Chapter 1

In sickbay, Ace got the Doctor a glass of water. "How do you feel?"

"Confused."

Ace smiled. "Understandable… considering what's happened."

The Doctor stood and started to pace. "What has happened… to this Sickbay… to you… to me?"

"Sit down, Doctor."

"Since when have you called me "Doctor"? It's always been Professor… What's going on here?"

"Sit… Please."

Her calmness reached him. He sat again… and faced her.

"What is the last thing you remember clearly?"

"Alpha Omnia Three. The TARDIS had been probed… I took the TARDIS down and you, Nita, and I went out to track the source."

"But all we found was toxic gas. We barely got out in time. Professor… that happened sixteen years ago."

As much as he'd seen and experienced in all his years travelling the stars, the Doctor was still rocked to his core. "That's not possible!"

"With Altarian Plague, anything is possible. In face, we expected this."

The Doctor showed some steel. "Could you be more specific?"

"That day on Omnia Three you were infected with a strain of Altarian encephalitis. A retrovirus that incorporates its DNA directly into the cells of its host. In some cases it attacks immediately, causing a loss of all inhibitions. For others, it can lie dormant for years, then suddenly becomes active, as it did in your case ten days ago. You've been in a coma, delirious… Your fever finally broke this morning…"

"But what happened to my memory?"

Ace crossed to a wall monitor and tapped it. A graphic display of living brain cells came up.

"This is a scan of your brain tissue. When the encephalitis became active… it caused widespread synapse degradation, interrupting the consolidation of memory…"

"Get to the point, Ace."

Ace paused. She was in no hurry to give him the bad news. "Professor… this virus invariably destroys all memory back to the moment of the original infection. In your case, all the way back to Alpha Omnia Three."

The Doctor was reeling. But he fought back… denying… "I can't believe this… it's a dream… or…"

Ace crossed to the Doctor, and took his hand in hers. "Feel my hand… flesh and bone. This is not a dream… and you are the Doctor… pilot of the TARDIS."

The Doctor relaxed slightly. He couldn't negate the reality of all this… at least not yet. He was almost afraid to ask… "This incarnation… for how long?"

"Nine years."

The Doctor absorbed this latest blow. Then regained his balance, and came right back at Ace… "If I've lost my memory… how do I find it again?"

"Memory is formed out of association. Smells, sounds, and images in the present could possibly trigger them."

"I see. Like the way a song can remind you of… old friends

"Exactly. In associational therapy, we expose the patient to familiar surroundings. This could stimulate the brain's neural synapses into regenerating."

The Doctor headed to the door, determined. "Then let's get started. There's nothing more familiar to me than the TARDIS. If anything's going to bring back…"

But Ace stopped him with… "Professor… I said your memory could return. In many cases… the damage is permanent."

As the Doctor walked down the corridor with Ace, he reacted to the changes sixteen years have wrought upon the TARDIS. The changes were drastic. Gone were the stark white walls. It now looked very organic.

"What about you and Nita? Were you infected, too?"

"Thankfully, no. We appear to have been immune. There have been a lot of changes on the TARDIS in the last sixteen years. Which is why we should begin the associational therapy in your quarters. Personal recollections are always the most vivid."

"My life is in the Control Room, always has been. If anything's going to jog my memory… let's go to the Control Room."

They began heading in that direction.

The Doctor stepped into the Control Room, followed by Ace. He saw Nita at the console. She turned to display greying hair on her head. "Doctor." She acknowledged.

Then Nita spoke up… "Sontaran Mothership Uncloaking."

That got everyone's attention.

"On screen."

A Sontaran Mothership uncloaked as it cruised into view. The Doctor looked about and reacted. Neither of his companions were responding properly to this enemy in their midst. Lost sixteen years or not, he took charge. "Shields up. Go to Mauve Alert."

And then he realized that everyone was staring at him with shock and amazement.

"Doctor… we have been expecting the Decius. There is no need for alarm."

