Chapter II
Confrontation
No one who has experienced it needs to be told just how pleasant spring in Washington, DC can be. Flowers blossom everywhere, and the cherry blossoms are nationally famous. Many couples and families breathe in the fresh aromas that meet their noses. One particular couple, visiting from England, were no exception, although some in-the-know types might believe otherwise. After all, they had seen infinite wonders of the universe, but had never gotten to know the planet which they now called home.
The man and woman both looked relatively young, by all appearances no older than mid-30's. The children to whom the gentleman told stories each weekend believe this also; after all, his claim to be over 1000 years old simply wasn't possible for anyone born on Earth. The fellow, however, simply denied that he WAS born on Earth ... that, despite the fact that he now owns and operates a junkyard at 76 Totters Lane, he was indeed from another planet.
The children would laugh wildly at this, and beg for one of his many stories about big silver giants and living salt-shakers who were once mutants. They would always be treated to one of his stories, followed by one from his lovely wife about freeing lion-faced slaves in another universe. The children enjoyed the fact that the stories seemed so real.
And, indeed, they were real!
This is the Time Lord once considered to be the best "renegade" in all of Gallifreyan history, the man who prefered to be called "Doctor." His exploits throughout time and space have been well chronicled elsewhere. None would have thought at the time that he would ever retire from his "wandering adventurer" role, especially the Doctor himself. Nonetheless his last adventure, which cost him no less than two of his last three regenerations but regained instead his beloved Time Lady, convinced him that it was time to ease off, to "settle down," as it were, with the one whom he treasured more than any other companion he had ever had. In this, his eleventh incarnation, he was tall and mildly stocky, with dark wavy hair and an infectous smile, the "perfect body," he had said after first seeing it.
The Doctor looked from the blossoms to his bride. Romana had always been in better control of her regenerations than he had been; it was to this that he attributed his current appearance, since it was a substance in her blood, passed on to him by transfusion during that last escapade, that permitted both of them now to dictate what they would look like. She was as beautiful as she had become after her first regeneration; indeed, she had consistently chosen to resemble Princess Astra of Atrios, which suited her husband. She kept the long blonde hair, the short but well-rounded figure, and (best of all to the Doctor) that infectous smile of her own. The two were all smiles now as they strolled, hand in hand, down the walk. In all their travels they had never fully explored the Earth; now they were determined to enjoy its full beauty.
Romana inhaled heavily, let the breath out with a sigh, and commented, "My, it smells heavenly here"
"A simple reaction of the pollen with the olefactory sensors in your nose, my dear," the Doctor replied. Romana promptly gives the eternal scientist a shove on the shoulder and runs ahead of him, the skirt of her yellow sundress flowing behind her, her laughter wafting in the air. The Doctor, in slacks and polo shirt, smiles even wider (that smile that, whenever he flashes it, makes her almost see the mop of curls and infinitely-long scarf she remembered so well) and gives chase. After a quick lovers' game of hide-and-seek, the two sit down at a park bench, mildly tired but still energetic. They look into each others' eyes lovingly.
The romantic interlude was broken by a sound. It was faint, but grew slightly louder each time it occurred. The other couples remarked about hearing some strange noise, but chalked it up to a car screeching its brakes far off. To the two ex-Time Lords, however, the sound, though barely audible,
was unmistakeable. Both of them had heard that familiar grinding / wheezing sound too often to think it anything other than the sound of a Gallifreyan vehicle materializing. They quickly conferred, decided that the sound came from somewhere in the wooded park nearby, and entered the trees.
"Honors to you both, champions of Gallifrey, and greetings, old friends" the Celestial Intervention Agency colonel said on their arrival.
The Doctor was the first to recognize the Time Lord. "Romana, it's Andred! How goes the intervention business nowadays, old fellow"
"Exciting, as always." The three exchanges handshakes, friendly embraces, and idle chit-chat for a short time, until Romana noted Andred's slightly somber mood.
"Yes, I'm afraid this is indeed a business trip." He sensed what the Doctor was about to say, so he cut him off with his reply. "I realize, Doctor, we promised to leave you and Lady Romana alone when you moved to Earth. Were the situation less critical I would gladly send my own men into the frey. Unfortunately current events won't let me ask for anything but the best." Andred wasn't sure exactly how the Doctor would respond to such flattery anymore; he remembered his wife Leela telling him how receptive her former companion would become when flattered. Since not everything about a Time Lord's personality changes with regeneration, the Doctor responded as Andred had hoped.
