Before creation itself, there were six singularities.
Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots.
Infinity Stones.
These Stones, it seems, can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength.
"So, you are decided."
"Yes."
"The consequences may be unpredictable."
"You know it's not a problem for me."
"For me, it is."
"Then, you shall find a way to beat me."
"Will at least allow me to start the game?"
"The first move is always yours."
"Then let us begin."
"K9, I had a great idea!" said the Doctor, marching into the TARDIS' control room.
"Master?" asked the little metallic dog with its robotic voice, turning the little ears towards him. Smiling, the Doctor lied down next to him on the floor (trying not to trip over his scarf), his face on the same level as the nose of his current companion, co-pilot and pet.
"You and I are going away on holiday."
"Affirmative."
"A nice, long holiday."
"Affirmative."
"Would you like that, K9?"
"Affirmative, affirmative, affirmative." The Doctor could have sworn there was a shade of excitement in K9's voice – which was preposterous, of course; as intelligent as it was, K9 was still a machine.
"Then it's settled! Halergan Three, here we come!" laughed the Time Lord, as he got up and moved to set the coordinates while whistling cheerfully.
Yes, we could use a holiday, thought by himself. The last adventures had extracted some toll, and even if the Doctor would have never admitted, he was getting a bit tired. To be able once again to wander from planet to planet, from time to time, after years of being stranded on Earth, had been great at first, but it was slowly becoming less and less fascinating. Yes, everywhere he went, he could always find something new and exciting, but there was also a lot he had already seen. Genuine surprises didn't come as often as before, and the instances where the Doctor was catching himself, thinking something just repeated all around the universe grew more frequent.
The loneliness he had recently experienced didn't help much, even though it was something he chose. Leaving Sarah Jane on Earth when they summoned him to Gallifrey had not been his decision, but not going to retrieve her after that hellish business with the Master and the President's assassination, that was something he elected. He wandered alone for some time, enjoying the solitude (as much as he loved having humans on board, he was positive fed up of their endless questions) until the stubborn warrior of the Sevateem had sneaked into the TARDIS. He had been reluctant at first, but then he grew fond of Leela, the fierce warrior with her infallible dagger and her unshakeable loyalty – and then, she left him too to stay on Gallifrey and get married to some captain of the guard. He still hadn't fully recovered from that.
Since then, he and K9 Mark II (Leela kept the original) had been by themselves, save the brief affair with Ann Kelso and the Sinestrans (whose memory was not very pleasant). Although he loved his little metal friend, the Doctor lacked the presence of another being of flesh and blood, someone young and enthusiastic, able to watch with amazement the wonders of a universe he was beginning to find not so wonderful after all.
Recently, he had begun spending a significant amount of time remembering his times at UNIT, in his previous body. Just the other day (by TARDIS' calculations), he passed almost a whole afternoon browsing the pages of a photo album with the pictures of himself together with the Brigadier, Benton, Mike, James and Jo (a present she gave him, of course). Watching at his tall, imposing previous figure with the white-blonde hair, the elegant dresses and the capes, he realized how much he truly loved the family of human soldiers who received him when the Time Lords rejected him. And to think he had been so ready to leave them as soon as he had the chance!
It was to disperse these thoughts he decided to go on holiday, someplace where, for a change, there would have been no danger to face, no dictators to depose or problems to solve: a pause to collect his thoughts and then start again for other adventures. Yes, it was the best.
"You'll see, K9, Halergan Three's lovely. Beaches, palm trees, sunshine all day, hot and ..."
And at that moment, the TARDIS went dark, so quickly the Doctor barely had the time to realize it before everything disappeared. He worriedly tried to bend over the console, in an attempt to see whether he touched something for mistake but stopped as soon as he perceived the doors opening. A golden light invaded the room, so bright the Doctor had to cover his face with his hands.
"Doctor" a deep voice called him from outside, kind but firm.
"Yes?"
"Your presence is required."
"Look, listen, I, I, I don't wish to appear rude, but who are you?"
"Do you really need to ask, Doctor?"
"Well, only a guardian could ... Oh, I see."
A rumble of thunder accompanied the sudden realization the Doctor had about the identity of his interlocutor: a Guardians of Time, one of the most ancient races in the universe, so old even the Time Lords respected them.
