Of Gallifreyan sunsets and Guards
Leela stepped out of the TARDIS behind the Doctor and found herself surrounded by strange guards in red and white uniforms, Is that supposed to be armour? Thought the human woman, she was baffled when the Doctor started making demands about a president and then told her to stay behind. What has come over him? She wondered as she stood next to a young man, "What is your name?" she asked, sizing him up. He didn't look like much and if need be she could take him down, she then looked at his eyes; they looked curious. Do not let your guard down he is armed!
"My name is Andred I am a member of the chancellery guard here on Gallifrey, I don't think I've met your kind before" He says tilting his head trying to figure out exactly what species she was and why she traveled with the doctor, does the doctor always travel with scantily clad women that are armed with a knife?
Leela felt a rush of anger for a moment, "I am a warrior of the Sevateem and my name is Leela I am also a human not a kind, and I want my knife back." She didn't appreciate this man with the curious eyes taking her weapon from her, at least I have my fists. She thought bitterly.
"I am sorry but you can't have your knife back and I apologise if I caused offense, I have just never seen a human before." Andred kept eye contact with the human woman who had tensed up when he had said that.
"I do not need your apologies, Andred obviously they do not teach you manners." She huffed, she was a warrior not some creature to be gawked at.
Andred was taken aback, never had any woman spoken to him in such a manner, he found that almost refreshing. Most time ladies were ice queens and could make one crumble under their withering glances, this human was fiery passion and boldness. "Perhaps you would like me to show you around Miss Leela?"
Leela hesitated, could this Andred be trusted? She stepped back towards the blue box he had been guarding, "Are you not meant to guard me? As I am a dangerous alien" she used a mocking tone of the other men in white and red.
The guard commander almost laughed at her wit, "Yes, I can guard you; as you have a look around."
It was Leela's turn to nearly laugh at his "bending of the rules" as the Doctor would phrase it, "When you put it that way….yes you may escort me but afterwards I wish to see the Doctor and have my knife back." She walked past him at a brusque pace leaving him no chance of replying.
Andred was about to speak as she walked by, he sighed and hurried after her, his white cloak billowing behind him and his boots sounding throughout the marble corridors of the capitol. He finally caught up to her when she had stopped in front of a large window overlooking the scenic view of the mountains, the suns were setting painting a picture of crimsons, oranges, and purples. It was beautiful to the warrior woman who smiled at the sight, her blue eyes filled with wonder at the Doctor's homeworld. "Such beauty, why do you stay in this sheltered castle? You have much to explore and see, I would rather be out there right now. Climbing up those mountains and breathing in the air."
"I don't have an answer for that but it is beautiful," not as beautiful as you. He found himself thinking as his eyes drifted from the twin sunset to the warrior called leela, the light from the suns made the reddish brown hair and blue eyes brighten.
"What do you mean you have no answer? You do live here do you not? You are one of their guards?" She turned to face him and let a hand rest on her hip.
"I do, it's just that...it's the only life I have known and we are always told never to go outside, well unless it's to our ancestral residence, we have deserts and other undesirables." he watched her as he spoke and could tell he was messing up again.
"Undesirables?" she asked incredulously, "What do you mean by that?"
"That is what we call outsiders, I suppose I should have used another-"
"Am I an undesirable?" She interrupts and says the word slowly this time, Leela couldn't believe the gaul of this man.
"No-"
"I am an alien, an outsider" she adds taking a step toward him, he doesn't back down.
"I just mean the natives of Gallifrey that choose not to live in our society did your tribe not have that term?" he asked.
"I see, and yes it is given to those who are banished." her eyes narrow at him, "I can understand Andred that you do not know my ways and have been raised differently than I but those who choose not to live in this city does not make them undesirable, they just have different interests and they probably want to be closer to nature as I do. Unless there is something wrong with that?"
Andred could see her point and where he went wrong, who am I to judge if they choose to live on the outside. We have ancestral homes outside the capitol is that any different? "No Leela there is nothing wrong with that, though keep in mind; if your tribe had people who did not agree with the group as a whole would they not be considered undesirable?"
Leela tilts her head in thought, "I suppose this judgement is not limited to one race, I apologise for my outburst."
"Don't apologise, it's my own ignorance of other cultures." he smiles then looks back at the suns setting. "I think you would like watching the sunrise."
"What does that look like?" She asked turning back to the painted sky.
