In the dark of space, in one of the great intergalactic voids, a marble pillar floated, invisible in the dark.
Inside, a silver haired man in a dark green trenchcoat stood facing the door, hands clasped behind his back, waiting.
After a few seconds of staring into the dark, the view was interrupted by a blue phone box fading into view a short distance away.
The man smiled.
"Finally."
The doors of the phone box opened, and The Doctor looked out for a moment, then stepped back and closed the doors.
The Doctor's TARDIS began to fade, and the man turned to see the TARDIS arriving in his console room.
The Doctor stepped out.
"Doctor." The man said.
"Associate." The Doctor replied. "I need your help."
"I know. And you need it badly, or you wouldn't be here. Let me guess. Someone important to you in trouble? That human I saw with you last time we met?"
"Clara. Yes. She was taken by the 10th Cyber Legion. We have to get her back."
The Associate shrugged. "Then she's converted. Nothing to get back."
"They haven't converted her."
The Associate blinked. "What? Are you joking?"
"No, I'm not. I couldn't get a clear reading through their defenses, but I could tell she's alive. They're doing something else to her, something new."
The Associate was silent for a moment. "Cybermen deliberately not converting their victims. If nothing else, that bears watching."
Abruptly he looked back up at The Doctor. "I suppose a simple bomb is out of the question?"
The Doctor stepped closer to The Associate. "Don't you dare."
The Associate raised his hands defensively. "Alright, I didn't expect that you had seen sense since our last conversation."
"I save people. Killing someone when there's even a remote chance that that person can be saved isn't something I do."
"I know. And I protect the greatest number as efficiently as possible. Now, are we going to argue philosophy, or are we going to go get allies?"
The Doctor blinked. "Allies?" He said. "Since when do you have allies? I thought you didn't have patience for short-lived aliens?"
"I don't. Perhaps I should have been clearer. You go get allies. I'll meet you at the place and time I'm thinking about."
The Doctor was silent for a moment. "I thought you didn't like that planet."
"I don't. It's convenient. Now, keep the force small. We're going to want people who can handle overwhelming numbers, and move quickly and quietly. I'm sure you know someone like that. Now, please get off my TARDIS. I may not have allies, but I do have a favor to call in. I'll meet you there."
The Doctor started to re-enter his TARDIS, then paused and turned back to The Associate. "We're doing this my way. Whoever you're getting, make certain that they're willing to not kill."
The Associate shook his head. "I will. Just know that you're making this harder than it needs to be. Goodbye Doctor. See you soon."
The Doctor closed the doors of his TARDIS. Moments later, it faded away with it's distinctive woosh.
Shortly after that, the pillar also vanished, leaving the intergalactic void dark and empty once more.