REUNION (Part 3) by Sievert Dinar
Disclaimer - Sailormoon was created by Naoko Takeuchi and is vaguely
owned by Bandai. Doctor Who was vaguely created by Sydney Newman
and Donald Wilson and is most certainly owned, and often shafted by,
the BBC.
"I see I should have disciplined you a little more vigorously
when you were young...." The Doctor sighed. Setsuna raised her face
and looked down her nose at him.
"Oh really?" Her tone suggested an element of contempt for
the statement. The Doctor peered up at her, registering the
emotional barrier she had just placed between them.
"I didn't mean...."
"I know what you meant." Setsuna took a long breath. "Too
often, in the time we shared together, you were willing to play the
martinet in my presence."
"Age, in body and mind, does have its negative effects. I had
an entire lifetime of experience.... several hundred of these Earth
years, with which to employ in your upraising. I was hoping that
some of that experience would rub off."
"Oh, it rubbed off, alright." Setsuna paused. "You and I now
share a legacy that neither of us can escape, both dealing with this
world and its history, as well as the histories of a billion other
worlds." She prodded the Doctor in the chest. "You spent the
entirety of your previous life manipulating and judging others from
your own slightly skewed moral perspective."
"Slightly skewed in your eyes, yes."
"Not just mine! Not just mine!" Setsuna clenched a fist.
"I have met people... who have experienced your methods, in my
travels throughout time on this planet. I can honestly say that
there are a great deal more people angry at your intrusion into
their lives than grateful."
"Well of course there would be, if they tried to stand against
me." The Doctor snorted. "It is very easy to morally justify a
position if you're going to talk to nobody but those who hold a
grievance against me. And in my time on this planet, I have created
many grievances. I have accepted that there shall be people who
hate me for what I've done, understand that much, however I have
always stood up for what I consider to be the greater good."
"As have I. But I don't have the sheer numbers of people
considering me to be their mortal enemy."
"Perhaps YOU haven't asked the right people. I'm sure I can
find just as many whose lives have been turned upside-down by your
interferences with time and history." The Doctor casually thumbed
in the direction of Setsuna's three acquaintances, who were still
peering over their magazines at the pair in the coffee shop, vainly
trying to remain anonymous. "Do they regard you as a friend, or as
someone whose presence is more enigmatic that engaging?"
"Would they be standing out there, so interested in our
conversation, if they did not feel some semblance of concern for
me?" Setsuna glanced out of the window, looking upwards at a nearby
office tower of complex design. "Ah, I see now.... That's why
you're in Tokyo."
The Doctor followed her gaze and looked grim. "Indeed." He
nodded. "I see the forces of the time vortex rattle your nervous
system, too."
"As they do any Time Lord of Gallifrey worth their weight."
Setsuna paused. "This does not excuse the fact that you sent two of
your companions to investigate the activities of the corporation
that built and own that tower." Setsuna paused, sniffing.
"Although I suspect that you will ask me why I haven't done anything
about it, sooner."
"No. No, I won't ask you that. I'm sure you have your own
reasons." The Doctor picked up his coffee. "Besides, Sam and Fitz
are more than able to look after themselves. Nothing shall happen
to them. Not yet, anyway."
Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "Not yet?"
"You know better than I do, my dear, that it is only a matter
of time before they meet their final end. It won't be due to
anything I do, I can assure you, and that includes sending them into
that tower." He smiled. "Of course, if I'm not careful, I may end
up with another hanger-on through all of this. One who will, most
certainly, throw my life, and that of Sam and Fitz, into turmoil.
She shall also meet her destiny through my activities." He paused,
for quite a while, then eventually said.... "That, of course,
depends on whether I'm able to save her or not. The varying
possibilities are enough to grind one into madness."
"I... understand only too well. The madness of eternity,
rolling into the mind during my sleeping hours."
"Are you still sleepwalking?"
"Not any more." Setsuna swallowed. "At least, not as much as
I used to. Hotaru saw to that."
"Hmm...." The Doctor chewed that over. "It was very
difficult for me, when I was your age. There have been several
times when I thought I was going mad. Happened quite frequently
throughout my second, fourth and sixth lives. Even occured once or
twice in my third."
"You told me about that the last time we met." Setsuna
interrupted him. The Doctor looked surprised.
"Did I? Hmm.... That's the problem with regeneration, mixed
with time travel. You never know if you've done or are yet to
do...."
