David let out a loud whistle to break the spell. "Chris! Over here." He motioned him to come. Chris looked around, delighted at their reaction, and ran for the door.
Chapter 73 The Rock
"Boy am I glad to see you!" Chris was a bit disheveled again and David grinned as he pushed him inside. Chris didn't notice his surroundings for a moment, trying to get his story out. "They wouldn't let me call you. They want to start an evacuation. We can't let them do it. They know people are going to die and they want to do it anyway." David slapped Chris on the back assuredly. "Don't worry Chris, We got this." Chris's jaw dropped as he stood at the door looking up. The Time Lord had said nothing, wanting his son to explain.
David went to the President who was just coming out of his shock at being sucked into the strange vehicle. "What is the meaning of this? I demand that you release us." David came within inches of the Presidents face. "I'm not going to make that Thursday appointment. Will you tell Julia for me?" David nodded at his father and the Tardis took off. Just in time, as the military burst into the office to witness it disappear.
David began, "Mr. President you have been given some very bad advice." He glared at Chapman. "Your plan will not only destroy our planet, but kill a significant number of her people. History can remember you as an incompetent bungler, or the savior of the planet. If you co-operate I'll let you have all the credit. If not, I'll spill the beans on what you were about to do and let them hang you from the flagpole."
Chapman was going to have something to say about this, "We're very busy, shouldn't you be trying to get a grant proposal or beg for a teaching position somewhere? Just who the hell do you think you are?" He was cold and arrogant, "I know who you believe you are, but you're really only a petty functionary at PDPS!" David's temper flared and he grabbed the lapels of the director, slamming him against a support column. "I am a Time Lord of Gallifrey, Mr. Chapman!" He pulled on the struggling man to shove him at the door. Opening it up so he could see the darkness of space that fell away before him. Chapman clutched at the door frame to keep from falling out, terrified.
"There, Chapman, look over there! The fragment on course for our world. I could leave you right in the middle of it." Lori was watching it all in horror. Forgotten on the seat next to Chris. She stood up, "David, Stop! Let him go." Lori's voice called him back from the edge. He closed the door and shoved the man into the corner where he crumpled and stayed still. "I will see to it personally that your career is over."
David turned to the President who looked at the door nervously. David took a breath and became calmer, trying to explain. "I wanted to do this the right way. Present the facts, show you there were no options. Bring you into to the Tardis to see it was possible. Give you a chance to save our people." David took another deep breath. "I still want to give you that chance. We can turn around right now and go back to your office. You can carry out that butcher's plan and let history record what it will. Or, you can tell us to do what we do best. Save lives."
He waited for the President to regain some dignity. "Doctor Tyler, Doctor Smith." He paused, "It's an incredible task. Are you sure you can do this?" David looked him confidently in the eye and spoke softly, "Yes sir." The President looked at Chapman cowering in the corner and gave a deep sigh. "Then do it." David's face smoothed in relief.
"Father, please proceed." The Tardis moved closer to the fragment and a beam of energy wrapped itself around a section of it like a lasso. The ship shuddered a moment and the fragment began to change course. "Would you care to watch Mr. President?" David held out an inviting arm to the door. The President shook his head, "No thank you young man. I'm quite happy here." David smiled and turned to Chris and Lori. "How about you two? You'll never see the like again." They looked at each other and then ran to the door. Eager to see the impossible. David joined them to watch.
The President relaxed enough to take in his surroundings. The Time Lord stood next to him silent. "You have a remarkable son Dr Smith. You must be very proud." "At times Mr. President, at times. Would you be interested in seeing some of my ship?" The President smiled and nodded. "Very much." They were about to walk down the corridor, when Lori screamed.
Chapman had come from behind, grabbed her, and shoved her out the doors. David had to stretch, but managed to grab her ankle before she was out of the Tardis's influence. Chris pushed Chapman onto the floor and sat on his back.
David got Lori back into the ship and he held her tight as she cried and shivered. "It's ok, I've got you, you're safe." He kissed her face until she stopped. "Are you ok?" Lori nodded. David looked down at Chapman still struggling beneath Chris. His eyes held the fires of hell as he bent to pick the man up, ready to kill him. "Dr Tyler!" The President called. "It's not your right to seek revenge on him. You must obey the law." Grudgingly David returned to Lori, pulling her close and closing his eyes.
The President looked with disgust at the man on the floor. "William Chapman I charge you with attempted murder. You will be placed under arrest when we return to the planet." He looked at the Time Lord, "Have you a way to restrain him?" The Time Lord smiled and looked at his son and Chris. "Bring him."
