The freedom fighters were all shocked, when the Doctor first activated the Gem of Braxiatel in his jury-rigged gizmo. The guards around them stumbled, then just… dropped their guns.

Confused.

"That's… but you…!" Elsiwith said.

"Liantor was brainwashing them," the Doctor explained. "I'm just undoing the damage!" He grinned down at the device in his hands. "Who needs guns, when you could spread freedom?"

With the Doctor's device, he and the freedom fighters made their way into the palace, easily. Every cluster of guards he met, he de-brainwashed. They all let him through, then. No one made a move to stop them.

"If we can just hook it up to the palace power grid," the Doctor said, searching for the right kinds of power cables, "we can de-brainwash the entire planet, all at once! That'll give you your revolution!"

The others beamed.

They'd never dreamed they'd get this far!

"Aha!" the Doctor cried, running forwards and yanking open a fuse box. "Just what I need!"

He shut off the power, pulled out the Gem of Braxiatel, and got to work.

"See, my theory is, Liantor's using the Gem of Braxiatel to keep the army loyal to his father," said the Doctor, wiring it up, properly. "Ergun's torturing Seo, and the gem makes people hate her and want to hurt her. The army's happy to serve Ergun — simply because he's hurting her."

Elsiwith stared at the Doctor, horrified.

"But… moment I send out my modified Gem of Braxiatel psychic signal…" The Doctor, in triumph, threw on the power and activated his device.

A psychic wave shuddered across the planet.

And suddenly, everyone in the army — across all Rodia — frowned, putting their hand to their head, as if a fog had just lifted from their minds.

"Thank you, Time Lord," came a voice directly behind the Doctor. "I was hoping you'd do that."

The Doctor and the freedom fighters all spun around, to find themselves surrounded, on all sides, by armed soldiers — the same ones the Doctor had de-brainwashed, to get in there.

Leading the soldiers was Liantor, energy rifle in hand.

"They're not under your control, anymore, Liantor," Elsiwith snapped, grinning. To the soldiers, she added, "This is a revolution! We fight for the Great Rebuilder! We fight to take our world back from Ergun!"

The soldiers didn't lower their guns.

"So are we," they told Elsiwith.

"Yes, they are," Liantor said, addressing the freedom fighters. "Your demands have been met, and your revolution is at hand. With your help, I will overthrow my father, this very day. And, when I am Grand Statesman, I will share power with my future wife — whom you know as 'Seosyrae, the Great Rebuilder'."

The Doctor stared at him. "Future what?!"

Problem was, the moment Liantor mentioned Seo's name, the freedom fighters immediately went over to the side of the soldiers.

"That's better," Liantor said, smiling. He turned back to the Doctor, leveling an energy pistol at him. "Give me the device, Time Lord. I may have promised Seo I wouldn't kill you… but I can still severely injure you."

The Doctor stared at all the people, around him. They looked like they were prepared to rip him apart, if he didn't do what Liantor said.

"Have you all gone mad? Or have I?" the Doctor asked — as he, reluctantly, handed the Gem of Braxiatel and its amplification device over to Liantor. "I thought you wanted to restore democracy!"

"So naïve and idealistic, Time Lord!" said Liantor, taking the device. "Don't you see? This was never about democracy. It was about her. They want her to rule them, lead them, and guide them. They'd even run through fire, if she asked them to."

Liantor flicked the Gem of Braxiatel out of the device. Dropped the device to the ground, stamping on it until it was destroyed.

The Doctor sighed, feeling extremely stupid for not seeing this whole thing coming. "You played me, didn't you, Liantor?" he asked. "That's why you left behind a bomb, on Atrios, with just the right parts to let me create my little de-brainwashing gizmo. You wanted me to lift your brainwashing, across the planet Rodia, just in time for you to marry Seo and seize power from your father."

Liantor beamed.

"Ergun's reign was filled with cruelty, disease, and disaster," Liantor announced. "But today, my future wife and I will take his place! Our hand will be strong, but just. Our reign will be brutal, but fair. Our policies will bring life back to this planet!"

"Oh, will they?" the Doctor asked, bemused. "What did Elsiwith say? This planet was beautiful and peaceful, until about 20 years ago. Looking at you, I'd say 20 years ago was just about when you hit age 18, and your father could start putting you to work, inside his government."

"Quiet, Doctor," Liantor warned, readying his gun.

"Struck a nerve, have I?" The Doctor grinned. "Whose idea was it, really, to invade Atrios? Ergun's… or yours, Liantor?" His voice dropped. "Did Ergun even know you invaded, at all?"

