Welcome! This is the second of a two part story, so if you would like to read this one, please look at my profile to find Part 1. This will be very difficult to impossible to understand without doing that first.

This two-parter is the first story in what I hope will be a long-going series, so please leave reviews! Thanks for stopping by.

(-)

But I do not understand, said the being. What is about to happen?

"It looks an awful lot like I'm about to be killed by those Cybermen," replied the Doctor.

Killed? The being was confused. What is this?

"Well, in my universe, existence is not eternal," said the Doctor."We live our lives but eventually they end. Sometimes it is done naturally and peacefully, sometimes it is done violently and savagely."

So as time goes along, eventually it stops? You end your corporeal existence? The being was very puzzled.

"Yes," replied the Doctor. "That's life, really isn't it." He paused for a moment. "Well, I guess for you it isn't."

But if your corporeal existence was about to be ended by the Cybermen, asked the being, how can you be here?

"Well, if you let me tell the story, you'll find out," replied the Doctor.

Then continue Doctor, said the being. There is much I wish to know.

(-)

Anastasia Viatov was not having a typical day.

She had found herself yanked from the life she despised by a strange English man in a suit. She had then found herself readily accepting the idea he was a time traveller from another universe. True, she had lived her life surrounded by metal spacemen, but even that was somewhat of a step too far.

All of that added up to make her hiding behind an upturned table a fairly normal occurrence for that day. With just one small exception – the strange man who had come to change her life was either doing something very clever or very stupid.

The Doctor stood defiantly in front of the approaching Cybermen as they advanced further into the Resistance bunker. The Cybermen were almost upon him when he suddenly spoke with a clear voice.

"This sentence is false!"

Suddenly the Cybermen stopped in the tracks. It was only for two or three seconds and for those few seconds the resistance soldiers, similarly behind cover, were filled with confusion. After those initial few seconds, they suddenly realised the opportunity and opened fire once again.

The Cybermen, having heard a logical impossibility, had been sufficiently confused for a few moments to be neutralised, before they reasserted themselves, only to face a barrage of weapons fire. Not enough to damage them much, but enough to keep them occupied for a crucial moment...

Anastasia could just about hear the Doctor over the weapons fire and the idea that it was indeed cleverness she was witnessing, not stupidy, was cemented in her brain.

"3... 2... 1..." was what she could hear him say.

Upon reaching one, he suddenly reached into his pocket and took out his sonic screwdriver and an EMP charge. He put them together and there was a blindly white flash.

(-)

The Tsar slammed his fist into the desk.

"A minor setback, perhaps..." came the distorted voice from the nearby computer terminal.

"A minor setback?!" the Tsar raged in response.

"It is unfortunate we were not able to finish this now, but the Doctor is resourceful. It was always a possibility he would find a way to survive. And besides, while you have his TARDIS, you have him under your thumb."

The Tsar was far from pacified but the Associate did not sound like he was willing to have a long argument about it. It had been a risk, admittedly, and while it hadn't worked out quite as he wanted, he had the Doctor's TARDIS. That was the important bit – everything else was simply icing on the cake.

"You do trust me, do you not your Majesty?" came the voice from the computer, with more than a hint of mocking detectable in it.

"Of course," the Tsar replied, with a rather less disguised hint of anger.

"Then," came the voice, "I suggest you allow events to transpire as I see fit."

The Tsar could barely stand the smug superiority sifting through the audio. He could do nothing except grin and bare it – the Associate had given him everything. It was be the height of ingratitude to forget that – not to mention more than a little dangerous.

"If you insist," was all he decided was necessary as a response.

"I do," came the reply. "I would not worry Nicholas. We have all we need." And with a quick and short burst of static, there was silence.

He stood, barely containing his fury. An alliance of convenience it was, but he was beginning to wonder if it was for convenience other than his. He was not alone with his thoughts for long, however, before he realised he was not alone.

"How long have you been there?" he addressed the shadows, in a manner cold enough to freeze hell.

"Long enough," came the reply, as the figure of a young woman emerged from the corner of the room where she had allowed the dark of night to envelope her. "What are you letting him get you into?"

The Tsar coldly surveyed the shape of his eldest daughter, her own expression starting back at him showing she was in no better a mood than he was. "It is none of your concern, Olga," he snapped.

"Oh,"she said coldly, her gaze never shifting from her father. "I rather think it is. If this goes all wrong, then it won't just be him-" she jabbed her finger at the now-black screen - "who pays the price."

The Tsar grimaced and turned away from his daughter, looking out of the window into the dark ruins. He knew she was right. He just dare not admit it. "You never used to be so impertinent. You used to obey and respect me."

"Things change," she said, walking up to him. "The world, Russia, you, me. All of them have changed."

There was a short moment of silence before she spoke again. "I would not be advising you if I did not respect you," she said.

"I do not want you respect, I want your obedience," he snapped again.

She sighed and turned for the exit. "I'm not a child any more. And even if I look like a young woman, I'm not that either. The reason he runs rings around you is because you can't see time has passed." And with that, she left.

The Tsar was now alone with his thoughts; his own furious thoughts. He was just about finished with being lectured by fools; his own daughter, the Associate, anyone else who dared to cross him. He continued staring into the night, knowing that once the power of the time travel was his, then there would be no more resistance. He would be Tsar of All The Universe and nothing would stop him. And then he would settle some scores. Starting with his Associate...