DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
PART 7 CHAPTER 1
'SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES'
The Doctors worked frantically to bring the two Doctor back but to no avail.
"How could you allow them to go there?!" The Ninth Doctor bellowed at Kam Po.
Kam Po looked somewhat apologetic.
"I'm sorry but all four treasures must be recovered and placed in the right hand in order for Rassilon to fully revive."
"How could those Doctors be on Phaester Osiris?" The Fifth Doctor demanded to know. "Sutekh destroyed his home world."
"It is true that Sutekh did destroy his home world but the Black Guardian has created a clone of the original. He was also the one who freed Sutekh from the time/space tunnel. Your two selves will need to figure out a way to retrieve the ring and force Sutekh back into the time-space tunnel. It's their only hope." Kam Po said matter-of-factly.
Yeah, but do they know that?" The Ninth Doctor asked solemnly.
.
The two Doctors stepped off the transport pad and each of them noted a high pitch sound. They looked around and then came to the realization that it was coming from the transport pad. They looked at each other than ran for cover around the corner just as the transport pad blew up.
"Looks like we're stuck for the time being." The Doctor said with feigned cheerfulness.
"There's no point in denying it." The Fourth Doctor snapped. "You know we're going to have to face Sutekh again. After I thought we'd bid him a permanent good-bye." He sighed.
"We beat him once, we'll do it again." The Doctor pointed out. "Besides there's two of us this time. Should make the job twice as easy." He suggested happily as he looked around.
"Do you really believe that?" The Fourth Doctor demanded of himself.
"Of course not." Was The Doctor's jovial reply. "Come on." He said as he moved towards the corridor.
.
Sutekh sat on a throne as he watched the two Doctors as the made their way down the corridors on his view screen.
"Yes, Doctors." Sutekh hissed. "Come to me! Meet the fate that is rightfully yours."
The Black Guardian appeared before Sutekh.
"Do not forget." The Black Guardian warned Sutekh. "First let them retrieve the ring before you spring your trap on them."
"You dare tell me, The Great Sutekh what to do?!" Sutekh bellowed.
He brought his full power down to bear on the Black Guardian, but the Black Guardian merely stifled a fake yawn.
"You wish to play with me, Sutekh?" The Black Guardian asked in a mild tone of voice. "Very well, let's play."
As he spoke he held out a hand and Sutekh was enveloped in a ring of fire. Sutekh screamed in agony.
"Mercy!" Sutekh screamed. "Mercy my Lord!"
The Black Guardian released Sutekh from his power.
"Very well." The Black Guardian replied. "But do not forget your place you insignificant insect. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, my Lord." Sutekh in a subservient tone of voice.
"Now, serve me well or you won't die." The Black Guardian said matter-of-factly. "You'll just wish you were dead."
"Yes, my Lord." Sutekh said humbly. "But don't worry. There is no way even two Doctors could escape my time trap."
.
The Doctors make their way through many strange and vaguely familiar corridors.
"These Corridors look familiar." The Fourth Doctor said.
"I thought so too." The Doctor said.
"Got it!" The Fourth Doctor suddenly snapped his fingers. "It's identical to the corridors inside the,"
"Pyramid of Mars." The Doctor finished for himself as he figured it out.
"You don't suppose," The Fourth Doctor started to say worriedly.
"We'll soon find out." The Doctor replied. "Come on."
.
Romana exited the Fourth Doctor's Tardis. She was carrying some of her old dresses and hats.
"Romana!" Luke called out. "The Fourth and Current Doctor is trapped on Phaester Osiris! The transporter on their end has been deactivated."
"Or destroyed." Nyssa added.
Romana dropped the clothes and hats and raced over to the computer.
"Oh no!" Romana said as she rubbed her head. "I'd forgotten about that, that alien who attacked me."
River's head shot up sharply at that.
"Sutekh Attacked you?" River repeated.
"I never got his name." Romana replied. "Only that he was an old foe of the Doctor. And he was looking for revenge."
"His name is Sutekh." The Ninth Doctor said. "I faced him many years ago on Earth. He's an Osirian! The last of his kind. He would have destroyed the entire planet if I hadn't stopped him."
"The Osirans were an ancient and incredibly powerful but now extinct race." Luke said reciting what he had learned both in school and from the Tardis data banks. "The renegade Sutekh was a crazed super-being who feared all forms of life might one day challenge his hegemony and so became Sutekh the Destroyer, the destroyer of all living things." Luke explained.
"How did he escape?" Romana asked.
"The Black Guardian." The Seventh Doctor replied.
"Oh him." Romana said. "Haven't seen any sign of him for years."