"It's the right of the strong to become conquerors," said Liantor. "I have shown my strength, on Atrios. And I will show it, again, on other worlds. I will conquer, destroy, and rule — while my wife rebuilds and inspires. Together, we will forge an empire that stretches across the stars."

"I can just imagine what she has to say about that," the Doctor muttered.

He looked around at the others, but they didn't seem to care about anything the Doctor had just said about Liantor. Either they didn't believe the Doctor (fair enough, since he was the new guy), or they didn't care who else was in charge, so long as Seo got to rule.

That was bad.

The Doctor turned back to Liantor, changing tactics. He beamed, happily. "So… you're getting married. A wedding! I love weddings. Marvelous! When is it? I assume I'm invited. Probably with a gun at my head, just to make sure she says 'I do'."

Liantor glared at the Doctor.

Then, to the soldiers nearby, he commanded, "Find my father and mother. Lock them in the dungeon, and tear down any statues or art that depict them. I'll make sure their executions are televised, live, this evening."

The soldiers — and the freedom fighters — saluted Liantor, then marched off, to do what he said.

"You've got the people of Rodia eating out of the palm of your hand," the Doctor muttered. "Clever of you, forcing Seo to marry you. It seems they really will do anything for her." He swept his eyes across the room. "I notice she's not actually here, at the moment."

"I'm letting her come to terms with the idea of this marriage," Liantor said. "She's in her room."

"Her room? Or a prison cell?"

"Between you and me — she won't be leaving the prisons, much, once we're married," Liantor said. "I'm not going to chance her escaping and running out on me." He lowered his gun. "Now, listen carefully, Time Lord. I know your people want intelligence on the Daleks. I have that intelligence — and I'm willing to deal."

Liantor tossed the Gem of Braxiatel back to the Doctor.

He caught it.

"The Daleks contacted me," Liantor said. "It's pretty clear they want to destroy your people, and, the more I listened to them, the more certain I was that Seo's past is the key to uncovering how they'll do so. 'Project Olitzitz' will shortly be in full operation, they said."

The Doctor stared at the Gem, in his hand.

He could see the hint of something rippling, inside it. The hint of Seo's past.

"The gemstone's a freebie," said Liantor. "But I want Time Lord weapons, Doctor. The good stuff. The stuff you've been creating for the Time War. Tell Narvin that, if he ever wants to see that intelligence — or his lover — again, he'll hand me the weapons by midnight, tomorrow."

The Doctor tucked the Gem of Braxiatel into his pocket. "Oh?"

"And if he thinks he can use one of his Time Lord tricks, to rescue her," Liantor continued, "I'll call in the Daleks. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to take a few pot-shots at some Time Lords, while they're here to find Seo."

"Oh," the Doctor said. Frowned. "I see." He gestured out a nearby window, at a hospital, in the distance. "I should have guessed. The Daleks went back in time and gave you the virus that's currently wiping out your planet, didn't they?"

"And when Narvin brings the weapons, I'll be happy to give him a sample of the disease — and the cure," said Liantor. "But not until I get the weapons, Doctor."

"Yes, I thought you had the cure," the Doctor muttered. "Reserved for your military, no doubt?"

Liantor shrugged.

"That's why your father's been pushing people of all ages into the military," the Doctor said. "Because he noticed that, for some reason, everyone in the military wound up cured!"

"He thinks they're being cured due to 'proper hygiene and nutrition'," Liantor said, with a laugh. "The fool."

"Oh, yes, you've been very clever, Liantor," the Doctor said, his voice dark and a little threatening. "Convincing your father to inflate his military, manipulating him to overthrow the democratic system — and driving a wedge between him and Seo, so that the people would want to overthrow him. You'll gain the people's love and adoration, for saving her from torture — even though you were her torturer. Am I right?"

Liantor scowled. "Just get me the weapons, Time Lord."

"What?" The Doctor looked almost hurt. "You mean I don't get to go to the wedding? Not even with a gun to my head?"

"Either she marries me, or I'll turn her over to the Daleks," Liantor replied. He shrugged. "Trust me. She'll cooperate."

The Doctor shook his head, with a sigh. "Ah, well." He spun on his heels. "Save some cake!"

Then ran off.

He wasn't sure precisely where he was running, but he figured… as long as he went downwards…

The Doctor paused, as he heard an old man's voice, in the distance, and a lot of marching and shouting. No, not just in the distance. It was coming closer.

The Doctor hid behind an ornamental sculpture, as the group turned a corner and came into sight.