"Well in some regions where there are forests of silver trees in plains of red grass and rolling hills, in the morning as the sun's rise it's as if the forest is on fire as the light hits the silver leaves. There are many paintings of that sight but nothing compares to seeing it with your own eyes." Andred said wistfully.
That's beautiful, I have indeed misjudged him. Leela thought, she found her gaze linger a little too long on his features and turn away. "That is beautiful, would you show me this? If the Doctor and I stay longer than expected"
"I would love to" andred found himself not hesitant when answering. This surprised him, you do have duties andred….yes but I'm showing a woman who's never seen Gallifrey…
"Andred? Can I see the Doctor now?" She looked up at him expectantly, she had seen enough; she wanted to see more but, "you said I could" she prompted.
"I didn't say that Leela you assumed I did because you took off before I could say anything." He looked down at her unmoving.
"Well I am asking now without taking off as you put it" She smiled.
It was a few tense moments before they were interrupted by another time lord guard. "Excuse me commander?" Leela and Andred locked eyes and ignored the time lord who had approached them. "Commander?"
"I'm busy showing miss Leela around can't this wait?" Andred keeps his grey eyes on hers, he hadn't noticed that he had been standing a little closer to her.
"I...uh..I'm afraid it can't. You are needed and the savage is too" he indicated Leela.
Why that little! "I am no savage! How dare you" Leela took a purposeful step towards the second guard and jabbed him hard with her finger, "I am a warrior of the sevateem and my name is Leela"
"That was awfully rude, chalex. She may not be of this world but you won't speak to our guests like that." He said in a commanding tone.
"I do not need you to fight my battles Andred" Leela stormed off, time lords!
"Wait, Leela!" He called after her, of all the wonders of the universe and I meet a stubborn, willful, bold….
"Sir, the doctor said to keep an eye on her" the guard said not noticing the tension between the two.
"That is what I have been doing" he sighed in exasperation.
"She's gone from your sight, you don't seem to be doing a very good job of it." Chalix said pointing in the direction of the departing human.
Andred's face turned bright red with anger and he clenched his fists, he took a few breaths to calm down. "I noticed"
"You seem tense" chalix said again failing to notice his superior's anger.
"You-gah!" Andred stormed off after Leela
Chalix calls after him, "try and find something decent for her to wear"
Andred didn't stop, he shook his head as he walked past several slow moving time lords in their robes, murmurs of, "slow down boy" and "what is it with the youth today" permeated his ears making him more agitated, "oh go and regenerate and get a personality!" Was his answer to their remarks.
Leela meanwhile had decided to look for the doctor herself, she walked down the long corridors of marble white lights, she past some time lords and thought, they look ridiculous.
She heard the sound of andred's voice and kept walking, she had enough. He is so...I do not know the word. She felt a small shiver when he touched her arm, "Leela, listen to me. You may get your wish on seeing the doctor; you just have to dress up for it."
"I am not wearing those silly collars" she folded her arms in protest.
"I... wouldn't want to see you in those anyway" he said not picturing her looking good in those restrictive robes.
"Good, because I would not wear them even if you did want me in them." She said annoyed with all of these time lords and their strange customs. She just wanted to know if the doctor was alright and staying out of trouble, with my luck he is in trouble and needs my help.
Without a word Andred guided her to a room near the panoptican and showed her to a wardrobe full of women's clothing. I'm not sure she will like any of these. He mused they were not fit for a warrior woman. Though he wasn't sure what a warrior woman was, perhaps she can tell me, the more I spend time with her the more I learn. I feel like she is expanding my knowledge on the outside universe; is this what it feels like traveling with the Doctor I wonder?
Leela tried on some of the outfits, one of the furry scarf like things looked odd, she wrapped it around her neck and looked at the other finery that was selected for her, "So what is the occasion?" she wondered aloud.
"The Doctor is to become president, and you have been invited to watch." Andred watched her carefully.
"President? Then I shall look my best" She said looking through the dresses, Does that mean less traveling? Will he send me back home? I wish he would tell me what is going on. She placed a different scarf around her neck and looked at andred, Do not say this looks nice.
"You look nice" He says nodding his head.
Leela sighs and pulls off the scarf, she thrusts it into his arms, "You can have your useless baubles, your president, I want no part of it and I want my knife back" Her frustration had grown from the time she met him and now she just wanted to leave in the tardis where everything made more sense. Why was he so infuriating, yet why do I like his company? His curiosity is endearing and he has moments of...insightfulness? Is that the word I am looking for?