"Well, in that case, sir ..."
"You will come to no harm."
"Just as you say" the Doctor sighed, as he stepped out of the TARDIS, into the light.
The light went down as he took a few steps, so the Doctor could see where he was. It looked like a great, flat oasis, with some white rocks and a palm tree. A sweet wind blew around, bringing the singing of birds from afar, but no animal was in sight. In the centre of the oasis, under the tree, stood a big wicker peacock chair, next to a small table carrying a decanter and glasses.
The Doctor came nearer, and a slim, imposing man appeared on the chair. He seemed to be in his late sixties or early seventies, had a fair but slightly tanned skin around the ears and on the neck. A pair of well-cured white moustaches with a goatee adorned his mouth. He was elegantly dressed in a white afternoon suit, with a straw hat to protect himself from the sun. He smiled while the Doctor approached – or rather, he stretched his lips in a slightly rigid pose.
"Welcome, Doctor. You know who am I?"
"A Guardian of Time, sir, one of the two watching over ..."
"Which one?"
"Oh, that's a tricky question; you are famous for changing your shapes. However, should I judge from appearances, I'd say the White Guardian."
"And you would be correct. Wine?"
"No, thank you, sir. Maybe some tea" the Doctor refused. The Guardian nodded and poured himself a glass of wine.
"Doctor, you have been chosen for a vitally important task."
"That's very flattering, sir."
"It concerns the Infinity Stones. You know of them?"
"Well, I've heard a few stories" answered the Doctor, scratching the back of his head. "Old legends, myths, that sort of thing ..."
"It is no myth, and you know it, Doctor, or you wouldn't try to deny it."
"Sorry, sir" the Doctor nodded. He should have known better than trying to lie to a Guardian. Of course, he knew the Infinity Stones: every Time Lord learned the story of the six relics dispersed across the universe, hidden to prevent anyone from using them.
The Guardian waved a hand, and a holographic image of six stones of different colours (blue, purple, red, orange, yellow, green) appeared.
"Space, Power, Reality, Mind, Soul, Time, the six basic aspects of everything this universe contains. They could give the power of a god to anyone who'd grasp them."
"And what has that to do with me?"
"I want you to retrieve them for me, Doctor."
"What? Why?"
"No matter how well a thing is hidden, it cannot stay so forever. Life in the universe is too chaotic and unruled for the Stones not to be found. Some of them have already been discovered, and used by single people or entire nations for their purposes."
"And you didn't prevent it?"
"You amaze me, Doctor," said the Guardian, amused. "Your travels should have taught you that good and evil do not come out from the tools themselves, but from how they are used. The same Stone that allows a people to defeat their enemies in battle and rule over them is also the same one giving them a chance for technological and cultural advancements, thus making it more civilized: good and evil, Doctor, sometime contemporarily. You also have to take into account that only a small amount of people in the universe capable of understanding what they have, and even less that would dare to wield such a power."
"So, what changed?"
"Such a time is approaching" rumbled the Guardian's voice, now deep as the thunder. Someone will search the Stones, put them together and use them to do something he thinks it's okay. To prevent this, or to create the chain of events which will ultimately defeat him, the Stones have to be found and once again hidden in selected points in history."
"I see your point ... maybe" the Doctor whispered unsure, before clearing his voice. "Look, I'm sure there must be plenty of other people who'd be delighted to ..."
"I have chosen you."
"Yes, I was afraid you'd say something like that" sighed the Doctor. "I don't suppose you'd tell me why."
"Who else in the universe has travelled as you did? This is the fourth life you spend exploring, picking up information and intervening where it's necessary to fight monsters and defeat injustice. Such a long journey has surely given you the necessary knowledge and experience for the task."
"Perhaps ..."
"What's more, your integrity ensures me you won't be corrupted by the power the Stones could offer you. Surely he who refused the offer of Azal of Dæmos, or decided against using the Doomsday Weapon on Uxarieus, will be more than capable of dealing with the Infinity Stones."
"Oh ..." smiled the Doctor flattered. "You are too kind."
"And then there are other reasons concerning your future, which I shall not say for now" finished the Guardian, putting the empty glass back on the table. "Satisfied?"