"…my son," the old man said. He looked like he was having trouble walking, on his own — and the soldiers frogmarching him forwards had to keep catching him, every time he stumbled. "He can't do this!"

"Move," the soldiers commanded.

"This must be some kind of mistake!" said the old woman beside the old man — who kept trying to help her husband, even though the soldiers kept pulling the two apart.

"Your crimes against Rodia have been many," said the soldiers. "Your actions have destroyed a world that was so nearly saved. You will pay for what you've done, Ergun."

The Doctor snuck out from his hiding spot, as they passed.

Interesting.

Better, still — they were heading down, towards the dungeons. And that was precisely where he wanted to go.

"This is Seo's work, isn't it?" Ergun said, as he kept getting frogmarched to the dungeons. "She's escaped, gone behind my back, seduced my son, and started this coup! If I get my hands on her…!"

"You have harmed the Great Rebuilder enough, Ergun," Elsiwith interrupted. She was now holding a gun. "She is our ruler, now, just as much as Grand Statesman Liantor. She'll finally be free from your tortures and cruelty."

Which was a lovely fairy story, but… the Doctor suspected… far from the truth.

"Let me speak to her," the old woman said. "Please! I can convince her that…"

That was when they entered the dungeons.

The Doctor darted for cover, as the soldiers quickly shoved the old man and old woman into a cell, and locked them inside. The Doctor held his breath, as the soldiers turned around.

They didn't see him, in his hiding spot.

All but one of the soldiers marched out of the room, ready to find Liantor and follow his next commands.

The Doctor waited until the one remaining soldier had his back to him, then jumped out of his hiding spot.

"Attention!" the Doctor snapped.

The soldier spun around, caught off guard. Then, hastily, saluted.

"The Great Rebuilder requires you in the banquet hall, immediately!" the Doctor commanded. "There's a hostage situation. Her life is in danger. So get there on the double, soldier! You hear?"

"Yes, sir!" the soldier said, scurrying to follow the order. "Right away, sir!"

The Doctor grinned, as the soldier left the dungeons.

"Easy as pie," the Doctor said, slipping his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. He twirled it in his fingers, as he made his way over to the cell where they locked up Ergun. "Hang on, ex-Grand-Statesman. Soon have you out of there!"

He buzzed his sonic at the cell lock.

And, in a few seconds, the lock clicked and the door swung open.

An old man and an old woman, now seated on the floor of the cell, stared up at the Doctor, as he entered.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor," the Doctor introduced, reaching down and helping the old man to his feet. "And you must be Grand Statesman Ergun. Can't say it's a pleasure."

Ergun squinted at the Doctor. "You're the… who?" He turned to the old woman, who was already on her feet. "Brihana, who is this man, exactly? A physician?"

"I think… he's here to rescue us," Brihana said.

The Doctor gestured at the open door. "Quite right! Rescue you! Stop Liantor! Rescue my friend! You haven't seen her, by the way? Blond, pale skin, brown eyes, about so high, recently got forced into marrying a tyrant?"

From another cell, nearby, the Doctor heard a muffled yell.

"Never mind!" the Doctor said, running out of the cell, and over to the one nearby. He buzzed the lock with his sonic screwdriver…

And the door swung open.

The Doctor shook his head, with a sigh, as he entered the cell and saw Seo chained to the wall. "Well, well, the blushing bride, herself! Can't say I'm thrilled with your choice of husband."

"You mean because he's a dictator? A tyrant? Or a creep?" Seo struggled, in her bonds. "No, seriously — you've got no idea how relieved I am that you showed up, Doctor. I was about to dislocate my thumb, to break out of these things."

Ergun stared at her. Not quite sure he believed what he was seeing.

"But… I thought you were up… with…" Ergun started, gesturing upstairs.

"Did you miss the part where I said he forced her to marry him?" The Doctor started buzzing at her bonds with his sonic. "I think this should make it obvious that Seo didn't actually get much say in the matter."

The Doctor shook out the sonic. Tried to open her restraints, with no success. Then tried altering the settings.

Buzzed, again.

"It's like you've been welded in," the Doctor said, as the sonic still failed to unlock the manacles. "Liantor must have really not wanted to take any chances, with you."

"Actually, the restraints weren't down to him," Seo admitted. Her eyes fell on Ergun. "Look. Ergun. I'm sorry about Liantor. But…"

"Oh, you two don't know the half of what Liantor's done," the Doctor said, trying another setting on the sonic. "He's been purposely spreading the Mahrizka virus through the populace, and only giving the cure to the military, to push people into it. He's been using alien artifacts to brainwash people. He's been landing military troops on planets like Atrios — claiming he was doing so in his father's name…"

"He's been what?!" Ergun cried.

