Heimdall watched everything from his post on the Byfrost Bridge to Asgard and all the realms within its protection, including Earth. It is thanks to his all-seeing power that Heimdall was not troubled by the sudden arrival of a blue police box.
"Hello," the young man who left the police box. "I'm the Doctor, I hope you don't mind me parking here."
"If I did, you'd be answering to Thor." Heimdall said. "Consider this as warm a welcome as you can achieve."
"Fair enough," The Doctor said with a nod. "Wait, did you say Thor? As in the mythological warrior. Wait… yes I have heard of this place. So that means this is Asgard!" The Doctor shouted with glee.
"I have never met a man so pleased to be an intruder on Asgard."
"Visitor, not intruder," the Doctor corrected. "Just using any nexus point of travel as a place of reference. Trying to find a place called Gallifrey. I assume this is the Bifrost Bridge, lovely colors by the way, I believe that makes you Heimdall."
"You seem to know much about us."
"Of course, I love studying everything," The Doctor said. "You never know when something might come in handy. Anyway, I was wondering, being that you everything, has a planet called Gallifrey."
"Whether I have or not is of no concern of yours for the moment," Heimdall said he turned around to look at the bridge. "What should be is how the All-Father wishes to receive you."
Several guards arrived, guided by the raven haired Lady Sif.
"Stranger, you have been ordered to be taken to the All-Father for questioning." Sif growled.
"Okay then," The Doctor said as he rubbed his palms together. "Lead the way."
An intruder who appeared to be unarmed with nothing besides a small sonic device and a smile: one of the stranger intruders Sif had ever seen.
Still, orders were orders and it was a relief to have willing prisoner despite it being a bit boring as well. It seemed interesting to see the way the stranger gazed at her kingdom. He acted like it was a one of a kind beauty equal to none. But his eyes seemed to carry that sense of wonder with everything he saw. A very stranger intruder, Sif thought as they reached the throne room.
Guards in shining gold armor stood at the ready to protect their king. Such a sight the height of intimidating. The Doctor, however, seemed only excited. His excitement faded as he saw Odin.
The All-Father sat upon his throne, the grey expressed age but his remaining eye roared with power.
"So this is the stranger who decides he has the right to come to my kingdom unannounced." Odin said. "What name does this stranger go by, I wonder?"
"The Doctor."
"That's a profession not a name." Odin said sternly.
"It's all I have, your highness," the Doctor said. "But I think there is something we can discuss better in private."
The king was about to ask until he met the Doctor's cold gaze. Only his eyes were stern while the rest of his body presented the same jovial attitude that had put everyone off. The Doctor's fantastic eyes managed to see into the king's eye, almost through it. As though the All-Father were wearing two pairs of eyes and the Doctor saw a deeper pair. It was this silent confirmation that forced the All-Father's hands.
"Perhaps, Doctor," Odin said. "I have a personal chamber dedicated to such a meeting. We will not be disturbed." This was said out loud to the people in the throne room, no one would question Odin's orders.
The King and the Doctor eventually found themselves in a small green room.
"Very well, Doctor," Odin said. "What must we discuss?"
"A few things," The Doctor said. "Not to be rude, but I make a habit of favoring discussions without disguises. Please, show yourself, I have no means of threatening you."
Odin paused looking at the Doctor sternly. It was clear to both men that there was no point in deception, they were both too skilled at lying to fool each other. With a sigh, Odin spoke in higher, younger, voice.
"My illusions are the finest in Asgard, I'm impressed you could see the truth, Doctor."
With a flash of green, Odin's regal appearance was swept away for a different man altogether. He had pale skin, was thin but toned to show concealed strength. His long raven black hair cascaded to his shoulders. But it was his eyes that the Doctor was fixed on, the cold merciless cleverness of this man carried a brilliance that the Doctor had rarely seen save for a few enemies.
"I suppose if the stories say any truths, I must be speaking to Loki." The Doctor said as he paced the room, keeping his distance from the god of mischief."
"You've heard of me," Loki said with a grin as he circled about in the opposite direction of the Doctor. "I'm flattered."
The two men circled about the room, moving in opposite directions but maintaining the same amount of distance between each other.
"Of course I've heard of you," The Doctor said. "Your story is very well known. Especially your downfall. Answer me this, how do you feel about winding up in a cave with venom in your eyes until Ragnarok?"
