"Rose River" AU:
'Athenaeum'
Chapter Nine
A/N: After going round and round, I decided to not get too involved with the actual proceedings. It detracted from the story more than anything else. Sorry for the wait. This has been making me crazy.
The Laurentian High Court chamber can house up to eight thousand souls in relative comfort. Octagonal in design, spectators and officials are seated in six sections along the matching outer walls and down, much like a stadium. The other two walls are taken up completely by the bench of the Judges, of which are thirteen. The bench itself was half as high as the furthest seating in the back rows, and arched in a crescent with the top of the arc in the middle. The entirety of the bench is protected by invisible force fields.
Three raised dais were situated in the center of the chamber, and formed the points of an equilateral triangle - of which, there's an elaborate lined design on the floor, connecting them. From their honor's point of view, the prosecutorial representatives sat on the furthest to the right, while the representatives for the defence are on the far left. Witnesses are taken to the central dais, either from a rear stair, transmat, or an underground stair in the case of the accused. A raised walking platform arcs from the defence to the prosecutorial dais and goes between the witness and the bench for questioning.
Arbiter Xarannon and her team of five were looking quite bored, which was the intent of course. The defence team's demand for Rose was intended as a legal tactic to cull the prosecution into a corner. If she didn't appear, a lot of evidence could be thrown out - up to and including the rather damning video recording. The Doctor's disregard for politics or anything having to do with official functions was rather well known, and they were counting on this.
"The Prosecution calls Lady Rose of Gallifrey to offer testimony," Arbiter Xarannon announced.
Much to the surprise of the rather rotund and ruddy complected Raxacoricofallapatorian Defence Arbitor, a transmat beam appeared, revealing a rather stunning woman in white and gold. She first looked to Martiella and smiled, then turned to him and glared.
He inhaled sharply, and then audibly swallowed as things just became infinitely more complicated.
The TARDIS monitor changed from a station identification logo for channel BW-1138 to the interior of the High Court. Camera angles were in a grid, and some of the other floating cameras could be seen in their backgrounds. One of the images enlarged to take up the screen.
This image was one of the Justices. A Raxacoricofallapatorian, her skin tone was a light green and she was wearing midnight blue robes of her office. The Caption underneath her read: High Justice Jran Del-Vreesh Megret-Blon Vareen, Planet Raxacoricofallapatorius.
John and the Doctor had matching grins on their faces when they read the name on the screen. "You think?" John asked.
"Oh, I can definitely see the family resemblance," the Doctor said. "Always wondered which family Blon was fostered to," he tittered a giggle.
John shook his head in amusement. "Wonder how many generations ago that was?"
"We can ask, I guess," the Doctor said.
John chuckled. "It's a funny old world."
'This is the forty fourth day of our continued coverage of the Marizipani trial. Arbiter Xarannon has assured the court that the mother of one of the detainees will appear, even though the defence has yet to confirm that they were able to deliver the summons. The mother, of course, being the wife of the revered or notorious Time Lord known as the Doctor, depending upon whom you ask. I must admit that I have my doubts of the validity of this, but Arbiter Xarannon isn't known for making bluffs in the court room. Oh, and it looks like she's up now. Let's see what happens.'
'The Prosecution calls Lady Rose of Gallifrey to offer testimony.' The picture changed to view the witness podium and had smaller images in the corners for the defence and prosecutorial arbiters. An atypical light gold transmat beam revealed a woman in elaborate dress, and a hushed murmur could be heard from the spectators. The image of the Defence Arbiter showed his look of wide eyed surprise.
'I wouldn't have believed it,' the announcer stated rather quietly. 'Honestly, I'm not sure which disturbs me more, that she's here, or that she's the bride of...' Another voice cut in, 'Let's just listen, shall we?' Then back to the original. 'I'm not... Durnur, what does your monitor show?' There's a grumble and a sound of something being struck. 'Apologies, ladies and gentlemen. While I can assure you that there is nothing physically wrong with Lady Rose, it would appear that there is some sort of interference around her face, much like what happened with the recorded evidence.'
John looked up from the monitor to his brother, who was staring back at him with a questioning look. "Well I didn't do it," John said. The Doctor shrugged, then they both looked to the time rotor. "Did you do that?" they asked at the same time.
