"Hello again," Mystery replied, relatively proud of how calm her voice sounded. "It's been a long time."
"Has it?" the Moment asked, inspecting one jet-black nail. "Feels like only moments ago to me." She winked. "But I do lose track. How long is long?"
"Oh, about ten years," Mystery told her. "I imagine that wouldn't be much at all to you."
"Not a bit," Bad Wolf informed her. "Not even a breath in the lifespan of a universe."
"Perhaps not," answered Mystery coolly, "but for a human, ten years is a great deal. A lot can happen in ten years."
"I won't dispute that." The Moment eyed her closely, and Mystery got the uncomfortable feeling that the last decade of her life was being closely examined. "Like your engagement?"
"Mystery?"
Mystery shook herself a bit, realizing as if from a distance that the Doctor was trying to catch her attention. "Yes, sorry, I'm here, I'm fine," she said quickly, swallowing the sudden surge of guilt that threatened to choke her.
"Who are you talking to?" he asked, glancing askance at the simple box sitting on the platform. Mystery glared at the Moment, who shrugged slightly, smiling fondly at the Time Lord.
"Hello, Doctor," she said softly, then waved a hand. Instantly, the Doctor went totally still. Looking around, Mystery could see that every other person in the room, even Missy, was completely frozen. Frowning, Mystery laid two fingers on her wrist, then glared accusingly at the Moment.
"Did you just stop time?"
"Temporarily, yes." Bad Wolf sighed, looking vaguely bored. "I hate having conversations be interrupted," she explained. "They'll never know."
"Suppose I tell them?" Mystery said archly, raising an eyebrow.
The Moment laughed. "You won't," she answered easily. "Because then you'd have to explain why you weren't panicking, and then you'd have to tell all about our last meeting… what you learned. The beautiful and terrible thing about deception," she added, "is that it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and you just can't stop. And the longer you wait, the harder it gets."
Mystery flushed angrily. She was caught and she knew it. "Why me?" she asked petulantly, knowing she sounded like a child. "Why am I always the only one who can see you? Who can hear you?"
"Because it's always you," the Moment told her seriously. "Haven't you noticed? Whenever you're with the Doctor, everything that happens to him, and anyone with him, happens because of you. Did you think that was typical? You're the key, Mystery, the center, the crux of every adventure, and I can promise you this one will be no different."
"Yes, but why? What's so special about me? I mean, yes, I know, I'm a unique creation and all that," she said quickly, frustrated, "but the Doctor's run into all sorts of oddities over the years. That can't be what separates me. So what is it?"
Bad Wolf smiled, eyes glowing gold. "Nothing," she said simply.
Mystery stared. "Nothing?" she repeated, disbelieving. "You can't be serious."
"Oh, but I am. The conscience of the most powerful weapon in the world can't afford to make jokes, not when there's no much at stake. And there is a tremendous amount at stake," the Moment added. "Uncountable lives hang in the balance."
"Don't they always?" Mystery muttered, turning her back on the Moment and sitting on the edge of the platform.
"Where you are concerned, yes," the Moment answered. When Mystery glanced up, the mysterious blonde woman was curled comfortably in one of the swivel chairs set up near the controls, watching her closely.
"Alright, alright, back up." Mystery shook her head to clear it. "You said that nothing makes me any different from anyone else."
"Not in general, no," Bad Wolf answered. "Of course, if you'd like to get into specifics…"
"No, that's alright," said Mystery hastily. "But if there's no differential, why am I so bloody important?"
"Because what you've done and what you mean," Bad Wolf answered enigmatically. "Missy did what she did to you because she'd already seen what you would do. You did what you did and became who you are because she forced it on you. She chose you because you are important, and you are important because she chose you."
Mystery sat back, trying to wrap her mind around that. "So there actually is nothing?"
"Not a thing. Don't misunderstand," the Moment added, "I'm not saying you aren't a remarkable young woman. Because you are, you know. Certainly not everyone could bear what you have borne and emerge with their sanity intact. You are a true victim of circumstance, and I wouldn't have you think of it any other way." She smiled slightly. "I know how easily egos can bruise."
"Be careful," Mystery said, allowing a hint of bitterness to creep into her voice. "People might start to think you care."
"What people?" the Moment asked, spreading her arms wide. "It's only you and I in the universe."
Mystery sighed. "Did you have something real to say?" she asked wearily. "Or just more riddles? I'm really not in the mood."
