Just this part and an epilogue. Anybody else as glad as me that it's over?
**
Another dress, another time. Looking in the makeshift mirror that she, Peri and two other women shared, she barely recognized herself. Peri was dressed in a beautiful green and black dress that the Doctor had told her were the colors for one of the College of Gallifrey.
"You look sad," Peri voiced, putting the finishing touches on a braid. Tegan glanced up and smiled, albeit sadly, at her friend. The girl pulled on the end of her braid and laid it across the top of her head, pinning down across the crown, forming a hair burette. "The war is over, Tegan. That should at least bring a smile to your face."
"Oh, I'm happy about that," Tegan said. She shook her head. "I don't quite know where my head is tonight."
"And you look beautiful," Peri responded, patting the hair down. "Do you know why the Doctor asked you to wear that?"
"Not a clue," she said. "Do you know?"
Peri shook her head. "Vidal is going to escort me and I suppose"
Tegan rose and smiled at the other two women. She knew exactly what she was going to do. The Doctor had been given a room to rest in at the top of the castle. Peri gave a wide smile and pointed up. Unable to hold back her laughter, Tegan reached out to hug her friend. "Just make sure you both come to the meeting, the party and everything else, Tegan."
**
She climbed the stair holding her orange and crimson gown up so as to not trip. She felt silly wearing the dress with fighting boots, but she didn't have much of a choice. What she had a problem with were the stairs, they hugged the way, but seemed to climb up to eternity. A stairway to heaven, she thought with a smile and tried hard to keep from singing the song. But still she climbed up, both torches and synthetic illumination lighting her way.
At the top, she saw Trock standing at the door, his injured arm tucked solidly into his chest. The Ogron straightened and gave her a little salute of sorts. "Lady Tegan, Trock is to let you in. Supremo is waiting for you."
"Knew I'd come up, did he?" she asked with a nod. "All right, Trock. How's your arm, though?" She peeled back the sling to look at his darkened, singed flesh. She kept most of her revulsion out of her face, she hoped. "Who dressed this, Trock? Who helped you?"
"Trock did it," the Ogron stated proudly.
"Um hmm," Tegan whispered. "As I thought. Right, Trock, you're coming in with me to Supremo. We have to get this wound of yours tended to."
The Ogron shook his head and shifted his weight. "Only Lady Tegan is admitted to the Supremo's room."
**
Tegan entered the room and found it empty. It was strange, there was little place for a Time Lord, especially one of his height, to hide. The room itself was small, containing only a fireplace, a table with a collection of bandages and water jugs, and a bed that was barely large enough to be called a double. There was only the door that she entered and another door on the opposite wall. She pushed on it and it swung open to let in chilly Karn air. With a sigh, she saw yet more stairs and set about walking up them.
Towards the top, she found her way being lit by a flame torch and then the cold, clammy, crumbling rocks disappearing overhead to give way to open sky with thousands of stars.
"There you are," she said quietly to the Doctor's starlit back. She saw his nod and she continued to climb to join him, out at the edge of the castle turret. "What are you-"
She didn't need to finish her question; she could see why he was quiet. His eyes were trained on the landscape scarred with death and destruction. Even the night couldn't hide the scoring of the land. "I hate war, Tegan," he said quietly. "A necessary evil, but only so infrequently needed. This planet will never be the same, now, ever"
She laid her hand at his back and just let it lie there. Opting as she was more likely to do, she tried to give comfort by common sense. "You had to do it. We had to do it. Can you imagine what this planet would have looked like under Morbius?"
He nodded understanding, but still not wanting to be pulled from his funk.
"A complete uniform?" she said quietly. "Complete with braids and spit-shined boots, I bet, as well" She desperately tried to keep a light tone in her words. "My, mygoing to see the Queen are we?"
"Yes, well" he sighed, finally turning his gaze to her. "I do have to look my best. And, on Rassilon's grave, I didn't want to wear those horrid Gallifreyan gowns." The Doctor looked down at her dress and finally smiled. "You wore it without an argument. Thank Rassilon for small favors."
