The Parade had been successful, Klarg had been sworn in as acting President, and his first act was to declare a public holiday.
The day had gone well and both The Doctor and Digby had been invited to stand on The Presidential float with Klarg but had both declined. The Doctor had wanted to leave straight away, but had caved in to Digby's pleas to stay for another day.
"There's free food!" Digby was declaring for the hundredth time.
"It's all finished now Digby," The Doctor explained.
"We have been invited to a private party at the Presidents."
"It's been cancelled Digby," The Doctor stated. "Strakov is still on the loose, and the hunt for him and his weapons of mass destruction is afoot."
"Does that mean we have to stay and help?"
"No we cannot interfere, besides the President of Jawar Dephra needs my help."
"Why?"
"Because Digby, The Rutans have declared war on Jawar Dephra," The Doctor stated, "owing to a misunderstanding." And again The Doctor gave Digby one of his withering glares.
"So how come we can interfere in that but not in the hunt for Strakov?"
"Because it was your music that triggered it!" The Doctor sighed, "The Rutans found it deeply offensive to be asked to provide entertainment for what they regard as an inferior species…"
Digby's eyes glazed over as The Doctor's explanation washed over him.
"We have to negotiate with the Rutan's," The Doctor finished his explanation.
"Can't I stay here and wait for you?"
"Digby it's hundreds of lightyears away, and this is a very delicate mission that will require the utmost tact and diplomacy…" The Doctor considered what he had just said, and looked at the useless slob before him.
Tact and diplomacy?
"On second thoughts Digby perhaps you better had wait here."
"On my own?"
"I wont be long…"
"But you said it was hundreds of miles away…"
"Light years," The Doctor corrected him.
"And you said this planet didn't have chips!"
"I said no such thing!" The Doctor declared huffily, "I said potatoes are not indigenous to this planet, that's a different matter…"
The Doctor had visited this Argonite dependant system before; he knew that earth colonists populated it and had clearly brought along comforts from home.
"Will you be long?" Digby asked.
"I already told you I wouldn't."
"That's what you said about the palace, took them hours to dig you out!"
"It wasn't exactly fun for me either you know!" The Doctor snapped, "have you ever spent three hours in a meat freezer?"
"What were you doing in there?"
"Hoping the cold would shield me from the blast, good job I was right."
"And I lost my mp3 player…" Digby whinged.
"I'll build you a better one!" The Doctor sighed something caught his eye on the opposite side of the street, "I-I'll see you soon."
The Doctor entered the Tardis.
"When?"
"Digby this is a time machine I'll probably be back five minutes before I'm gone!" The Doctor pointed to The Tardis that had just materialised at the opposite side of the street.
"In fact there I am now!" He declared, and with that he slammed the door and the Tardis dematerialised.
******