A small station hung above Heliox, positioned directly over the Kill Zone. An array of dishes on the bottom beamed information to and from the sensor relay below, keeping the station's sole occupant informed of everything happening on the planet below. Its interior was silent, save for the occasional rumble from the life support systems.

A low thrumming echoed through the station as the TARDIS materialised. The Doctor stepped out, Neos behind him. The door swung closed behind him.

"Where is he?" The Doctor asked. Neos pointed straight ahead, through a small doorway.

"That way," he said, drawing his sidearm. The Doctor looked at it with distaste, but didn't say anything.

They walked through the doorway into a large observation room. The far end of the room was a plate of glass, through which Heliox could be seen, a giant green marble, flecked with blue rivers and lakes. A silhouette of a man stood against the bright view, his arms held behind his back.

"Solomon, I presume," The Doctor said. The man turned his head slightly, his nose twitching in annoyance. He turned slowly, coming gradually into the dim light. He appeared to be an older man, with jet black hair slicked back and a sharp nose. He wore a simple black tunic and a look of extreme disappointment. He glared briefly at Neos, before turning his attention back to the planet.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you," said Solomon, giving a light shake of his head.

"I shouldn't have trusted you," said Neos, aiming his gun directly at the back of Solomon's head.

"Don't," The Doctor warned, but Neos ignored him.

"A nuke! You thought you could just set me on top of a nuke, and I wouldn't find out?!" Neos shouted, stepping closer to Solomon. He shook slightly with anger, but he relaxed a little when the Doctor reached for his arm, pulling the gun away from Solomon.

"You should have fulfilled your contract," Solomon barked, glaring back at Neos. He walked away from the window, towards the Doctor and Neos.

"Doctor," Solomon said, his eyes burning with fury as he looked at the Doctor.

"I don't believe we've met," The Doctor said.

"Lies!" roared Solomon, his hands curling into fists.

"Really? I usually know when I'm doing that, I'm an expert in lies," The Doctor said.

"Humour will do you no good here, Time Lord." Solomon said, his voice low and dangerously even. "You will pay for what you did to me."

"Well, I would really appreciate you telling me what I did to you, because I really, really don't know you." The Doctor countered quickly.

"Tennast, seven years ago. Perhaps that jogs your memory," Solomon spat. The Doctor thought for a moment.

"Nope, nothing." He said suddenly, shaking his head. "I've got nothing."

"My daughter!" Solomon yelled, leaning towards the Doctor. "You killed her, and you claim to have forgotten!"

"Hold on, Tennast… Tennast…" The Doctor said, tapping his temples.

"Tennast!" He shouted, holding his arms out wide. He spun on the spot, gathering his memories.

"The Dalek Invasion of Tennast, seven years ago." The Doctor said, looking back at Solomon.

"That was nothing to do with me." He said, his considerable eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"On the contrary. You were there." Solomon corrected.

"Well, yes but…" The Doctor started.

"You destroyed a Dalek ship, knocked it right of orbit," Solomon said, getting right up into the Doctor's face. "It disrupted my shuttle's navigation systems. We couldn't plot a course out of orbit, and our engines failed. My wife and I survived, but our daughter was killed."

"I'm sorry?" The Doctor asked, thinking back. He had been fairly sure that there were no shuttles in the way of the saucer, but he couldn't quite remember.

"Ellen…" Solomon said, seeming to crumple a little.

"I didn't mean to kill your daughter," The Doctor said, tentatively reaching for Solomon.

"But sometimes, in my life, there is… collateral damage." He said, resting his hand on the man's shoulder. "I try to avoid it, but…"

"Don't try and make excuses!" Solomon shouted, pushing the Doctor away. He staggered back, thrown off balance by Solomon's shove. Solomon was getting out of control; he had to close up this situation quickly.

"I've waited years-years for this. I can't bring my daughter back. But I can sure as hell rub you out!" Solomon said, pulling a small black box from his tunic. He pushed a large red button on the top, and there was a loud groaning from the station.

"What the hell was that?" Neos asked, looking at the floor uncertainly.

"The engines. They're shutting down!" The Doctor replied, as the station shook.

"We're going to burn. Just like Ellen." Solomon said.

"That guy's actually mad," Neos muttered.

"Don't knock mad," The Doctor shot back. "Mad's good! In the right hands, of course."

Solomon sank to the ground as the station began to fall towards Heliox.

"Screw this," Neos said, leaping towards Solomon. He pulled the older man to his feet, before sending him sprawling onto the ground again with a punch to the jaw. He dived onto Solomon, grabbing the control box.

