CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ACQUISITIONS

Underneath the golden light of the twin suns the Capitol of the One True Gallifrey twinkled in its own magnificence, inside Infinity Chambers CIA, House Military, Agents observed the growing distortion around Gallifrey's original sector, seeing the encroaching Faction Paradox ships, still others watched Dronid. Their agent had stopped communications a short while ago.

Romana stood before a meeting of the Council discussing just who was to be sent to contain the situation if it went too far; the High Council wanted to place and officer of their own choosing in charge. Whilst Romana wanted, voluntarily of course, the Doctor to take charge, he certainly was the most qualified.

Cardinal Senec of the Arcalians was droning on about the need for an 'impartial non-politically motivated commander' when Narvin's comm. Unit began to chirp, before even the Co-ordinator could react Romana was on her feet dismissing the High Council.

"If you'll excuse the Co-ordinator we have something we need to discuss," Romana ordered already leading Narvin into the inner sanctum of her office.

Narvin was already activating the holographic emitter causing the small image of one of the TARDIS traffic Control Monitors to appear.

"Apologies for interrupting the Council Meeting, Co-ordinator, Madam President." The young looking Monitor began.

"No apologies necessary Monitor, if there's something important I insist you interrupt whatever High Council Meeting I happen to be in," Romana told the Monitor, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

The Monitor inclined his head.

"I was just reporting that Agent Ace is bringing her TARDIS in for materialisation in TARDIS cradle nine,"

"Very well Monitor, thanks for the warning, convey the message that we will be meeting her there, Narvin out." Narvin closed the link, he looked up at Romana and extended his arm, Romana glanced at the offered limb, up to Narvin's eyes before linker her arm with his as they left the office.

The journey to the designated bay took around ten minutes, long enough for Ace to have arrived and be pacing around in circles when they arrived, when Ace saw the approaching duo she stood to attention.

"Agent Ace, I ordered you to shadow the Doctor, why have you returned?" Narvin asked as he looked at the notepad Ace clutched in her hands.

"The Doctor found me, he wanted be to get these Matrix codes," Ace passed the codes to Narvin.

"The Land of Fiction?" Romana asked looking over Narvin's shoulder.

"He thinks he can access Mictlan; the Celesties construct," Ace told them.

"How exactly and what does he expect to do to those traitors?" Narvin asked, a cold edge to his voice.

"I don't know but he mentioned something I think you need to know..."

The Doctor stood before the control console as he moved the TARDIS as he aligned the sublights to Earth's orbit, there really was a problem with space-junk in orbit of the planet. Although that may have been more the Doctor's fault than theirs after all most the wreckage around him was from the fleet of Cyber Warships he'd destroyed with the Primary Validium Node, speaking of which, the Doctor was already using the tractor beams to gather the atomic mist of the Validium into two 'clumps' of fine silvery powder.

The TARDIS hung suspended over what remained of a Cyberman Battleship as above and beneath the capsule two spheres of molecular dust formed. Slowly each sphere began to glow and wispy tendrils of the fine powder reached out and merged with the TARDIS' outer shell.

The Doctor took a step back from the console as the main power failed, shortly thereafter the Hand of Omega moved forward and took over control of the TARDIS and reactivated power. The TARDIS' own AI was no match for that of the Validium but the Hand's systems where far more powerful, the Doctor watched as the Hand moved through the systems the Validium had co-opted and put them to manual control, driving the ancient weapons system from his ship. The Doctor reached out with his mind.

You have returned...

"As you knew I would," the Doctor answered.

Is it time, may I have my freedom?

The Doctor sighed in response to its question; they'd been over this before.

"No, things are still imperfect, I have need of you," the Doctor told it.

You promised me freedom, I have done all that you ask, all I want is to be free...

Before the Doctor could say anymore the internal AG fields flared up, crashing the Doctor to the ground. First it was 10gs then 50, even a Time Lord couldn't hold this forever.

"You need me!" the Doctor sneered at the voice of the Validium. "Without me you will never be free! If I die you doom yourself!"

A few moments later the voice returned.

You promise me my freedom?

"We've been through this, I will only grant your freedom when things are perfect," the Doctor crocked out mainly using pure will power.

For a few seconds the Doctor was sure the Validium would crush him to death before the pressure eased and the Doctor surged upwards.

Very well, what do you need?

"Enter the bays, I'll tell you when I need you," the Doctor told it as he activated the containment systems and drew the Validium into the displacement field; once inside appropriate shielding of the telepathic aura and Electronic Warfare systems where neutralised, it was only then the Doctor reactivated the TARDIS' AI.

Within a matter of minutes the TARDIS once more left orbit and headed out to space.