I do not own Doctor Who or the BBC.
Chapter Seven
"Now, you listen to me! You cannot detain me here any longer! Do you know who I am? Well? Do you?" exclaimed the man in the holding cell.
"I know who you claim to be. And if you are who you say you are, then I'm the bleeding prime minister." replied the UNIT guard.
"I need to contact the Doctor!"
"Oh shut it!"
Then came the familiar grind of the TARDIS engines.
"That sound! I know that sound!" exclaimed the man in the cell. "He's come for me! Now you'll see who I am. And then I'll have you prosecuted for treason!"
After Ten's TARDIS fully materialized, Ten exited, and quickly closed the door behind him. The UNIT guard stood at attention and saluted the Doctor. "Sir! It is an honor, Sir!"
"Oh, put your hand down. Doesn't UNIT tell it's men that I don't like salutes?" Ten said.
"Yes, Sir!"
"And enough of this 'Sir' nonsense. Call me 'Doctor,' call me 'Doc' - no wait, that sounds wrong, don't call me 'Doc.'"
"Yes, Sir-I mean...yes, Doctor."
"Very good, now ol' chap, I hear that there is a man here claiming to be a very good friend of mine - a man called Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - is that so?"
"Doctor? Is that you?" exclaimed the Brigadier.
"Sir Alistair, of course it's me!"
"You've changed your face again!"
"Oh, yes I have, more than just a few times since I last saw you."
"This man threw me in this cell. This is treason that cannot be tolerated!"
"Actually, Brigadier, you've travelled in time. This is the twenty-first century."
"The twenty-first century? But it was 1973 just yesterday! What year is it now?"
"A couple of different years, I believe. Time is fluid and running together. But I can definitely tell that this is the twenty-first century."
The Brigadier sat back in his cell. "The twenty-first century. Amazing."
"Well, don't feel too bad. You aren't the only one who's been displaced in the wrong time. There are others. In fact, there are two more of me inside the TARDIS!"
"Three of you at once? Well, doesn't that sound familiar?"
"Yes, I suppose it does."
The Doctor and his friend shared a hearty laugh. But as the laughter died down, both men's gaze fixed on the UNIT guard. The guard stood at attention, oblivious to what was going on around him.
"Ahem." The Doctor said, "You think you could let the Brigadier out of his cell?"
"Oh, well, I'll need to go secure permission from my superiors first. Shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes."
"Well then go get it! We will wait here." The Doctor assured the young guard.
The guard left the detention center and rushed off to find his superiors. After the guard was out of sight, the Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his coat pocket, unlocked the cell, and led his friend into the TARDIS.
"Doctor?" the Brigadier asked, "Who is that woman plugging her ears and humming?"
"Hmm?" asked the Doctor, "Oh, that's just Jackie. Ignore her. If we're lucky, she won't open her eyes for a while."
Ten and Brigadier entered into Nine's TARDIS, and then into Eleven's. This is where everyone else was waiting. "Brigadier!" called Nine and Eleven.
"Brigadier, these two are me, this is Rose Tyler, Martha Jones: soldier of UNIT, Donna Noble, River Song and River Song...I don't know her."
"But I do." Eleven said.
"Nice to see you again, Brig." Nine said, "How've you been doing?"
"Well, I just saw you the other day. Although I suppose that was a while ago for you."
"Well then what time are you from?" Eleven asked.
"Excuse me," Martha interrupted, "But is this really the time for catching up?"
"No, I suppose not." replied the Brigadier. "So, you're a soldier of UNIT?"
"Yes, Sir."
"She also traveled with me for a year." Ten said.
"Ah, another companion." said the Brigadier, as he looked around the TARDIS, "You've redecorated, I see - - what is that?!"
"What's what?" asked Eleven as he turned to look where the Brigadier was looking. Ten and Nine did the same, as did the companions.
All eyes were fixed in the corner of the TARDIS. There stood a seven-foot tall being in a black suit. Its eyes were hidden in the caverns of its brow. Its skin was a pale gray. Its hand consisted of three monstrous fingers. There it hung in the corner of the ceiling, evidently sleeping. It was one of the memory-proof beings that led the religion of the Silence.
"But that's not possible!" exclaimed Eleven, "You were all destroyed!"
"What is it?" asked Ten.
"A memory-proof being known as the Silent. Its people lead the Order of the Silence. As soon as you look away from it, you will forget you ever saw it."
"What?" Ten exclaimed.
"My pens. I've got to get my pens from the drawer here." said Eleven.
"But, Doctor" Martha started, "You said you were out of pens."
"I wouldn't be out of pens!" Eleven said, "I keep an abundant supply of pens and markers in case I ever run into these creatures."
"What good would that do?"
"I use them to make little hash marks on my arm whenever I see them. Ensures that after I forget them, that I still remember that they're there."
"You need pens? I've got one!" The Brigadier yelled.
"SSSSHHH!" said everyone to the Brigadier.
"Sorry!" whispered the Brigadier as he made a tiny hash mark on his arm. "Here, pass the pen along."
Everyone took the pen, and made a mark on their arm.
"It's odd though." Eleven said, "Usually, they travel in groups. Also, they're supposed to be dead."
The Brigadier reached for his pistol in his holster, but came up empty-handed. "Those imbeciles at UNIT took my weapon!"
"Doctor? It's stirring!" Donna pointed out, "What do we do?"
"What does it want?" Rose asked.
"The only thing the Silence has ever wanted..." Eleven said, "To kill me!"