Loki's grin took on a jagged edge.
"I suppose it was crafted in good humor," Loki said. "Definitely not mine. After all, look what I accomplished. I am king."
"False king, but you get points for effort."
"KING NONE THE LESS!"
There was silence as both Loki and the Doctor spoke to study how this conversation was going. Violence would do neither of them any good. Two men had entered this room, two had to leave to leave unharmed to avoid suspicion. They silently agreed to calm down and speak in a moment later.
"Sorry," the Doctor said. "I just don't like lies, especially if they lead to harming others."
"That is not my interest in ruling."
"Then what is?"
Loki paused before answering, it was clear that this was something he thought he would never tell a soul.
"I wish to prove myself an adept ruler," Loki said. "I have the natural skills to rule. But my past failures would deter anyone from trusting my judgement. So I've had to hide behind the All-Father's face, to gain their trust."
"Which will matter for nothing if the truth gets out," the Doctor said. "Say you truly wished to rule, no ulterior motive besides a wish to prove yourself a just ruler. All your subjects will see is a man who seeks to deceive people to their doom. I at least hope for your sake that Odin is still in fact alive?"
"Of course," Loki said. "I'm not a monster."
The Doctor didn't say a word.
"So, Doctor," Loki said. "Where do we go from here?"
"Not truly sure." The Doctor said. "I took the time to study the kingdom under your rule. No poverty, no cruel enforcement, and no actual sign of cruel rule. Personally, I feel you would have had a much easier time if you had served your sentence then found a way to rule naturally."
"You don't know my past nor my nature," Loki said. "Both prevent me from reaching the throne. Deception was the only way."
"I'll admit, you have arguably done very well to have gotten this far. But you also strike me as a person who has tried to rule by deception before. This strikes me as an act of desperation, not brilliance."
Loki glared.
"Honesty might be your only chance, find a moment where you can reveal yourself, a moment of heroism and the people might change their mind about you."
"And how would you propose I do that?" Loki said.
"You're clever, you'll think of something," the Doctor said. "However, I wish to make sure Odin is safe. He is the first you must convince of your 'honest rule'."
"He's been my prisoner." Loki scowled
"Which should make your plea for appeal that much more hilarious." The Doctor said with a grin. "Unless you want to try your luck with the rest of the throne room?"
Loki didn't have anything to say. So instead the two men went to see the All-Father. He was kept in a cell, secure and unknown except to Loki. They spent several hours arguing, discussing, and ultimately agreeing to wait until Loki could prove himself.
This was not a gift but a challenge and Loki knew he could not fail again.
So Loki and Doctor had a discussion about Gallifrey. Loki knew nothing of it. He said, however, that when it came to illusion that there was only so long an illusion may last.
"If I were you," Loki said. "I'd make sure you're the first one to find it. I assume if a whole world has to vanish, they made many enemies after all."
The Doctor decided he had spent enough time chatting, especially since Loki's theory carried a far more realistic weight than he was comfortable with.
The Doctor was escorted back to the Tardis, where he had a moment to talk things over with Heimdall.
"You knew," The Doctor said. "All this time, you knew Loki was… who he was."
"A common cell could never hold the All-Father or Loki," Heimdall said. "What better entrapment than to force Loki to serve the people, to realize what it takes to have an honest rule. All of this is being well contained."
"Shame you have to lie to the people."
"It's the only way to give Loki freedom that will keep him alive."
The Doctor nodded.
"Why didn't you expose Loki's deception?"
"Simple really," the Doctor said. "I've never met a man or woman I don't believe lacks the potential to be better than they were. To simply end a person and any chance of being more is one of the worst crimes and one can perform and I hope to never do it again."
"And you believe in Gallifrey you can achieve this peace?"
"I can try." The Doctor said with a smile.
Heimdall smiled back.
"Doctor, I cannot say for certain where Gallifrey is, in relation to your travels," Heimdall said. "It is very well hidden."
"I wouldn't expect much less from me." The Doctor said with a sigh.
"But it is out there." Heimdall said.
The Doctor looked at the all-seeing guard. A word of hope at last, not much but certainly better than none. So with a nod, the Doctor turned and began his travels again. Asgard was well looked after, and he needed to do the same for his own world before it was too late.