"Thank whoever you like," she replied, straightening his braids. "But you'll be undressing rather quickly."
The Time Lord rocked back on his feet and frowned at his companion. "Now, Tegan. Correct me if my memory has suddenly gone on the blink, but I do believe that, in the past, we've had a bit of a lead up to exercising in bed. And I wasn't aware that we were"
"I want to check your leg wound, you bloody Gallifreyan," she muttered. Without another word, she slipped her arm through him and turned him toward the stairs. "Now, if you don't mind. You've not let me see it for three days."
He sighed and turned from the stone edge. He tweaked her nose and let his arm fall to her waist. "It feels much better after a nap, I'll admit. Very well, Tegan, if it will alleviate your worry. But we will have to be quick about it; I've a meeting to adjourn."
"And I want you to order Trock inside your room, Doc," she replied, following him down the steps as he led her by the hand. "Did you know that he has a very nasty wound to his arm that he dressed himself?"
**
A half an hour later, the Doctor opened the door to his room and exited into the main stairwell. Trock was peacefully sleeping on his bed after both Tegan and he had dressed his arm wound. The Doctor chuckled under his breath as he shut the door. "He's rather taken with you, Tegan. He would have never let me sew his arm without you there."
"Oh yes," she breathed, sarcastically. "Something else I do well that will never see the light of day on my resume." With a sigh, she stepped back and the Doctor held out his arm to her.
"Allow me, Lady Tegan," he said gallantly, as her arm slipped through his and he captured her fingers with his other hand. "I do have to adjourn a meeting very soon. There is a great deal to see to."
She picked up her hem and with as small of steps as she was able to take with her boots, she climbed down the stairs with him.
"Why am I wearing this dress?" she asked quietly, taking his cue and looking straight ahead. She had noticed that he had barely looked to her since the rampart. She had a feeling that she needed to continue talking of non-personal topics, but at that moment, her curiosity won out over her better judgment.
"It's a Gallifreyan," he said simply.
Tegan nodded and waited. After about three steps, she realized he wasn't going to say more. "And? Come on, Doc. It is extremely lovely and colorful, and makes me feel very much like a peacock, but I know there has to be more of a reason"
"Don't you like it?"
"Now you're avoiding the answer, Doctor," she stated and stopped on the steps. He continued down two more and turned to face her. She put her hands on her hips and gave him a look. "It's a simple question."
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "And I do have quite a simple answer. I simply wanted to see you in it." His hands came up to pat the air. "Yes, I know. But that is the basis of the answer, Tegan. It's the colors of the Pyrodonian academy." He climbed to the stair below where she stood. "And this" he said, adjusting the collar to show her the edge. "These orange ticks in the fabric are indicative of my house and if my personal history were just a little different, it would hold my loom history as well. As it stands, it has my birth order in my cycle. On this side," he continued, stepping up even with her. "On the collar, are my education level and any offices I have held."
"All that from a dress?" she asked, overwhelmed. She stared at the notches and twisting that she had thought was part of the fabric. He met her eyes and nodded, reaching out to take her hand. She followed him down the stairs still staring at the collar. "So much identification on one dress. It's almost crazy. It's almost as though you're draping me in your identification"
He continued walking even as the realization hit her. "You've dressed me as your"
"Myyes. There really isn't a word for it, Tegan, not in my native language. I'm not sure there's one in Terran language either. I simply wanted the other Time Lords here to know that you as well as Peri are considered close and dear to me. But you" he sighed. "You're under my protection as a Time Lord and as the Supreme Coordinator. You do look ratherbeautiful in it, Tegan."
"And you didn't want other men getting too carried away and carrying away either Peri or I tonight," she said with a laugh in her voice. "You've marked me."
He cleared his throat and continued steadily descending the stairs. When the reached ground level, he extended his arm again and she quietly slipped her arm through his. "Well, Tegan. Quite a few soldiers haven't seen their wives and women in almost a year. An ounce of prevention and all thatI hope you aren't upset"
"No," she replied. "Confused a little, because I know you and I know there's something you aren't telling me. And I'm honored. And I feel beautiful in it.but upset, no."
