Chapter Four
Anakin's Fate
The party of five headed back to the temple after Qui-Gon remembered that he was supposed to deliver Anakin to the Temple for testing. The Doctor had lightly protested this, but River silenced him easily enough as they entered the temple.
There were plenty of stares at the small party as they moved towards the Council lift, but nobody stopped them as Qui-Gon was a well-recognized Master of the Order.
The Doctor stopped Anakin at the entrance of the Council and knelt down to eye level, "I want you to remember that you don't have anything to fear from the Jedi in there. Sure they're old and intimidating and could probably kill you a half…
"Doctor!" River cut him off sharply.
"Right," the Doctor smiled, "Be yourself and don't be afraid. They're more afraid of what you represent."
"They're afraid of me?" Anakin asked.
"Has Qui-Gon told you his suspicions of your role with the Jedi yet?" Anakin nodded, "If you bring balance to the Force, several know that there will be change and a lot of them don't like the thought that a boy could represent that for them."
Qui-Gon stepped up behind him, "The Doctor could be right, Anakin. I have long said the council is arrogant and blind to a lot of what goes on around the galaxy."
"Master, you shouldn't turn him against the Council. They're going to try to do what is best for the boy." Obi-Wan countered.
"Of course they are, Obi-Wan. But you should be mindful of this too, they're not all powerful, despite their station within the Order. Respected, yes, but remember that despite what they tell you, Anakin, I will train you."
River took Obi-Wan aside as Anakin was ushered into the room by Qui-Gon, "Kenobi, I know that you're thinking your Master is pushing you aside for someone more powerful or important. He already thinks you're ready for the trials and wants to begin the transition to friend, rather than Padawan. Remember this over the next few days."
Obi-Wan looked thoughtful before nodding and the three waited for Qui-Gon to return, "Do you know what's going to happen with him?"
"Spoilers." River grinned.
"Of course."
Despite the protests of half the council, Yoda allowed the Doctor and River into the chamber to listen to their verdict of Anakin's fate.
"Then he will be trained?"
"No, he will not." Mace was saying as if that was final.
"You're going to need him." The Doctor muttered.
"What?" Mace turned his attention to the Doctor sitting behind the council ring and next to his ship.
"I said that you shouldn't turn him away, Master Winnn-du."
"More on this matter you have?" Yoda asked.
"You're turning away a powerful boy on the same day you've received evidence of the Sith returning."
"The Sith are extinct."
"So because you declare them extinct that must make it so." River rolled her eyes, "I'll make sure to remember that later when you claim that we weren't here too."
The Doctor smirked at River's remark and stood up, pulling out his sonic and pointing it for a snap shot at Windu and then Yoda, "It's interesting that you would continue to say that, but while I was at the Senate, I did the same quick scan there at a certain individual and you know what the results were? The same as when I just scanned you for weapons, a lightsaber."
"We would know if there was a force user within the Senate." Mace answered.
"A scan you say?" Yoda countered, "The Dark side, stronger it has become. Beginning to cloud our future, it does."
"I'm not going to reveal…"
"I saw you…"
"Anakin, not another word." The Doctor looked at the boy and he nodded, keeping his mouth shut. It certainly piqued the interest of the Masters in the room, but the Doctor kept talking to draw the attention away from what was said, "You are trying to alienate this boy, a powerful Force strong individual by your standards, just because he's too old? Sure he might have attachments and is fearful of losing people. But you all are guilty of that with every single of your padawans. Qui-Gon is ready to throw away his career because of this boy, and Obi-Wan is going to no doubt follow his Master if it came down to it. Are you really willing to divide several of the most powerful of the order because of your stubbornness?"
"It doesn't matter right now. Time is short." Mace answered, "The Queen called for a vote of no confidence against the chancellor and she is preparing to head back to Naboo. The boy's fate will be determined later. You both are to return with the Queen and protect her. Doctor, I don't know what you and your companion are planning to do…"
"We were actually going to head out for the night. Though I would certainly recommend another Master to join the entourage, just in case the time traveler is right about it being a Sith."
"Changed history would, if sent another we did?" Yoda answered and seeing the hesitation added, "Right, am I?"
The Doctor glanced at Yoda for a long minute before nodding, "Possibly."
"Then remain, the two with the Queen." Yoda answered.
"We shall take our leave then." The Doctor nodded to River who frowned but nodded regardless, "It has been a pleasure. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin. I'm sure that we'll meet again. Master Yoda, always interesting to meet somebody that is almost as old as I am."
Before anybody could ask about that last statement, both the Doctor and his companion entered the blue box and within seconds, the Tardis vanished.
So this is the end of the story and while I have a partial written into the beginning of the AotC, I realized that I'm not really changing anything major and I'm not sure if I wanted to write a huge change in the whole cannon. The Doctor isn't really a combat fighter, sure, he fights a lot of battles, but it is mostly in a clever way kind of like scanning Palpatine and then casually pointing out that he had to the Masters in the council. But aside from that, I don't know what else I can do in the 'verse that the Doctor would actually do. Thanks for reading and I hope that you read my other stories. I'm about to start on an epic HP/SG1 cross that is five chapters done with several dozen to go. Reviews always encourage my writing.