They walked down the same corridor as before. "Tardis, run program 232." David smiled at his father's sense of justice. They were taking Chapman to David's old schoolroom. The program was a deep space tutorial on the end of the universe. Chapman would float in the nothingness watching the stars burn out at the end of time until there was only darkness. David opened the door and pushed the man in, who screamed as the gravity was removed.
The President was horrified thinking they had just set him adrift in space. David shook his head. "A harmless hologram. The worst that will happen is he will bump his head on the ceiling." The President was amused, but didn't want to show it. They walked further down the corridor, unable to hear Chapmans screams,
the standard tour.
The fragment was on its way to deep space and they were quietly sipping tea in the kitchen. The President was speaking. "My predecessors made mention of you as very helpful Dr. Smith, but I doubt that any of them could have foreseen this. Your machine is quite remarkable. You may find the military are not going to just let it go when we come back."
The Time Lord was serious as he responded. "They can try. You see, this isn't just a machine. The Tardis is a sentient being and will defend herself. Any attempt to remove her from my premises will result in dematerialization. She will simply vanish until they go away. I warn you she has a volatile nature and is quite capable of exacting revenge on her tormentors. You might want to warn them." The President smiled nervously.
They landed back in the executive office only moments after they left as far as the crowd was concerned. The President came out first to disarm the military and calm the remaining delegates. He held up his hands for silence. "Ladies and gentlemen. Thanks to Dr John Smith and Dr David Tyler, the fragment is no longer a threat to our world. I have every confidence we will never see it again. I want to thank the Tovarians for their generous offer to our people, but they can recall their ships. It is my understanding that a few riots have broken out over rumors of this issue. I will have a statement for the press very soon and will broadcast a message to the planet. Thank you for your efforts in this crisis."
The room was stunned to say the least, but sensing the end of their usefulness they filed out. The President waved the sergeant at arms over. Chris and David had Chapman by the shoulders. Partly to keep him from running, partly because he couldn't stand upright having spent time playing with the Tardis. The President was brief, "I want this man arrested for attempted murder."
"Mr. President, Please." Lori was trying to be heard over Chapman's useless threats. "Mr. President. I don't want to press charges." David was stunned, "Lori! He tried to kill you." "But he didn't." She answered back. "We've all been under a great deal of strain." She turned to the Time Lord. "I don't want you two and the Tardis exposed in what is sure to be a media circus at trial. You'll never find peace again. I can't do that to you.
Mr. President, if Mr. Chapman agrees to go quietly away," She glared at him, "permanently, and never speaks of this, I will not press charges." The President nodded his head, "It's up to you my dear." He turned to the pitiful lump that used to be his science advisor. "You knew about Dr Tyler's plan from Dr Bradley and you intentionally kept it from me." He held up the signed document David had given him. "Chapman I want your resignation on my desk, and you packed and gone in an hour. If I ever find out that you have spoken about this incident to anyone, the charge will be treason. Do you understand?" The president's threat was grave. The penalty for treason, is execution.
Chapman pulled his arms from the officers grip, straightened his tie and coat, and walked out of the office with an evil look, but without a word. The escort behind him making sure he didn't get lost. "Thank you Mr. President." Lori looked at David with expectation. "Time to go home?"
David held his hand out to the President, "Thank you sir. I'm sorry about the kidnapping thing. I hope you don't hold it against me." The president scowled as he took David's hand. "I should have you arrested too." Changing to a grin. "But you're forgiven considering the lives you just saved. It would make for an awkward press conference to have the savior of our planet thrown in jail. And I get to come out the hero in the end, right?"
David grinned being held to his word. "Yes sir you do! The world will know what a great decision maker you are if I have anything to say about it. Goodbye sir." "Goodbye." He turned to the Time Lord. "The next time something threatens to fall out of the sky I'll call you first Doctor." The Time Lord smiled, "That might be wise. I'm happy to help." The President shook his hand.
"Your machine sir, may I take another ride sometime when it's less crowded? I have several million questions." The Time lord laughed, "It's not an amusement park ride, but I think something may be arranged. When you have time off, of course." "Time off, right. I have a speech to prepare, if you'll excuse me." The Time Lord nodded, "All right everybody into the Tardis. The President wants his office back." They all filed in and the door shut. The President starred with amazement as it disappeared.
Chapter 74 Going to Fix It