"A first for everything," he agreed. The noise level grew around them as they approached the main meeting room. As they neared, the Doctor's demeanor became more serious, the smile left his eyes. He straightened his shoulders, puffed out his chest and she saw, before her eyes, the emergence of the warlord inside of the Time Lord. Likewise, maybe picking up on the personal cues he was giving, she straightened her spine and lifted her chin. She felt the Doctor's eyes on her face and could feel the palpitation of pride in him, but she didn't know how or why. She felt warm nonetheless.
**
It was a haze, a dream. Nothing seemed right, nothing seemed together. She floated into the room on his arm, barely felt her body as she sat down next to him at the head of the table. She felt the overbearing stare of the other Time Lords in the room on her and found herself fearlessly and almost carelessly returned the stare. All she could feel was the strength, not from herself, not from the Doctor, but like a bubble around them and Peri. They exuded it.
She started as she heard the Doctor's deep voice rumbled next to her in warning. "Cardinal Borusa, I have called this meeting. Regardless of whether you feel we should sentence Morbius now or not, I have my troops to see to care for. And when this done, I shall see to your justice."
As he sat down next to her again, she turned her eyes to him. His profile was tight, almost pained. Down the room, she heard a door open and knew the other generals were entering to come forward to report. "Their justice? Isn't it yours too?"
He smiled, coldly and suddenly. "Ah, Tegan, didn't you hear the words? Sentencing. Time Lords don't use juries. Juries might come to the wrong conclusion and throw a spanner in the works. It's their sense of justice that I don't subscribe to."
She frowned, but didn't say any more as the generals, one by one, came forward to report their injuries and the final states of their ships, their weapons, their dead and wounded. The Doctor nodded and sighed, answered and gave praise. And finally, after a time that she couldn't begin to measure, the other soldiers ceased to come forward and she sensed a change in the room. The other Time Lords rose in unison and approached the head of the table.
Aware that the attention was off of them, the Doctor quietly laid his hands on the table and relaxed back into the chair. She watched that with surprise. "Aren't you going to say something? They aren't even calling Morbius to defend himself. Isn't this a mockery of justice?"
"Not Time Lord justice," he sighed, leaning closer to her. "Actually, this is rather a lovely display of our legal system. They've already decided his crime, his participation, and his conviction and sentence. Nothing I can say will change anything, unfortunately and I can't entirely disagree with his guilt."
"But"
"Easy, Tegan," he responded and she felt his cool hand on hers.
"I can't believe this," she whispered, still upset.
"Trust you to demand equal justice for a man like this," he said and she felt a shock of warmth. "Easy, brave heart."
She sighed and tried hard to concentrate on the proceeds without anger, but it was a hard road.
**
"And that concludes a Gallifreyan trial," the Doctor stated, rising from the chair to pull back on Tegan's. He became aware that although the Time Lords had filed back to their seats, the rest of the soldiers were waiting for a sign, an order.
The Doctor sighed and turned, raising his voice to be heard by everyone. Tegan rose to stand at his side, as he had already pulled back her chair. "I've been honored to have an army such as you, to be among such brave souls. You've made me proud, but above all, you should be proud of yourselves. I'll meet with the generals tomorrow to begin to plan how to get everyone home. I thank you for your time, your efforts, and your loyalty and honor in battle." He bowed his head. "You've humbled me. Thank you. And now, I do believe a celebration is in order."
He turned, slipping his arm about Tegan's waist and not balking an argument, walked with her to the side and into another room.
**
"T'ruk, I think I need to have a sit down," Tegan supplied as the Draconian Commander released her to clap to the fife and drum band. "Draconian dancing is very.complex."
"But you have been a very apt learner, Lady Tegan. I shall return you to the Supreme Coordinator," T'ruk replied with a smile and a slight bow of his head. He shook his head which she had learned meant that he agreed. "You're human body must be tiring."
"Just a little out of breath," she defended good-naturedly. "But thank you, it has been lovely." She folded her hands and bowed slightly. "You've honored me."