"…when, of course, his father knew nothing about it," the Doctor continued. "Oh, and, of course, he's been purposely driving a wedge between you two, Seo and Ergun, to make sure he could seize power at just the right time, and become the people's hero."

Seo and Ergun stared at one another.

Then at the Doctor.

"What did Liantor tell you, Ergun, to make you overthrow the will of the electorate?" the Doctor asked. "That Seo had rigged the election?"

"He… he… got a confession, out of her!" Ergun insisted.

"Confession?!" Seo shook her head. "What are you talking about? Until you shot your opponent, Ergun, I didn't even know why I'd been arrested. Trust me — no one ever asked me for a confession. To anything."

"But did you rig the election?" the Doctor asked.

"No, of course not!" Seo said. "How could I? Polling places are all operated locally and independently. Do you know how impossible it is to rig something like that?"

"There, see? Liantor made it all up," the Doctor concluded. "Everything! Which means… we're all friends, again!"

The room went silent.

But the tension was still thick, between Seo and Ergun. Like there was something still left unresolved, between them.

"Friends?" the Doctor prompted. "No? Nothing?"

"That wasn't exactly how this all started, Doctor," said Seo, quietly. She kept her eyes fixed on Ergun. "Ergun saw the Olitzitz die. He knows the person who killed them is still alive. He's sworn revenge."

The Doctor hesitated. Looked between Ergun and Seo. "I… see."

"My life will never be complete until I soak the soil in her blood," Ergun said. "The screams of her death will be justice to my ears. And once I've destroyed her, the universe will be purged of all its evil. Peace will come. And since the two wars are linked, her death will mean the Time War will never occur."

The Doctor shot a confused look at Seo.

"Now, do you understand why I don't tell the Pacifists the truth?" Seo asked the Doctor.

"This villain didn't just destroy the Olitzitz!" Ergun continued, his voice growing angrier and angrier, with every word. "She drained the life out of the Rodian soil, so nothing could grow. She murdered half the population. She left monsters to ravage the surface and pick off survivors."

"Yes, she and her kind did a lot of…" the Doctor began.

"Not her kind," Ergun said. "Her. She — and she, alone — doomed this world."

The Doctor's sonic screwdriver finally popped open one of Seo's manacles.

The Doctor just sighed. "Oh, Seo, Seo, Seo…" he muttered, too low for Ergun to hear. "Returning to the scene of the crime?"

"What am I supposed to do?" Seo whispered back to him. "Run away, pretend my past never happened, and leave any survivors to die?"

The Doctor wasn't sure what to say to this.

"Besides, not all of the planets I rebuild are destroyed by… you know…" Seo whispered. "It's not like I kept a map, back then, or anything. If I see a planet that's nearly dead, I rebuild it! No matter who destroyed it."

The Doctor nodded.

"Ergun," the Doctor said, louder, buzzing his sonic at another of Seo's manacles, "your son has done some terrible things. Even you have to admit that."

Ergun did.

"Someone might even swear revenge on him," the Doctor continued. Seo's other manacle popped open, and the Doctor started on her leg cuffs. "But imagine if your son realized the error of his ways. Imagine if he repented, and devoted the rest of his life to helping others. Would it still be right, in that case, to take revenge?"

Ergun shook his head. "Your words mean nothing. The Child cannot change. She is pure evil."

"But…"

"The Time Lords have a saying, I believe — 'a Dalek cannot change its bumps'," Ergun continued. "They claim the Daleks will always be evil, no matter what. And their evil is born from that one lingering speck of darkness — the essence of all evil, created at the beginning of time: the Child who massacred the Olitzitz. Destroy the Child, and the Daleks will become forces for good."

"Actually, I was there, when the Daleks were created," the Doctor countered. "And your Olitzitz-killing vampire was nowhere to be found. Davros was quite evil enough, on his own."

He popped open Seo's leg cuffs, and started on the iron band around her middle.

"You know nothing, Doctor," Ergun insisted. He shook his head. "The only way to prevent the Time War is to destroy the Child. She is the link between the Olitzitz War… and Gallifrey's."

The Doctor thought about what Liantor had said — Project Olitzitz.

And wondered if, maybe, Ergun was onto something.

With a few more buzzes of the sonic screwdriver, the Doctor finished freeing Seo from her restraints, and helped her to step out of them.

"Before we get into all that," the Doctor said, "I think it's time we stopped Liantor, cured this virus, and got everything sorted out on this planet. Don't you?"