"Well, I did encounter him a few years later, unfortunately." The Eighth Doctor said looking at Turlough who shifted uncomfortably.
"Yes, well that's water under the bridge now." the Tenth Doctor replied. "Right now we need to focus on bringing our other selves back." He reminded his other selves.
"What about using the Tardis?" Holly asked.
"Too risky." The Sixth Doctor said. "We'd risk exposing our presence. They know we've arrived on Gallifrey but for the present they're not exactly sure where. And I'd just as soon keep it that way, thank you."
.
The two Doctors came to a door. The Doctor just sighed and walked over to the other side and found the hidden switch. It was in the same place as last time.
"You do realize that was probably just to put us off guard?" The Fourth Doctor asked mildly.
"Naturally." The Doctor replied. "The next puzzles will probably be altered."
They hurried on their way.
.
Back in the tomb Kam Po seemed to be communicating telepathically with Rassilon.
Luke walked over to where Kam Po was floating in mid-air.
"Can't the White Guardian do something?" Luke asked.
"He can only do so much." Kam Po replied. "Remember life is a matter of balance. If the White Guardian does too much now to balance things, then he won't be able to do much later."
"Why just him?" River asked. "What about the other Doctors?"
"How would we get there with no transport?" The Ninth Doctor demanded.
"Can't you fly the Tardis in stealth mode?" River demanded.
"Even in stealth mode, the Time Lords would be able to detect our ships." The Sixth Doctor said matter-of-factly.
.
The Doctors approached the second door. There a door with two sets of squares on either side. They was a puzzle one side and a key on the other. The Fourth Doctor took his scarf and started measuring the lines.
"Clever Sutekh." The Fourth Doctor whispered to himself. "He's changed the measurements. The answer is now 187.4 centimeters."
The Doctor looked over the squares on the right side and spotted the square they wanted.
"Ah ha." The Doctor said jubilantly. "Now the square we want it the fourth row from the bottom and the second one from the right."
He pushed the square and the door slid open. They hurried through it and made their way down the corridor.
"Remember don't stop." The Fourth Doctor warned. "I don't want to go through that riddle business again."
"That was a bit clever though." The Doctor said as they quickened their pace. "I mean asking one guardian which button the other one would pick."
"I know." The Fourth Doctor said smugly. "But I would rather not try one of Sutekh's riddle's just the same."
"That would be a bit difficult." The Doctor admitted.
Suddenly the Fourth Doctor got the strangest feeling something had just appeared behind him. He paused and slowly turned around.
"I should have known." The Fourth Doctor said ruefully.
The Doctor turned around to see what was going on. He quickly took in the situation.
"Of course." The Doctor said in response.
A Decadron crucible has materialized and inside is a pedestal with a box on top. And inside of the box sat the Ring of Rassilon.
A few feet behind the decadron crucible which contained the Ring of Rassilon were two more Decadron crucibles each containing a service robot of Sutekh. And in between the two boxes was one service robot.
Suddenly Sutekhs voice is heard.
"This is the game of Sutekh." Sutekhs voice rang out . "You solved the riddle of Horus but can you solve this riddle Doctors? This time there is only one robot servant and like last time you may only ask one question. Good luck Doctors." Sutekh mocked them. "Oh and he is contra-programmed. But as to which way, that is something you two will have to determine for yourselves." Sutekh broke into laughter.
The two Doctors walked round and round the decadron crucible containing the ring.
"Only one robot and only one question." The Doctor's mind raced as to what that question ought to be.
The Fourth Doctor suddenly stopped and snapped his fingers
"Got it!" The Fourth Doctor shouted as he strolled over to the robot.
"The question we asked last time won't work." The Doctor said. "Last time the robots were contra-programmed. One always giving a true response and the other a false one."
"Yes!" The Fourth Doctor said in agreement.
"Then I don't see how," The Doctor began when the Fourth Doctor interrupted.
"This time it's not a matter how the robot is programmed." The Fourth Doctor replied. "I'd say it's more of a matter how,"
"The programmer is programmed." The Doctor finished for him. "In a manner of speaking."
The Doctor walked over to the robot. He couldn't resist looking him over quickly.
"Okay, now." The Doctor said. "Which button will set the ring free?"
The robot pointed towards the button on the left.
"So the left button is the button we should," The Doctor said as he walked over towards the decadron crucible and started to bend over to push the button when he suddenly stood up.
Then the Fourth Doctor swooped down and pushed the button on the right. The decadron crucible disappeared as did the decadron crucibles around the other two service robots also disappeared.
As the Doctor reached to pick up the Ring of Rassilon he noted the two robotic mummies coming towards them.