Not really, would have liked to say the Doctor. All the idea seemed just absurd to him: the Infinity Stones? What being with a minimum of good sense would have gone searching for them? And what the hell would he do with them, aside from fixing the universe to tea time (not a bad idea, honestly)? And most of all, why should he care? He was going on holiday!
"What if I refuse?" he asked, mustering all his courage. He was aware the Guardian's answer to that question could be unpleasant.
"I will find someone else."
"You mean nothing will happen to me?"
"Nothing at all. Ever. I don't want to force your will. If you refuse and go on with your holiday, you are free to do so."
And the Doctor did precisely that. He turned his back and took a step towards the TARDIS and his holiday on Halergan 3, firm on forgetting the entire business.
By the time it took a further step, he had changed his mind.
"How will I find the Stones?"
The Guardian laughed. He knew the Doctor could not resist (it was one of the reasons he chose him). He could pretend as much as he wanted not to care, but he had been hooked on since the Guardian appeared to him. How could he not? How could he pass on the chance of performing so great a task?
"You will be given a locator."
"Thank you."
"And an assistant."
"An assistant?" screamed the Doctor. "Please, sir, on an assignment like this, I'd much rather work alone. In my experience, assistants mean trouble: I have to protect them and show them and teach them ... and couldn't I just manage with K9?"
"K9 is a mere machine."
"He is a very sensitive machine!" exclaimed the Doctor, slightly altered. "Sorry, sir" he immediately corrected himself. "It's just ... I didn't have much luck with assistants recently, and I'd be grateful if ..."
"You will find your assistant waiting for you in the TARDIS. That's final."
"Very well, sir, if you insist ..." the Doctor assented, lowering his head and moving back towards the TARDIS (not without some huff).
"One final thing, Doctor," said the Guardian, making him stop.
"Yes?"
"You should know, the Black Guardian is also interested in the Stones, and he too has his champion. However, in contrast to you, the champion of the Black Guardian is not aware of it ... you know, my colleague does not trust him not to use the Stones against him. You'll have to prevent him from taking hold of the Stones, or avoid he'd take them from you. The Stones cannot come into the possession of him or his patron."
"I will do my best, sir."
"I am sure you will. Good luck" said the Guardian, disappearing into thin air the same way he appeared.
"I'm so sorry, K9. The holiday's off" the Doctor puffed, back in the TARDIS.
"Master?"
"We have a mission, my friend ... and company too, it seems" added the Doctor, once again laying down next to caress the dog. K9 moved the small antenna it served him as a tail, making him smile. The Doctor was grateful for that; he needed it after that last conversation.
To say the Doctor was not happy about having a new assistant was a euphemism. It was true he recently felt he missed having someone else in the TARDIS, but come on, being alone wasn't so bad! Not having to worry that he'd put himself into trouble, no explaining to do, keeping for himself his thoughts ... no, it wasn't bad at all! Yes, he grew fond of both Leela and Sarah Jane (and also those preceding them), but that didn't mean ...
Oh well, he'd better accept it. He couldn't stand against the power of the Guardian, not after he took the quest. He only had to wait for this famous assistant and tolerate his or her existence as long as it was necessary, then to dump him or her off on some pretty, civilized place.
"Doctor?" a female voice called him, low, dark, very musical and elegant.
"That's the new assistant" whispered the Doctor to K9, before turning to watch her – and remaining speechless. On the other side of the control room of the TARDIS, there was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen or at least one of the most beautiful.
The tall brunette wore a floor-length white dress fastened at the waist; a silver boot high to her knee peaked off the folds of her skirt, and let it guess she had long, slim legs, worthy of a Greek statue. The dress had a little rip on the front, which left uncovered her neck and part of the chest (but not the breasts). Her eyes were dark and deep, calm but shining with intelligence; a tiara held up her brown hair above her head.
"My name is Romanadvoratnelundar."
The Doctor and K9 looked at each other as if neither of them knew what to do. With his mouth open and his eyes wide open, the Doctor resembled a mask, one from whom water comes out in a fountain. It was with a considerable effort the Doctor managed to break his silence and blurt out the first thing he'd pop into his head.
"I'm so sorry about that. Is there anything we can do?"