Andred bows his head a little in his own exasperation, "Leela, you can't have your knife back how many times do I have to tell you."
"I need it, what if something were to happen? Like an attack, you would need me to fight and defend." she said earnestly, she thought for sure he would hand her weapon back.
Andred chuckled and grabbed her hands, they both felt a tingling sensation and held on a little too long before he broke the hold, "Listen, I am the Chancellery Guard Commander and my men have staser pistols. If anything we will be able to defend the president."
"But what if all your guards are incap-Incap….argh! What if they are knocked out? You will need me." She stumbled over the longer word and chose a small word that meant the same thing.
Andred's look became serious when he answered her, "If that ever happened I will trust your martial skill, though I have not seen it."
"Then you shall, when the time comes" she sticks out her hand for her knife.
"No knife, Gallifrey is safe, there will be nothing to worry about." Andred placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes, "I promise"
Leela wasn't sure why but she believed him, something in those eyes seemed genuine enough; she conceded but remained in her small dress she arrived in.
The panoptican was soon filled with time lords young and old awaiting the appointment of a new president, they moved to the side when seeing the alien woman arrive in her strange attire that looked like something more appropriate for the beaches of southern Gallfrey rather than sitting in on a ceremony. "Another one of the Doctors pets no doubt" one elderly time lord murmured with distaste.
Leela ignored them and held her head high and proud, she was a warrior and friend to the president. She didn't need these crusty old time lords approval she was there for her friend, she could feel the eyes of andred on her, and the eyes of other guards. She ignored them and stood tall, she watched as the Doctor; her friend accepted the presidency. What happened next was a blur, he started to hold his head in pain, she felt every instinct light up and reached for her knife, it wasnt there, the Doctor wore the pained expression as he fell unconscious to the ground. "Doctor!" she rushed over to him and felt two pairs of arms grab her roughly, "Let me go!" she demanded and glared at the two guards.
"See the savage has caused this" one the officials claimed.
"No it was the crown!" She shouted then wrenched free of the two guards, she heard a "Seize her!" and ran. She passed Andred feeling slightly hurt inwardly, yes she could fight her own battles but he could have seen and been the voice of reason. I did not not do this andred. I will come back for you Doctor and find out who did this to you and when I do….A look of determination crossed her face when she ran and ran. She ended up near a room with an invisible door, there she met a time lady named Rodan. "I am not a time lord, just a glorified traffic controller."
Leela leaned against the invisible wall and listened to Rodan talk of her life and how boring it was, she was feeling bored just listening. Eventually Rodan lets her in and decides to trust the strangely dressed alien.
Rodan tells Leela how the Transduction barriers work and upon saying "nothing gets past them" an alarm sounds and its discovered that a warship is in orbit. You were saying? Was leelas thought. They both sprang into action to warn the Doctor who didn't seem himself and wound up banishing leela, she watched as a helpless andred moved to arrest her. What are you doing andred? She pulled away and ran again, this time she had Rodan with her who didn't like the idea of going outside into the wastelands. "It it time you broaden your horizons, do not be afraid."
Leela knew that the Doctor must have a plan, he always did; he wouldn't have banished her otherwise. Her faith in him was still strong even when he acted out of character, then there was Andred; he was just doing his job. She reminded herself, he looked apologetic when trying to arrest her and met her eyes before she ran away. Be safe out there warrior woman. They seemed to say, those curious grey eyes she could get lost in. She shook her head at the thoughts that had entered her mind, Rodan's complaints were suddenly entering her mind too. Oh you poor sheltered woman… "Rodan, think of this as a learning experience and stop your complaining the doctor has a plan"
"What plan? Hes betrayed Gallifrey." she protested tiredly, she was beginning to miss her box she hated more than 6th dimensional wave equations.
"You wait and see, he will have a plan. Though he most like does not yet know what that plan is" she said confusing herself with her words.
They walked further til they encountered the outsiders, they at first were aggressive and untrusting of the time lady and warrior but after some time of archery, stories, and explanations they loosened up a bit. "You could survive out here no doubt but her? She needs to go back to her nice comfortable bed" one of the men said.
"If she can survive then so can I, it is after all a learning experience" she smiled and pulled her cloak over her shoulders.