Bad Wolf shrugged. "Suit yourself." She waved her hand lazily and disappeared. Suddenly everything started back to life.
"Mystery?" the Doctor asked again. "Who's talking to you?"
"And how did you get on the floor?" Jack asked, somewhat suspiciously. Mystery realized with a start that they had seen her standing up only seconds ago and hurriedly got to her feet.
"It's nothing," she said hastily. "Just… I recognized that box, and, well…" She paused, hating herself for lying and hating the Moment for being right. "Really, it's nothing. Don't worry about me," she finished lamely. The Doctor gave her a long, lingering look, but said nothing more.
Mystery shifted uncomfortably, conscious of the confusion and suspicion radiating off both River and Jack. She turned away from their gazes in time to see the Doctor striding over to Missy.
"So I assume you're using the Moment to do all of that?" he asked, gesturing to the screen. Missy nodded smugly.
"Incredible, isn't it?" she said, almost fondly. "So much power, in such a tiny little thing."
"But I thought it had a conscience," Mystery said carefully. "To make certain you're sure of what you're doing?"
"So I've heard," Missy answered lightly. "If so, I never saw it. Perhaps it knew my mind couldn't possibly be changed." She smiled triumphantly. "Or perhaps it agreed with me."
Mystery thought back suddenly to her first meeting with the Moment. "You're a conscience," she had said. "The best guard in the universe, so only the most convinced people can use it."
"Or the maddest." the mysterious woman had replied. The answer still gave her chills. She glanced up, right into the Moment's stare. "And which do you think she is?" she asked softly from her perch on the platform, her golden eyes boring into Mystery's.
Mystery looked at Missy, so proud of the destruction she was wreaking, then at the Doctor, adamant that this would not go on. "Both," she whispered.
"Agreed?" the Doctor repeated incredulously. "You think that the most powerful machine in the entire universe, a weapon built by our people, would agree with you? You're destroying thousands of planets and millions of lives, we never condoned that!"
"Our people?" Mystery heard Jack whisper to River. "Is she a Time Lord too, then?"
"It would explain all the 'you humans' business she's been going on about," was River's murmured reply.
"Is it really so hard to believe?" Missy asked, arching one thin brow. "I'll remind you that these are the same people who waged a war across time and space. They probably destroyed just as many planets themselves. You really think they'd let a little thing like that stop them?"
"But the Moment… The conscience… How…" The Doctor trailed off, at a loss for words.
"I do what is right for my people," Missy informed him. "Just like the High Council did all those years ago. Just as you did, Doctor. Surely that's a cause even you can get behind."
"A weapon guarded by its own conscience. The perfect safeguard," River said softly from behind him. "Except they forgot one thing, those Time Lord creators." The stare she laid on Missy was cold and heavy. "It can't appeal to someone if they haven't got a conscience themselves."
Mystery, however, was looking at the Moment. "How could you?" she whispered. "All those planets, don't they mean anything to you?"
The Moment shrugged slightly. "Should they?" she asked. "I was created to serve the Time Lords. Their interests are mine. I judge this to be for their greater good. If it doesn't bother her at all," she added, nodding to Missy, "should it bother me?"
The Doctor threw up his hands and turned away. "Get to the point," he said softly, dangerously. "I assume there is some point to all of this, and you haven't just brought me here to torment me?"
"Oh, poor lad." Missy patted his cheek. "Of course there's a point, there's always a point. I already told you, remember? Haven't you worked it out yet? Haven't you guessed?" She leaned in close, placing her bright red lips right next to his ear. "I'm going to use the Moment to pull every planet in the sky through a black hole into another universe," she murmured. "And eventually, Gallifrey will be the only one left."
"No," the Doctor said softly, "no, you can't, it can't-" He sounded almost… helpless.
She smiled, her mouth a razor slash of triumph. "What do you say, Doctor?" she breathed. "Gallifrey is found."
A.N: Hello again, loves! Back again with yet another chapter for you. The climax is drawing ever closer, and I'm enjoying myself tremendously. Honestly, I think the Moment is my favorite character to write. She really should be in more things, I think. She's just delightful. The whole cast of this story, really, is an absolute joy. I shall miss them when this is over. Although it would be nice to write for another Doctor. I haven't done that in ages.
Thank you all ever so much for reviewing, as ever. I am very pleased to announce that this story has just reached 1k views, which is exciting. Also, Mystery Girl has hit the 15k milestone, which is insane. Thank you all, my dears.
-Forever the Optimist