The Draconian returned the gesture and escorted her through the crowd to where the Doctor sat next to one of the members of the Gallifreyan High Council. When T'ruk had delivered her, he bowed to the Doctor, saluting him, and then disappeared back into the crowd.
The Doctor, in response to her return, rose and offered her his seat. "I've danced with Draconians, Tegan. I know how tired you must feel. Please."
She slid into the chair next to the other Time Lord and fielded his frown by raising her eyebrows. "Our conversation is at an end?" he asked, turning his cold gray eyes from Tegan to the Doctor. She fought the urge to shiver and sat back to look up at her still impeccably dressed friend. The Doctor looked down at her and shook his head.
"On the contrary, Tegan may be present for anything we discuss."
"That's"
"She's my companion and a friend. At times, she acts as my moral counsel. She may be here for anything about which we speak."
The Time Lord bristled at his tone and Tegan fought the urge to smile. After a silence during which she felt like an amoeba under a microscope, the Councilor began to speak again. "As we were saying, Doctor. There is a possibility that you could return to Gallifrey and take the Presidential Office with little fight. A majority of the Cardinals would be behind you, especially with the support that you have garnered here."
The Doctor took a deep breath and Tegan fought the urge to panic. President? On Gallifrey? After he had already run from them once since she had traveled with him? Would he take it? Had leadership grown on him so much? Would he remain cold and distant? Would he stop traveling? Would-
"Thank you. I shall consider this over the night and talk to you in the morning. I think no decisions should be made until after Morbius' execution this evening. I shall tell you my decision on the morrow." The Doctor glanced down at Tegan and then back up at the Councilor. "I think we have discussed everything and I can't speak for Tegan, here, but I can say that I deserve sleep." He bowed slightly.
The Councilor sat there motionless, and clearly pressed for words until he realized that he had been dismissed. As the blush grew and spread across his neck, the Time Lord rose and quickly left. His walk was jaunty and very arrogant, but Tegan held in her harumph and laugh until he was out of earshot.
"Oh good bloody Christ," she muttered with a shake of her head. The Doctor gave a similar response and sank into the chair that the Time Lord had just left. "Thank God he left."
"He's the third one this evening," the Doctor responded. "Be thankful you were dancing. Even my stomach had problems digesting that much arrogance."
"You should try dealing with you sometime," she shot back. When her joke got the response she wanted, a small laugh, she continued. "President of the High Council, Doc? That sounds veryimportant."
"And very boring, Tegan," the Doctor said, rubbing at the back of his neck.
Tegan bored of beating around the bush and leaned forward to spear him with a stare. "Are you going to take it?"
"Tegan," the Doctor said, drawling out the syllables of her name in irritation. "What do you think of me?"
"Well"
"Of course not," he said, rising and reaching to the back of her chair. She took the cue and rose with him. "And I'm also going to turn down the offer to become the leader of the CIA and also the offer to head up a multi-species mobile fighting force. That was turned down immediately, I might add."
"Why didn't you just turn him down, then?" she asked quietly, surprised as he led her out of the room quickly.
"Peri is all right?" he asked. "She's with Vidal still?"
"They're quite taken with one another," Tegan supplied. "You're changing the subject."
"The TARDIS is in my room, Tegan. In its traveling form. I'll let Peri party for a little while longer, but in two or three hours, when the celebration is dying down and the execution takes place. I want you and me and Peri away from here. I won't have to turn them down. I will simply be gone."
Tegan's smile widened and grew until it was interrupted with a yawn. He agreed as he began to climb the stairs. Stopping, he ordered one of the Ogrons to find Peri in two hours and bring her to his room. That done, he climbed the stairs, pulling Tegan behind him. "A nap is on order, for the two of us, I should think," he said.
"In the TARDIS?"
"No," he replied. "We'd never hear Peri and be able to get out of here in time. Besides, there's something that I need to do when Peri comes back. No, we can use the bed in my quarters."
"Doc?" she asked, somewhat coyly, but very tiredly.
"To sleep, Tegan. We can certainly sleep together" he muttered, somewhat put out.
**