The Doctor stood in the centre of the room. He showed an amazing presence of mind, considering. "Cancel Mauve Alert. Clearly, I need to be… briefed."

Before Ace could reply, Nita spoke up… "The Decius is hailing us, Doctor. The other Doctor wishes to speak to you."

"On screen."

The Doctor's seventh incarnation stood in the Mothership's Ready Room. An older Tegan stood beside him.

"Hello!"

What was one more surprise? "Doctor. Tegan?"

"How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better."

"Not surprising. Altarian Viruses can be a nasty business."

"That's… an understatement… I can't even…"

The Seventh Doctor interrupted. "We can discuss this… after we transport over. Doctor out."

The viewer went black. As the Doctor exchanged a look with Ace…

"How are you holding up?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "My past self… on a Sontaran Mothership? What is that all about?"

Ace answered carefully. "I think I should leave the explanations to the other Doctor."

The Doctor pondered this.

The Seventh Doctor and Tegan materialized, then smiled as they stepped over to join Ace and the future Doctor.

"Doctor... it's good to see you have recovered."

"I'm not exactly sure you can call it a recovery," the future Doctor said quietly.

Tegan and Seven realized their worst fears had been realized. "Then there was… a memory loss."

Seven turned to Ace. "How much?"

"Everything… since Alpha Omnia Three."

The Seventh Doctor sat in the Observation Lounge, looking up at the stars projected on the ceiling. He was in a state of shock. "To lose sixteen years…"

He turned to his future self, who sat opposite him. Not comfortably. Tegan stood near by. "…that is almost beyond belief."

"I'm having trouble believing it myself, Seven."

"It must be overwhelming to have so much of your life… missing…"

"And it couldn't have happened at a worse time. A few more days of relatively simple negotiations, and the treaty will be signed."

An impatient future Doctor cut in… "What negotiations? What treaty?"

"Sorry. I'll start at the beginning, which was four years ago. A Sontaran Assault Ship strayed into Earth space. Its warp coils had collapsed, and its life support was failing."

"You saved them, Doc. You and the TARDIS."

"This impressed the Sontarans, to say the least. After years of distrust and conflict, they started to talk. You have been our key spokesman…"

The future Doctor gave him an enquiring look.

"…in securing an alliance with the Sonatarans."

The future Doctor was stunned… but managed to keep his balance. "How far have these negotiations progressed?"

"The preliminaries are over. All we need do now is escort the Sontaran Ambassador to the final session."

"Where you will help complete the negotiations and sign the treaty."

The future Doctor digested all of this. He came to a conclusion. "Seven, I am in no condition to negotiate with the Sontarans or anyone else."

"Doctor… you are of sound mind and body. If you were properly briefed, you could still fulfil your duties."

"With a sixteen year gap in my head?" The future Doctor leaned back in his chair.

Seven exchanged a look with Tegan, then addressed his future self. "I know this has all been… a terrible shock… but we do need you."

"Seven, I'm not sure I'm… fit to even pilot…"

"I appreciate your candor and your concern. But despite your… affliction… there is still no one better equipped to deal with these Sontarans than you."

The future Doctor reluctantly gave in. "When do we leave?"

Seven was relieved. "As soon as the Ambassador transports over from the Decius. I'll make the arrangements. We will get through this. As we have many times before."

Seven left. Then the future Doctor looked up at the ceiling. As he watched the Sontaran Mothership drift into view… "I hope so."

Tegan approached the Doctor. "Let me take you to your quarters."

The Doctor gave Tegan an exhausted look. He nodded. "Good idea… I've had enough surprises for one day."

The door to the Doctor's quarters opened and the Doctor and Tegan entered. The Doctor surveyed a room adorned with mementoes gathered in those sixteen missing years… gifts for bravery… alien art works… furniture he has never seen before. He reacted to all of this, and exchanged a look with Tegan…

Then they heard someone playing the spoons in the next room, and dropping one. The Doctor walked into the room and discovered a ten year old boy playing the spoons. Then the boy turned and smiled. "Hi, Dad."