"I'm not going to die today." Neos said, pressing the button on the black box.

Nothing happened.

"I'm not that stupid," Solomon said, kicking Neos in the stomach. The younger man rolled onto the floor, gasping for air. Solomon got up, running towards the Doctor. He tackled the Doctor, forcing him back across the room towards the doorway.

"We're going to die here, right now." Solomon hissed. A hand grabbed his collar, and threw him backwards towards the window.

"I'll see you in hell," Neos said. "But not today."

He brought his gun up, aiming straight for Solomon.

"No!" The Doctor shouted, but Neos ignored him. Instead, he shifted his arm, aiming over Solomon's shoulder. A red bolt of energy singed Solomon's tunic as it passed him, instead hitting the window. The glass shattered outwards, and the air began rushing out of the station. The Doctor grabbed the doorway as he went horizontal. Neos grabbed his leg, holding on for his life. Solomon had nothing to hold onto, and he was sucked out of the window, into space. His body spun off towards Heliox, before disappearing from view.

There was a loud thunk as a blast shield slid into the space where the glass had been moments before. The Doctor and Neos fell to the ground, the pair gasping for air.

"We have to leave, now." Neos said. The Doctor shook his head.

"That's an inhabited planet. If this station hits the Kill Zone, it'll trigger the bomb, and cause a fallout so large, it'll cover half of the northern hemisphere. We have to stabilise the station."

"How do we do that?" Neos asked, looking around for some controls, but there was nothing. The Doctor approached the blast shield, looking out through a small porthole.

"Come on, come on, come on." He muttered, looking around frantically.

"What are you looking for?" Neos asked, looking wistfully at the TARDIS.

"Back up." The Doctor replied. A loud rumbling filled the air as a large black rocket lumbered into view. The station shook briefly, before falling still.

"We're safe."


The Judoon Commander approached Neos, holding out its scanner. He flinched as the blue light blinded him.

"Subject: Neos Excradus. Crimes: multiple assassinations. Plea: Guilty. Sentence: Execution." It reached for its blaster.

"Wait!" The Doctor shouted. The Judoon turned from where Neos was being held by two Judoon officers.

"Mitigating circumstances. He did help prevent a genocide." The Doctor said. The Judoon hesitated, perhaps attempting to think.

"Accepted. Sentence: Incarceration." It relented, motioning for Neos to be taken to their ship. The Judoon pulled a device from its belt, punching a few buttons. A slip of paper was printed out from the device, and the Judoon held it out for the Doctor.

"Insurance number." It barked, before turning around and marching towards it ship. The Doctor shook his head, straining his head to see Neos. But the airlock to the Judoon rocket slid shut, cutting off his view.

He sighed, walking back towards the TARDIS. He thought for a moment.

"Nah, he'll be alright." The Doctor said, opening the TARDIS door. He stepped inside, and a few moments later the TARDIS faded from view.


Neos sat on the low bench as the ship disembarked. Two Judoon guarded him, the giant rhinos silently watching him. His hands were cuffed behind his back, the metal digging into his wrists painfully.

"Nice place." Neos said, looking around at his cell.

"Silence." One of his guards barked.

"Spoilsport." Neos muttered. He waited a few moments.

"I'm really going to enjoy breaking out of here." He said loudly.

"You are restrained." The other guard pointed out.

"Really?" Neos said, bringing his arms round before him. The cuffs dangled from one finger.

"Attempted escape." The first guard barked, punching the cell door button. The door slid open, and the guard marched in, drawing it's gun. It pointed it at Neos chest, but the device just clicked.

"Looking for this?" Neos asked, holding up the power core for the Judoon's gun. The second Judoon reached for his gun, but it was missing from his belt.

"Amateurs." Neos said, sliding the power pack into the gun he'd stolen from the second Judoon. He pointed it at the first guard and pulled the trigger. The Judoon screamed, and disappeared in a flash of red light.

The second Judoon went for the emergency alarm, but he too was disintegrated in a flash of light.

"Too easy." Neos grinned, making for the command deck.


The Judoon rocket flew on through the stars. Then it curved off, breaking course. The Shadow Proclamation would find it a week later, parked at the biggest space bar Neos could find. The inside of the ship had been doodled all over with a spray can. Some of the choicest graffiti included a crude representation of the Judoon reproductive system, and some highly offensive language. They never found the culprit.


A/N: This story is a birthday present for my brother, who owns the character of Neos. Happy birthday bro! Please leave a review. :-)