"Well I don't know about you but I think this situation warrants a quick grab followed by an equally quick run." The Doctor said mildly. "What say you?"
"Oh, I most definitely would agree." The Fourth Doctor said.
"On the count of three?" The Doctor said. "Okay, one, two," He quickly grabbed the ring but as he and the Fourth Doctor stated to run a trap door opened up and they both fell down to a small platform below.
Both Doctors peered over the edge of the platform and noted that below the platform was the same temporal time trap the Fourth Doctor had set for Sutekh many years ago.
.
Inside the tomb of Rassilon the group were frantically trying to figure out a way to rescue the Doctors without jeopardizing their other mission of saving Gallifrey. But ironically, they couldn't save Gallifrey if they couldn't get the ring back.
Kam Po was telepathically communicating with Rassilon.
"Yes, it does look bad for those two Doctors." Kam Po agreed.
"Who are you talking to?" Holly asked.
"I am talking to Rassilon." Kam Po said as he pointed to Rassilon on the altar. "As previously stated, the White Guardian can do nothing." Kam Po said sadly.
"Is there no one else who can go?" Luke asked. "Aren't there other Guardians? Why can't they help?" Luke demanded to know.
Kam Po looked at Rassilon in surprise.
"Luke is right." Kam Po said. "Perhaps we've been thinking a bit unilaterally."
"But what about the Doctors?" Romana asked. "The lesser Guardians may not be enough."
"We can't use the Tardis." The Tenth Doctor replied. "If only we had some other means." He said in disgust.
"What about my Vortex Manipulator?" River asked.
"That can only hold three people max." The Ninth Doctor replied. "We need to send as many of ourselves as possible. It looks like we have no choice but to use our Tardis'."
But as they reluctantly started to head towards their Tardis', Holly suddenly had an idea.
"What about the Time Winds?" Holly suddenly asked.
The Doctors looked at her in surprise and then looked at each other.
.
"Welcome Doctors." Sutekhs voice came from across the chasm.
The Doctors looked and there seated upon a throne sat Sutekh. They both back away from the platforms edge.
"Don't you appreciate the irony, Doctors?" Sutekh asked as he stood up and walked to the edge of the platform. "In the same manner in which you killed me, I shall kill you." Sutekh forced their left feet forward. "Oh but not right away. That wouldn't be fun. I want to make this moment last for as long as possible and then I shall continue my destruction of the entire universe." Sutekhs voice rose as he spoke. "Soon all will fear the name Sutekh!" He yelled. "All will die and only Sutekh will live!"
Sutekh forces the Doctors another step closer to the edge of the platform. And then another step. And then another. The Doctors tried and tried to fight Sutekhs will but found that even combined their two wills were no match for Sutekhs.
Sutekh pulled them step by step closer and closer towards the edge of the platform.
"Couldn't we talk about this?" The Fourth Doctor asked.
Sutekh mentally shot pain into the Fourth Doctor's mind. The Fourth Doctor shrieked in pain.
"Apparently not." The Doctor quipped.
"You will succumb to the will of Sutekh." Sutekh boasted.
Sutekh now had them at the very edge and he made them each lift up one foot in front of themselves. They now hovered over the brink of the temporal tunnel. The Doctors had never felt so helpless in a very long time.
"Shame I didn't get to use this on the female friend of yours." Sutekh boasted. "Though I gather she acquired a nasty psychic concussion from our little encounter."
Both Doctors felt rage surge through their bodies. He attacked the woman they loved? They both felt enough strength not to move any further forward. They couldn't step back but they had momentarily stopped moving forward.
"What is this?" Sutekh screamed. "None can resist the will of Sutekh! You must die!" Sutekh insisted. "So you pitiful Time Lords wish to pit your will against mine?" Sutekh raged when something startled him. "What's this?"
Suddenly the Red and Gold Guardians appeared. Together they focused their will against Sutekh. Sutekh could feel himself growing weaker from the psychic attacks from the two Guardians.
"I can still will the death of the two Doctors." Sutekh screamed. "You Guardians cannot stop me! The Doctors will die!" Sutekh insisted.
The Doctors found themselves struggling again when suddenly they both took a giant step backwards.
"Not I think, today Sutekh." Came the Fifth Doctors voice from above.
The two Doctors looked up and saw that Doctors 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were all standing above them. Together they had banded their will against Sutekh as the two Guardians attacked him.