Yes, my Beloveds. There is no reason that anyone should know what she looks like, and I am preserving the timeline at the same time.
"Why didn't I think of that?" they muttered. Chuckling, they glanced at each other, then gave the console a pat and said "Thanks dear."
The Doctor could feel Rose's nervousness, and he bolstered her confidence. Simple thing, really, but giving her his internal support and guidance over the more fastidious complexities of galactic court was the least he could do. Plus, his own robes made it clear to her that he'd jump in if she got in over her head.
And of course, that happened within ten minutes of the defence's somewhat flustered badgering of her. "Sod it. I've had enough of this," the Doctor grumbled as he pulled the demat lever rather hard. John grinned devilishly at the reactions on the screen from the TARDIS's arrival. He crossed his arms and leaned against the railing, smirking, while his brother blew out of the TARDIS doors in a streak of gold. The TARDIS herself made her displeasure known through the loud bang that occurred when she shut her doors behind him, echoing through the chamber.
'And what's this? Oh... Oh my... By the Saints, it's the Doctor.' The screen changed to show a Vinvocce male in the upper corner of the screen: the announcer. 'Yes, ladies and gentlepeople, it would appear that the Doctor himself is coming to testify. I would imagine that this will generate some outrage from the defence, but as his bride said... '
Rose glowered at the reddish Raxacoricofallapatorian Arbiter. He was doing his best to turn things around so that it appeared that it was their fault that Jenny was on the planet at all. Even up to and including child endangerment of all things. When the breeze and grinding of the TARDIS engines started up behind her, she grinned darkly at the reaction that got out of the man. "Now you've done it," she said quietly. "You've gone and evoked the Oncomming Storm. Good luck to you."
Jenny found herself on the same mountainside as before. She stood there and simply stared at the lightening of the horizon. The purples, blues, and reds of the nebula started to fade into a dark orange as the sky brightened. She didn't know what this place was, but decided that it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
Someone took a hold of her left hand. Turning her head, she saw that same woman from the other dream. "Hello, dear one," the woman said.
"Who are you?" Jenny asked with a face full of confusion. "I know you said you're a friend, but... I don't understand."
Turning to face her, the woman took her other hand and smiled. "I appeared around you and took you from that awful place." While true, the cryptic answer only deepened the frown that was on Jenny's face. "I'm the ship your father pilots."
Jenny blinked. "You're an A.I.?"
The woman smiled and shook her head. "No, dear. I am the ship, as alive as you are."
Oddly enough, that satisfied Jenny. Still though, that didn't mask the look of surprise on her face. "Okay. Strange as that is, I believe you. How did you find me?" She was distracted when the first rays of the sun lit up the mountainside. Looking down, she saw the trees light up in a brilliant display. She cooed at the sight. "What is this place? It's so pretty."
"This is what was of your heritage." Jenny snapped her head to her with a look of surprise. "I keep the memory of it alive for my pilot - who is your father - his lifemate, his twin, and now you, precious."
Jenny's mouth hung open. "This is his home planet. The one he said was lost at the end of that war." The woman nodded. "What was its name?"
"Gallifrey," she said, "heart of the seven systems. We're standing on the mountain that House Shanfei* - the House your father came from - took its name: Mount Fei."** She turned and pointed up the mountain. "The cave where you first appeared was the one where your father was initially tutored."
Turning back to Jenny, she smiled. "As to how I found you..." A strange melody started to whisper around them, and Jenny inhaled a gasp as she recognized the music.
Swallowing, Jenny whispered. "That's the same music I kept hearing... for months."
The woman smiled, but her expression was sad. "I heard your scream when your mind expanded, but I couldn't be there. So I sang to you while you slept. It was the only way I could let you know that you were going to be safe."
Jenny tilted her head. "Why didn't you come sooner?"
"Your parents had to know that you still lived first." The woman looked remorseful. "I cannot go where they do not lead, even though I can send them places they didn't intend. The time for your rescue was fixed. I'm very sorry."
Looking at her bowed head, Jenny reached up and lifted her chin so she could look in her eyes. "I'm alive. Thank you," she said with a smile.