The End of Part Three
Sievert Anathea Dinar sievertd@hotmail.com
Disclaimer - Sailormoon was created by Naoko Takeuchi and is vaguely
owned by Bandai. Doctor Who was vaguely created by Sydney Newman
and Donald Wilson and is most certainly owned, and often shafted by,
the BBC.
"I see I should have disciplined you a little more vigorously
when you were young...." The Doctor sighed. Setsuna raised her face
and looked down her nose at him.
"Oh really?" Her tone suggested an element of contempt for
the statement. The Doctor peered up at her, registering the
emotional barrier she had just placed between them.
"I didn't mean...."
"I know what you meant." Setsuna took a long breath. "Too
often, in the time we shared together, you were willing to play the
martinet in my presence."
"Age, in body and mind, does have its negative effects. I had
an entire lifetime of experience.... several hundred of these Earth
years, with which to employ in your upraising. I was hoping that
some of that experience would rub off."
"Oh, it rubbed off, alright." Setsuna paused. "You and I now
share a legacy that neither of us can escape, both dealing with this
world and its history, as well as the histories of a billion other
worlds." She prodded the Doctor in the chest. "You spent the
entirety of your previous life manipulating and judging others from
your own slightly skewed moral perspective."
"Slightly skewed in your eyes, yes."
"Not just mine! Not just mine!" Setsuna clenched a fist.
"I have met people... who have experienced your methods, in my
travels throughout time on this planet. I can honestly say that
there are a great deal more people angry at your intrusion into
their lives than grateful."
"Well of course there would be, if they tried to stand against
me." The Doctor snorted. "It is very easy to morally justify a
position if you're going to talk to nobody but those who hold a
grievance against me. And in my time on this planet, I have created
many grievances. I have accepted that there shall be people who
hate me for what I've done, understand that much, however I have
always stood up for what I consider to be the greater good."
"As have I. But I don't have the sheer numbers of people
considering me to be their mortal enemy."
"Perhaps YOU haven't asked the right people. I'm sure I can
find just as many whose lives have been turned upside-down by your
interferences with time and history." The Doctor casually thumbed
in the direction of Setsuna's three acquaintances, who were still
peering over their magazines at the pair in the coffee shop, vainly
trying to remain anonymous. "Do they regard you as a friend, or as
someone whose presence is more enigmatic that engaging?"
"Would they be standing out there, so interested in our
conversation, if they did not feel some semblance of concern for
me?" Setsuna glanced out of the window, looking upwards at a nearby
office tower of complex design. "Ah, I see now.... That's why
you're in Tokyo."
The Doctor followed her gaze and looked grim. "Indeed." He
nodded. "I see the forces of the time vortex rattle your nervous
system, too."
"As they do any Time Lord of Gallifrey worth their weight."
Setsuna paused. "This does not excuse the fact that you sent two of
your companions to investigate the activities of the corporation
that built and own that tower." Setsuna paused, sniffing.
"Although I suspect that you will ask me why I haven't done anything
about it, sooner."
"No. No, I won't ask you that. I'm sure you have your own
reasons." The Doctor picked up his coffee. "Besides, Sam and Fitz
are more than able to look after themselves. Nothing shall happen
to them. Not yet, anyway."
Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "Not yet?"
"You know better than I do, my dear, that it is only a matter
of time before they meet their final end. It won't be due to
anything I do, I can assure you, and that includes sending them into
that tower." He smiled. "Of course, if I'm not careful, I may end
up with another hanger-on through all of this. One who will, most
certainly, throw my life, and that of Sam and Fitz, into turmoil.
She shall also meet her destiny through my activities." He paused,
for quite a while, then eventually said.... "That, of course,
depends on whether I'm able to save her or not. The varying
possibilities are enough to grind one into madness."
"I... understand only too well. The madness of eternity,
rolling into the mind during my sleeping hours."
"Are you still sleepwalking?"
"Not any more." Setsuna swallowed. "At least, not as much as
I used to. Hotaru saw to that."
"Hmm...." The Doctor chewed that over. "It was very
difficult for me, when I was your age. There have been several
times when I thought I was going mad. Happened quite frequently
throughout my second, fourth and sixth lives. Even occured once or
twice in my third."
"You told me about that the last time we met." Setsuna
interrupted him. The Doctor looked surprised.
"Did I? Hmm.... That's the problem with regeneration, mixed
with time travel. You never know if you've done or are yet to
do...."
The End of Part Three
Sievert Anathea Dinar sievertd@hotmail.com