A/N I apologize that the last few chapters and this one have been a large amount of re-hashings of the episode transcripts. I needed to build some characterization of Katari, and this chapter in particular shows a lot of her thoughts. From here on out the chapters will be mostly new material.
Her attempt at pretending to be the Doctor had failed. Katari wished she had spent more time studying in the Doctor's library, perhaps there were intergalactic law books that may have helped. Think, think, what else would the Doctor do? Alex, Harriet Jones' assistant, was translating for the Sycorax leader who was now circling her and mocking her acting. His language made the threats sound even more imposing…Wait, I understood that. Her eyes grew wide at the Sycorax leader.
Alex and Harriet Jones echoed her thoughts before she looked at the leader herself, "You're talking English."
The leader growled, "I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile!"
"That's English," Katari pointed at him. She paused and turned around, "Can you hear English?" Perhaps she was losing her mind after all.
Mickey and Alex agreed as the leader continued to deny it.
Rapidly, her mind flipped through the meaning, "If I can hear English…then it's being translated. Which means it's working. Which means…" Cautiously Katari turned around, almost afraid that she was incorrect. But then the doors opened and he was there. The Doctor. Her heart flew to her throat and she swallowed a gasp.
"Did you miss me?"
Despite her confusion about the new Doctor, she blinked back tears of happiness, and smiled brightly.
The Doctor grabbed the Sycorax leader's whip and snatched it away, "You could have someone's eye out with that!"
Okay, he hasn't changed that much. She stared in wonder as the Doctor continued by breaking the Sycorax's staff over his knee. And still enjoys pissing off angry aliens, I see.
By now the Doctor was greeting Mickey and Harriet before turning back to Katari. "Tea! That's all I needed! A good cup of tea! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannin. Just the thing for healing the synapses…Now…first thing's first…be honest. How do I look?"
Katari wanted to laugh but withheld, "Um…different."
"Good different or bad different?"
"Just...different."
His gaze was very serious, "Am I…ginger?"
"No, you're just sort of brown."
He spun around, "Aww, I wanted to be ginger. I've never been ginger." He turned back, "And you, Katharina Ariel, fat lot of good you were – you gave up on me—oh, that's rude. That's the sort of man I am now, am I? Rude. Rude and not ginger."
Does he not trust me now? Katari breathed deeply as the Doctor began explaining himself to Harriet Jones.
"Did you win the election?"
"Landslide majority," Harriet Jones beamed.
"If I might interrupt!" The Sycorax leader had been so quiet, Katari seemed shocked he was there. She watched the Doctor begin his reasoning, first mocking the leader's voice, then discover the button, pondering aloud its possibilities. He certainly talks more than the last Doctor… An eyebrow raised with surprise as he licked the blood from his finger. Thaaat's new…
"Ahh. But that means…blood control—Blood control! Oh! I haven't seen blood control for years! You're controlling all the A Positives! Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. 'Cuz I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a Great Big Threatening Button Which Should Never Ever Be Pressed…then I just wanna do this." Katari gasped as he slammed the button.
"No!" Her yell was echoed by Harriet Jones.
Alex followed them, "You killed them!"
The Doctor spoke to the Sycorax leader with a smirk, "What do you think, big fella? Are they dead?"
"We allow them to live."
"Allow? You've no choice!" The Doctor launched into a rambling explanation of the blood control. Katari pondered as he spoke. He still has that undeniable confidence…It is still sexy.
"From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun. There is more to see than can ever be seen…"
She had a finger raised in the air, mouth open as if to stop him.
"More to do than—no, hold on…Sorry, that's The Lion King."
With a chuckle, she lowered her finger, Thought he'd catch on… But then her smile vanished as the Doctor grabbed a sword and challenged the Sycorax. Is he well enough now? What if…
