room asked, "So my lords where on Earth does this child live?"

Rassalon stood up from his desk and approached Lord Wildcard with a smile. He took the hand of his assassin shaking it and said, "Well done my lord, well done, I am pleased. We shall give you your final briefing before you leave. Now go, spend time with your daughter. I'm sure she has truly missed you."

Lord Wildcard, showing gratefulness in his eyes, bowed to his lord president and cabinet. As he turned to exited the office, his last words to them was, "This ship is sinking my lords, and its sinking fast. You better do something and quick." Then the doors closed behind him.

A moment later Lord Castilian asked, "What did he mean by that, my Lord President?" Lord Rassalon, composing his thoughts for a moment, looked at everyone in the room and said, "What it means Castilian, is he truly doesn't trust us. He has never trusted anyone. Lord Wildcard is a rogue, with only one flaw." Castilian looked at his lord president for a moment and turned his head towards the office doors. With a curious look he asked, "And what is that flaw my lord?"

The lord president sat back in his chair and started looking straight at the doors. He said, "Loyalty my lords, loyalty. He has always been loyal, never questioning our orders. Except on one occasions, we were too late. His wife and firstborn Castilian, his wife and firstborn." Castilian looking at his president asked his final question. "What happened to them my lord?" The lord president picked up a golden tablet holding his schedule for the day, glancing at it he said, "The Master, my Lord Castilian. He killed them. His daughter is all he has left."

Weeks later, Lord Wildcard had successfully established him self on Earth. With out difficulty, he was able to find the child whom would one day become the Peacemaker. For some strange reason, one in which Lord Wildcard could not understand, was his ability to know where the child and the parents were, at all times. For a year, Lord Wildcard would watch this family, keeping his distance so as not to be seen. He would follow them on shopping trips, to parks and picnics. Even from the home where the child lived, the Time Lord was always near, never seen. That same year, the child and her family went into town. With in the town a festival was being held, with pavilions and stands outside of many stores. The mother and child were together, looking at different colored ribbons to wear, while the father looked at books at another pavilion. The mother purchased two ribbons, placing one in her daughters hair and one in her own.

Picking up her daughter, she turned and approached her husband. When they had the fathers attention, he reached forward and touched his daughters cheek, giving her a kiss on the forehead. The father was seen now hugging them both at the same time. Laughter was heard from the child and mother. The love given to this child from the parents, would reminded Lord Wildcard of his own family. As he watched the parents affection being given to the child, Lord Wildcard noticed a person approaching from behind. This person was unseen by the crowed of people. The being observed by the Time Lord was wearing active camouflage, making him invisible to the human eye. The Time Lord could see him plain as day, wearing a gray hooded cloke. Moving quickly, Lord Wildcard approach this person from behind.

The cloaked figure was now inches behind the mother and child, with a knife drawn in its right hand. Lord Wildcard, now stood directly behind the person in camouflage. Reaching forward, the Time Lord starts to tap the edge of a metal cylinder on its right shoulder. He then asked, "Can I help you with that knife sir?" The invisible figure turned immediately. Then a sound was heard. The sound was like a steel sword being removed from its sheath. Immediately, there was panic among the shoppers standing around the Time Lord. Most of the shoppers were seen fleeing away from the scene, screaming. Others witnessing the event, stood frozen from shock, watching Time Lord holding up an alien, appearing and disappearing; with sparks of energy coming from its cloak. The alien, with a staff weapon entering its mouth and exiting the back of its head, was being shaken a few times by the Wildcard. The Time Lord was making sure the assassin was dead. Pushing the center button of his staff, the weapon turned back into a cylinder. The assassin he was holding, immediately fell to the street with a loud thud. Then more screaming was heard.

As the Time Lord placed his weapon into his leather jacket, two bobbies were running towards the scene, blowing their whistles. Lord Wildcard, oblivious to their approach, was searching for the Peacemaker and her parents. Not seeing the family anywhere near him, the Time Lord turns to exit the horrified crowed, as they stood gazing at the dead alien on the street. Trying to make his way threw the crowed of people, the Time Lord was grabbed instantly by two bobbies. A moment later, more screaming is heard. When more bobbies arrived, answering the call of the whistles: they find their fellow officers lying on the road smiling and fast asleep, their perpetrator was gone. Still sensing the family nearby, Lord Wildcard had reached his is motorcycle. Starting it, the Time Lord rides out, heading in the direction of the Peacemaker. The sky was getting dark, night was falling. Lord Wildcard was now separated from the family, due to heavy pedestrian traffic at the festival and traffic lights. He was now fifteen minutes behind the Peacemaker and her parents.

When the Time Lord had caught up with the family, their had been an accident. The car the family was in, had spun out of control; impacting straight into a large tree, a deer was also seen lying dead on the road. Before the Time Lords arrival, two more aliens exiting their ship, approached the accident victims. When the Time Lord arrived at the sight of the accident, the first alien was terminated immediately with out emotion, while the second one was forced to leave, heading towards it's ship. The Time Lords action to protect the Peacemaker came with high cost. Not only for the Peacemaker's mother and father but for the Time Lord himself.

Standing in front of a confused little girl he said, "Except for the broken wrist you have, I think you're going to be all right." Wildcard kneels down and holds the child's arm gently examining it. The Time Lord begins to place his right hand gently over the broken wrist. A glowing golden light is seen coming from the palm of his hand, projecting into the child's wrist. Moments later, Wildcard let go closing his hand. He asked, "There, how does that feel?" The little girl begins to smile as Wildcard moved her wrist gently without any pain.

Seeing the wrist was mended, he let go of her arm and asked her a simple question, "So tell me young lady, what's your name?" The child smiling at her guardian angel, just shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know." Then the Time Lord asked, "Well how old are you sweetheart," The child said with excitement, "Four mister, I'll be five next week."

Wildcard smiled at the little girl said, "Well good for you, birthdays are always fun." The Time Lord sat on the ground in front of her and put his hand up asking, "How man fingers do you see?" The little girl giggled, then she jumped up in the air pointing to his hand and yelled, "Three!" Then she counted them each. Wildcard enjoying this child's personality, smiled at her and said, "That's absolutely right." He takes out a small flash light from his pocket and said, "I'm going to shine this light into your eyes, don't look directly at it ok, I just want to see if your pupils move when light hits it."

The little girl said, "Ok." When Lord Wildcard completed checking her eyes he said, "Well little one, I think you're going to be just fine." Then he put his fingers on the child's temples, taking a deep breath he said, "Sleep child."

The Little girl was fast asleep in his arms. He starts too looked around in the child's mind, wanting to find out her true name. When he entered the subconscious, he released her instantly. Lord Wildcard was in shock. A rage now filled up with in him, he yelled into the air shaking his head in anger, "Noooo!'