Leela smiled, she was glad to see Rodan speak for herself and not complain about her situation. "I told you, it would be fine"
"Thank you Leela" Rodan felt for the first time in her life she could amount to something other than traffic controller, she was beginning to see what was appealing to this life, they ate real food, they didn't have backstabbing politics and were not stuffy old men and women. She made the decision to help leela in any way she could after this. Something about this warrior of the Sevateem that inspired her to be more than she already was.
She slept by the fire that Leela had built for the outsiders and listened to tales of ancient Gallifrey under the moon and stars, it was indeed more beautiful outside.
The next morning Leela awoke with a flood of thoughts, I wonder how andred and the doctor are doing? I will stop these aliens and their influence over the doctor, unless he is leading them down a "primrose path?" I think that is what the phrase is. She was brought out of her reverie by Nesbin the de facto leader and stood before the rest of the outsiders to address them, "I know that you do not wish to dwell inside the capitol but this is still your home. Gallifrey is your world too not just the politicians that run it, if you do not do anything eventually it will spill out from the capitol and reach you. So you must be prepared to fight and defend what is yours, then afterwards you can come back here to your lives."
"But some of us aren't fighters leela" a banished time lord said.
"That is why I will take the time to train you, you can at least know the basics and be able to defend yourself. You may not be warriors as I am but it is something you will have to learn and learn quickly. You may not feel it is your fight but if you do not take action it will become your fight." She finished as if she was leading a group of fellow warriors or knights in those arthur legends K-9 once read to her.
Nesbin considered her words and spoke, "The outsider is right, we should heed her."
One by one the men and women nodded, agreeing to Leela and listened to her plan, they began training soon after and once ready they marched on the capitol.
The next series of events seemed to be a blurr for the warrior as she entered the capitol with her resistance by her side, she did see andred again and gave a wordless hello when he looked at her. They arrived at the panoptican just in time to see the doctors plan succeed but at the same time Gallifrey was yet invaded again this time by sontarans. They look like potatoes. Leela thought tilting her head.
Whilst the doctor, Rodan and The chancellor Borusa stalled the sontarans within the Tardis Leela fought bravely alongside her resistance, Andred joined in and gave her back her knife, "Well I did say I would give it back when we needed you"
"Yes, you did" She said satisfied. Told you so.
Her resistance of outsiders and banished time lords had dispensed of the sontarans and eventually the doctor had erased the leader; with the fighting over the outsiders could return to their lives and Borusa could rebuild.
Leela stood by the window and watched the suns set again over Gallifrey, her thoughts wandering again to Andred. He fulfilled his promise, he is still infuriating however. She thought stubbornly. She knew with the invasions stopped the doctor would want to resume their travels, I do not feel like traveling anymore. I would miss this guard with the curious grey eyes, even with his ignorance. She smiled when thinking of him, maybe she could stay and keep an eye on him.
She felt butterflies in her stomach when she felt his hand on her shoulder, this had been an interesting couple days. "Another beautiful suns set, would you watch with me Andred?"
"Yes, I would watch it with you." Andred got closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders, he expected her to shrug it off, to tell him this was not acceptable; instead she looked up at him and smiled. She held his hand and leaned against him, this was an interesting development; not that he was complaining. "Will you leave? With the doctor?" he asked, a huge part of him wanted her to stay, he knew no one in this galaxy could force her to do anything and anyone that could would do so at their own peril.
"I am not sure just now, I have been thinking of it. I may not agree with your world's customs and how they treat people like me. I have learned however that each planet and culture is different and always has something to teach, just as elders do for the young of my tribe. I imagine I would not be very welcome if I stayed" Leela resigned herself to that, traveling with the doctor had opened her eyes to all possibilities and ways of life. "You time lords are sheltered, why do you not travel as the Doctor does and learn about the universe around you? You are like those golden fish I have seen in bowls on the planet earth, you have no idea what is out there other than what is in your books."
"It's more of a rule, the Doctor wasn't allowed to leave yet he did. We call time lords like that renegades. Seeing you has made me curious as to what is out there, it has opened my mind; it would be a shame to see you leave." He admits, what? That sounds wrong the way I said that…"I mean...I would miss..." his face turns red when her blue eyes meet his grey ones.
"I would miss you too" Leela said quietly.
When it's time to leave Leela steps back and lets Andred hold her hand again, she feels it's time for a new chapter and that her time is shifting. K-9 would be there with her on this cold world of time lords, but when she looks at Andred she sees a warmth and light within.
They watch the Tardis dematerialise and then walk hand in hand to their new and uncertain future.