The Tenth Doctor pulled out a firecracker out of his pocket. He lit and threw it down towards Sutekh. As it was getting ready to go off, The Fourth Doctor threw up his scarf and the Sixth and Ninth Doctors caught it and held on. Suddenly the firecracker went off, startling Sutekh, which broke his concentration on the two Doctors. Free of his power the Fourth Doctor began climbing up followed by the Doctor.
Once they reached the top the two Guardians suddenly increased their psychic attack against Sutekh.
"You cannot do this!" Sutekh yelled. "I am Sutekh the destroyer!"
"As the Doctor once said, the time of the Osrians is over." The Red Guardian replied calmly. "It's time for you to return to your rightful place."
And with that both the Red and Gold using their full psychic strength forced Sutekh to walk to the edge and to fall into the temporal time tunnel. The Doctors could hear him screaming as he descended further and further through the time tunnel.
"Let's hope this really IS, the last time we encounter him." The Seventh Doctor commented.
"You have your treasure Doctor, you must return to Gallifrey at once." The Gold Guardian said. "Time IS of the essence."
The Doctor and Fourth Doctor looked around.
"How did you get here?" The Doctor asked.
"How else?" The Seventh Doctor quipped. "The Time-Winds."
"Of course!" The Fourth Doctor replied as he looked back towards the corridors. "Where are the service robots of Sutekh?"
"We brought Horus' service robot to deal with them Doctors." The Red Guardian replied. "Good luck Doctors."
The Red and Gold Guardians disappeared.
"Now if you Doctors are ready to head back." Came a familiar voice.
The two Doctors looked over towards the corner and there was The Rani waiting for them.
"If you gentlemen are through playing with some ancient fool, can we concentrate on saving Gallifrey?" The Rani sneered.
The Rani turned slightly and focused her energy and opened the Time-Winds Door. All of the Doctors quickly entered and began running. The Rani entered as the doorway closed behind her.
"Doctors!" The Rani called.
They all stopped and looked at her with annoyed expressions on their face.
"Do any of you know the way back to Gallifrey in our time zone?" The Rani asked sarcastically.
The Doctors all looked at one another, shaking their heads.
"Then perhaps we should wait for," The Rani began as Biroc appeared out of a fog.
"Come Doctors, Rani." Biroc said. "Time grows short."
With that he took off and the Doctors and the Rani followed him.
Soon Biroc stopped and opened a Time-Winds door. The Doctors and the Rani stepped through back into the tomb of Rassilon.
"Be strong Doctors." Biroc warned them. "There are those who know your every weakness and are not afraid to exploit them to their advantage. Good luck."
The Time-Winds Door closed.
"Well, looks like you all made it back." The Third Doctor said cheerfully. "Did you get the ring?"
The Doctor brought the ring out of his pocket.
"Piece of cake." The Doctor said with a touch of irony.
"Well now that we have all the treasures, why don't we try to use them to revive Rasssilon?" The Second Doctor asked.
So the Doctor took the four treasures of Rassilon and placed them on Rassilon. And nothing happened.
"He must be too weak to use them." The Rani lamented.
"Let's not give up." The Third Doctor insisted. "Let's each try to use them. After all, who is to say which was the "right hand" Rassilon meant."
One by one all the Doctors, except for the First Doctor, tried to use the Treasure of Rassilon to revive him. And each one of them failed.
"It's no use." The First Doctor said irritably. "Only Rassilon himself could revive himself."
"Bit of a catch-22." Mickey quipped.
"So what now?" Nyssa asked.
"We go to plan B." The Doctor decided. "We start sending the Time Lords and the others to different places in time and space so that they and their families might escape the time-war."
.
Back in the force-field room Shahir is walking around examining the various computers that Rassilon had hooked-up to one another.
"This is interesting." Shahir said as he noticed some cables lying across the aisle. "These shouldn't be here." He spots more cables stretched out across the tops of some of the computers. "Neither should these." He attempts to remove them but finds he is unable to budge them. "The Doctor must have fused them into these machines. I wonder what he hopes to accomplish with such a bizarre hook up?"
A guard ran into the force-field room.
"Sir, you've done it." The Guard said. "We sent some scouts to follow some of the dessident Time Lords, like you suggested, and sure enough, they've managed to get the ancient subs working. They're using it to transport the rebels into the tomb of Rassilon."
"Interesting." Shahir mused out loud.
"Shall we go and arrest them." The guard asked.
"No, no, no." Shahir admonished the guard. "Not yet. First we must lull them into a false sense of security. Then we will strike them. As for the Rebel Time Lords fleeing, that will save us time identifying them." Shahir smiled as he said this.
"And when they've all gone sir?" The Guard asked.
"Then we round them all up and execute them, along with the Doctors and his companions." Shahir said triumphantly. "For treason."