State of Peace
Notes: Hello. Please excuse any historical or factual errors that this story probably contains. It takes place between Blink and Utopia (not that it matters; I just like placing my stories in continuity). Lastly, the Doctor and Martha previously visited the Kian Empire in two of my previous stories (Beyond the Limits and I Am a Patriot) and there are a couple brief references to the second story, but none of that is important. You don't need to read the previous stories or understand the brief and insignificant references to understand this story. Thanks for checking this out.
Chapter 1: The Hatchling
The Doctor and Martha walked around a planet for a while. The Doctor didn't tell Martha where they were, but did reveal that they were 592 years into her future. Eventually, a luxurious building came into view.
"I recognize that," Martha said. "That's Byzlusse's palace. We're on the planet Hygert."
"Yup," the Doctor confirmed.
"You said it was the capital of the Kian Empire."
"It still is."
"You brought us to Hygert again."
"Are you complaining?"
Martha laughed. "Of course, not. I like this place."
The Doctor and Martha walked into another building, smaller but still stately. They soon discovered that it was the Galactic Court. They saw three judges next to each other on an elevated platform discussing a case.
"Although the public Zabartian weather monitor operates in Zabartia," a judge on the left said, "it operates under the jurisdiction of the emperor and the Galactic Department of Natural Resources. It is a galactic-level service funded by galactic taxes. Planetary governments lack the right to cripple it."
While a lawyer tried to counter this argument, Martha identified the judge in the center. "That's Lyle Perrin. We met him last time."
"Yeah. Anna Silverman is on the left and Alietna on the right."
"Do you think he remembers us?" Martha asked.
"If you kept both, you would subject Zabartian taxpayers to undue burdens. It is the precedent-bearing ruling of this court," Lyle said after another round of exchanges, "that by passing the Weather Monitor Patronage law, the Zabartian governor exerted authority that he did not have. The law is hereby voided. This is our judgment. Thank you, counsel, for your services."
The three judges stood. They were walking out when Lyle turned and signaled to the Doctor and Martha to follow.
"Doctor. Martha," Lyle welcomed when they caught up to him.
"So you do remember us," Lyle commented.
"Aside from my judicial responsibilities, I like to keep up on things happening around the universe, and the Doctor seems to draw some attention. You and Brikenna made an impression, too, Martha; the sword was a big deal. Brikenna actually retired from the Galactic Board of Legal Administrators not too long ago."
"Good to hear she's done well," the Doctor said.
"So what brings you two back to the Kian Empire?"
"We're just visiting, having a look around," Martha responded.
"Do you want a tour of the royal lands and buildings?" Lyle asked. "That was the last case of the day. I could show you two around."
"So how does an Earth human end up becoming the supreme galactic judge of the Kian Empire?" Martha asked as Lyle showed the Doctor and Martha a vast pressroom built to accommodate 8,000 individuals.
Lyle chuckled. "It's a long story. Let's just say that Byzlusse and my family and their friends have some random mutual acquaintances and one day we got an offer to start new lives in the Kian Empire."
"Is Anna Silverman from Earth, too?"
"Yeah. Our fathers were in medical school together."
Lyle continued the tour and the three were exiting a building when they noticed a lot of commotion. Many ships took off from the area and Lyle's communicator started beeping.
"All hands on deck," Lyle indicated. "There's a rebellion on Eloquia. It's been reportedly in the works for a while and now it's actually happening."
"A Kian planet?" Martha asked.
"No, it's one of our close allies. It's in this galaxy. We're helping in ways we can."
"Do you need to go?" the Doctor asked.
"No, there's nothing for a judge to do there. I usually live in a ship that's used for security forces. This was just to let me know that the UTI ship is leaving and I'll be staying on Hygert for a while." Lyle suddenly started to waver.
"Are you all right?" Martha asked.
Instead of responding, Lyle collapsed onto the ground.
"The TARDIS is nearby," the Doctor said, running off.
Martha tried to help Lyle, grateful for his human physiology.
The Doctor charged into the TARDIS, looking for Martha's medical kit when the TARDIS began shaking violently. The Doctor was thrown to the ground.
"Oy! What's wrong?" the Doctor asked.
Sparks flew around and the TARDIS jerked suddenly, causing the Doctor to slam into the console headfirst and losing consciousness.
Elsewhere, Martha continued to check Lyle's vitals. Aside from irregular, but not disconcerting, breathing, Lyle seemed fine. Martha heard the TARDIS dematerialize and ran towards it. She saw that it had left.
Martha went back to Lyle and took his communicator. "Looks like the translation is still working," Martha noted with relief. She eventually found Byzlusse among Lyle's contacts.
"Lyle," Byzlusse answered.
"I'm sorry, but this is Martha Jones, emperor."
"I remember you. What are you doing with Lyle's communicator?"
"We were talking and he passed out. He seems okay superficially, but I don't know what's wrong with him. He needs more advanced medical attention. The Doctor was here, but he vanished."
"Where are you?"
"Lyle said we were near the apartments of the planetary representatives."