The next quarter of an hour was spent relaying to the Doctor and Romana the events of the past day. Andred told them of the invasion of Mares 6, and of the reports of the union of three of the deadliest races in the universe.
"Doctor, we ought to do something"
"Yes, Romana ... but what"
"I know you'll think of something." The Doctor was as sure of that as he had ever been ... not quite confident at the time, but eager to dive into it anyhow.
"I suppose it will be nice to travel in one of the newer model TARDISes, Andred," the Doctor remarked as the trio of Time Lords walked in the direction of the colonel's transportation. "I almost wish ... I almost wish I had kept the old girl around, though"
"I think you might be pleasantly surprised, then," answered Andred as the three stopped at the top of a small hill. At the bottom sat a blue box. The Doctor's heart lept for joy as he shot down the hill, Romana and Andred trying their best to keep up. They found the Doctor at the bottom, eyes wide and smile wider than his wife had thought possible, even during his fourth regeneration. She knew what was going on, though: her husband was having a tender reunion with yet another friend. The Doctor walked around the police box, noticing the scars that still remained on its exterior, almost remembering exactly what incident caused what bruise. Andred produced a familiar key and handed it to the Doctor. "I think you should do the honors." The Doctor took the key and, almost reverently, inserted it into the lock and turned. The door opened, and the Doctor, forgetting all rules of courtesy, jumped into the TARDIS, followed by Andred and Romana.
"It's amazing, Andred," the Doctor finally said. "How in the name of Rassilon did you ever get the old girl working again"
"No difficult feat, Doctor. Since your victory over the Hadon empire that made you the hero you are," Andred paused, noticing a slight blush on the Doctor's face, then continued with, "we've kept your old capsule in the Museum. I left orders to keep it fully functional, as a tribute to you and Lady Romana. Of course, we never have gotten around to fixing the chameleon circuit, and the navigation is still a little iffy, but... "
"Well, what are we waiting for?" the Doctor interrupted. Without waiting for an answer he operated the control to close the doors, and began setting coordinates on the console as though he had never left it.
Romana knew her husband was probably regressing to his old loveable personality traits, but she decided to try and set the old boy straight anyhow. "Darling, shouldn't we first find out where we're going?"
"What? Oh, yes, of course. Where were the fleets last reported, Andred?"
"They were reported leaving the Mares system, Doctor. I've kept the TARDIS computers linked with Agency reports coming in, so it should have their last reported position." Andred pushed a few buttons on one side of the hexagonal control console. The main scanner lids opened, revealing a tactical map showing the position of three massive fleets of starships to the left of the display.
"I don't remember that function being in the TARDIS computer."
"Oh, yes, Doctor. Granted it wasn't well developed in these old Type 40's, but still functional." Andred stopped as a fourth fleet appeared on the right of the tactical display. "Another fleet is moving in to meet the Devastator Fleet."
"Devastator Fleet?"
"Yes, m'lady. That's what the Agency has started calling the combined fleets."
"Why isn't the fourth fleet being identified?"
The Doctor was the one who responded, "Well, Andred SAID tactical wasn't well developed." ("He's back to his old self," thought Romana and Andred.)
"Well," the Doctor continued, "there's only one way to find out what's going on out there."
Only a curious squirrel was witness to a sight and sound that the planet had not experienced for too long ... the groaning and wheezing of the TARDIS dematerialization.
Shortly the TARDIS re-appeared in deep space, within scanner range of the four fleets, but far enough away to not get in the way. At the closer range the Doctor had no trouble identifying the fourth fleet as a fleet of Rutan spacecraft.
As the Rutans came within range of the Devastator Fleet the battle began. The three Time Lords watched in horror as the Rutan fleet was annihilated, with only minor damage sustained to a few Sontaran craft. During the battle the Doctor noted one ship of a unique design hanging behind the remainder of the Dalek saucers, the Cyber-fleet, and Sontaran battleships. "That must be the one responsible for all this," he surmised. "We must see what's going on there!"
Andred and Romana were ready to protest, but the Doctor was already in motion, programming the TARDIS.
The Fleet Leader
Story (c) 1986 Joe Sewell
Melbourne, FL
Doctor Who and related material (c) 1986 BBC England