"You're welcome." Two reclined chairs appeared next to them. "Now, let's see what we can do to repair what that daft progination machine did to your biology." She motioned towards the chairs, and waited till they were both seated before she continued. "It's best to do this now, while you are unconscious. Your parents and uncle are otherwise occupied, so now will be the perfect time to make you better."
Sitting perched on her hip, Jenny looked confused. "What do I have to do?" She paused. "What's your name? I feel really ignorant not knowing."
The woman opened her mouth to speak. Instead of words though, several jingling bell tones came from her. "I know you can't pronounce that now, but you can call me TARDIS. It's an acronym for what I am, but it will suffice. Your father and I annoy one other by calling each other by our species names."
Jenny chuckled. "You sound like you're married or something."
"It's a bit deeper than that," TARDIS said with a grin. "I am a ship, and he is my pilot. We are linked together much like he and his wife are, but on a completely different level of awareness."
"Is she really my mother?" Jenny asked.
TARDIS smiled. "In a very real sense, yes. She was the one who forced me to land on Messaline, and I could tell she was the one that meddled with your father's genes to create you. You almost look just like her."
Jenny frowned. "I've never seen her before."
"Time is very fluid," TARDIS said. "She influenced me from my personal past while we were joined."
Jenny gave her a look. "I don't know how, but I actually understood that." The TARDIS giggled at that. A strange light from below got Jenny's attention. Looking down, she saw that her hands were glowing. Feeling a light buzzing at her temples startled her, and she rubbed them with her fingers. "What's going on?"
"I'm tending your genome," TARDIS said. "Just be grateful that you're asleep. It would be extremely painful if we did this while you were conscious." She reached over and took Jenny's hand. "Try not to worry or think about it. We can talk about whatever you like to pass the time."
Jenny thought for a moment, then looked up. "Tell me about my parents?"
"I protest this blatant attack on our character!" The Doctor thundered as soon as the door shut behind him. He immediately took Rose's hand, who squeezed his in gratitude as she was about to tell the man off. "We are not on trial here!" he continued. "We were summoned to confirm the testimony that was broadcast! Nothing Else!"
The head Justice nodded and struck a small bell that was next to her. "The Lead Arbiter for the Defence is out of order," her voice reverberated.
This caused Feltesh to turn around and stare at her with wide eyes. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, especially since they were the same species. "Your honor!"
She rang the bell again. "You will be seated, or excused from these proceedings. These gentle people are witnesses for the prosecution, not the defence. You have no right to question their character. Sit. Down." Feltesh held his tongue and stalked back to the Defence Podium, incensed.
Looking to the Prosecution, Justice Vareen inclined her head. "You may question the witnesses, Arbiter Xarannon.
John's attention was drawn to the ceiling by a flash of light. Looking around the 'rafters', he noticed something was missing. "Dear, what are you up to? Where's the Arch?"
I'm taking care of Jenny's genome while she's asleep.
"What?" John shrieked, alarmed to his bones. "Why? She's too fragile for that now!" He turned to run into the corridor, only to find the door missing. "Stop!"
Try not to worry. She is in no danger. And stop beating on the wall. You're giving me a headache. Behave, or I'll knock you out. Hmm. Maybe I should anyway so you can join in our conversation?
Stop Hitting Me, Metaxikalsigitismar!
John involuntarily froze mid swing at the evoking of his name. Backing up, he glared at the ceiling. "Dirty pool, old girl. That was hardly fair."
I'm bonded to your brother, not you. I let you pilot because of him, nothing else. Keep doing this, and I won't let you any more.
Huffing, he walked back to the jumpseat and plopped himself down with the sound of breaking glass coming from his mouth.
Don't swear. It's beneath you. Don't distract them either with this. I promise everything will be all right.
"Better be," John grumbled.
Jenny's mouth was hanging open. "How Awful! I couldn't imagine losing someone like that!" She paused and looked concerned when TARDIS started holding her head in obvious pain. "What's the matter?"
"You're uncle found out what I'm doing and is causing a ruckus," she explained. "Just a moment." She closed her eyes briefly. "There. Sorted." Then she flinched. "That man has such a mouth on him!"
*Shanfei is a transcription of Lungbarrow, a name I abhor, from English to transliterated Chinese. Barrow means hill, and hill in Chinese is shan.
**Fei - Lung