"That's a start, but it's a large area. Do you see a triangle icon on your screen?"
"Yes," Martha said, pressing it.
"Select it and scroll down to tracking, please."
"Found it."
"Turn on the tracking. That will enable someone to find your specific location and bring Lyle to a medical station at my palace."
...
In the TARDIS, the Doctor eventually regained consciousness, grabbed Martha's medical kit, and headed out. He was surprised to see himself in a city on Earth. He ran back into the TARDIS and fiddled with some controls.
"Why did you bring me here?" the Doctor asked. He tried and failed to get the TARDIS moving again.
After nearly an hour, the Doctor gave up and left the TARDIS to find out where he was. He immediately recognized French being spoken. A newspaper stand indicated that he was in the year 1979.
The Doctor continued to wander around, wondering if there was a purpose for this trip. After walking a while, he settled in a park. He suddenly noticed a white humanoid alien with a proportionally huge bald head that lacked a nose or ears and standing around eight inches tall, running by. A field of green energy surrounded it.
The Doctor chased after it and saw it enter a house; the alien was intangible, able to run through a wall.
The Doctor knocked on the door frantically, trying to find his psychic paper in the process. A man opened the door before the Doctor found it, leaving the latter unprepared.
"Umm . . ." the Doctor began, "I'm chasing an . . . alien. Did you see it enter here?"
"See it?" the man replied. "It made my wife and I scream!"
The Doctor entered and looked around. He noticed that the house was somewhat bare. "Where did it go?"
"It went out the back," a pregnant woman replied. "And then I saw it go into the ground."
The Doctor searched around for a trace of the alien using his sonic screwdriver, but couldn't pick up anything. He then adjusted the settings to look for something else and went back to the park.
"Do you think it's here?" the man from before asked, suddenly appearing.
"I'm looking for . . . here it is. The alien is called an Inmusson, and it hatched from this egg." The Doctor scanned the remains of the egg.
"What's it doing here?"
"They're an experiment in peacemaking. Mussopakes leave behind Immusson eggs at the start of wars, hoping that the Immussons will possess the aggressors of both sides and stop the fighting."
"There is no war here."
"No, this egg was placed here nearly forty years ago. It must have some sort of developmental abnormality to make it hatch so late." The Doctor then shot up. "I've got it. I can use the egg shell to track it."
The Doctor ran around the city, then noticed that he was being followed.
"You interested in this, too?"
"There is alien life in Paris. Of course I'm interested! This is why I am an astronomer. How do they usually know who to possess?"
"They have telepathic powers."
The duo stopped at a building.
"Oh," the Doctor simply said. "L'Hôtel de Ville."
"Jacques Chirac's office."
"The mayor of Paris and candidate for a European Community parliamentary seat." The Doctor became visibly anxious.
"What is it?"
"People trying to secure positions of international leadership and an inaugural direct election for that. I'm guessing in the absence of war, the Immusson is going to go after someone heavily involved, like a candidate. And who knows what effects any possible developmental abnormalities might have on the Immusson's reasoning."
"You expect it to go after Chirac?"
"I was hoping not, which means it probably will go for him. There's Yvan Blot." The Doctor looked at the man. "Sorry, what's your name?"
"Julien Perrin."
"Oh . . ." The Doctor looked closely at Julian's face. "Now I see it . . ."
Julien raised his eyebrows at the Doctor.
On Hygert, 620 years later, Martha was in a room close to the medical ward talking to Byzlusse.
"They're not sure what's wrong, but his health doesn't appear to be in danger," Byzlusse said.
"That's good," Martha replied. She frowned. "We can still understand each other even though the TARDIS has been gone for so long."
"There are translation units scattered throughout the empire. Over 10,000 languages are stored in it."
"Oh, won't worry about that, then."
"I'm sure the Doctor will return."
"Yeah, I'm sure, too. He said the TARDIS is out of his control sometimes, but he'll come back for me." Martha looked at Byzlusse. "The Doctor said you've been the emperor for centuries."
"Yes, but I might not be for much longer. I'm considering abdicating to take a long vacation."
"You're just going to hand over your empire?"
"To a sibling or a child of mine, perhaps. I haven't decided yet. Perhaps we will all take turns and I will be emperor once again in a few millennia."
"A benefit of immortality," Martha commented.
"Yes."
Someone ran up to the pair. "Emperor, he's missing!"
Martha and Byzlusse ran to Lyle's bed.
"Get Olvima!" Byzlusse ordered.
A humanoid being soon ran into the room.
"The supreme galactic judge has gone missing after being treated here," Byzlusse said. "Try to get a reading off the bed."
Olvima began touching the bed in various spots.
"What's she doing?" Martha asked.
"Olvima can tell the history of an object by touching it. I'm hoping she might get something about Lyle."
"I have," Olvima said. "The supreme galactic judge left against his will. He's going to Eloquia. That's all I know."
"That's very helpful. Thank you."
"Lyle said there is a rebellion in Eloquia."
"Yes," Byzlusse responded. "The government wouldn't abduct him, but the rebels would."