Chapter 6

The calm before the storm

One got used to being an Ankuris after a few decades. Edain only had one complaint: why did everyone think that he didn't understand a damn thing? Seriously, he was a kid, not an idiot. He'd stopped caring about what strangers might say, but if mum and dad thought that they could keep their super serious conversations a secret, they were very wrong. Especially since they were talking about it with his siblings, and even some of their children.

The house was particularly full that night. It was New Year's Eve, one of the most important holidays in Gallifrey, and everybody had come to celebrate. Edain's siblings, their respective spouses and children, and even dad's parents had come for dinner. Edie had already left the table, knowing that the interesting part of the conversation wouldn't start until he and the other children were out of the dining room.

The other children, by the way, were his niece Sarari, Ainur's daughter, and his nephew Cahay, Runa's youngest son. They were quite fun most of the time, but Ed wasn't in the mood for games at that moment, so he made sure to be the first one to leave. He ran upstairs as soon as he was out of sight.

Mik was in his bedroom, snoozing on the swing that Ed had built for him years ago. He actually snored a little, but it wasn't annoying, more like a hum.

"Mik, wake up" the monkey opened his eyes a millimeter and immediately closed them. Ed tickled him, impatient.

"C'mon, bud, this is important. I think they're going to talk about the war. Miiik… Hey, we've got to know what happens in the world. Get your ass up and let's go."

Mik got up groaning and climbed up to Ed's shoulder.

"You're such a baby it's crazy, bud." Laughed Edie when he saw Mik's expression. "Alright, here we go."

There was no way of getting from the third floor to the second without being spotted by Sarari and Cahay, so he climbed out of the window and down to the window right above the living room. It was his mum's office, and the door was always locked unless she was inside. But it was super easy to open the window with a sonic screwdriver, and of course, he happened to have one. All those days in the workshop definitely paid off.

He sneaked inside the office and checked that the door was locked. Mik appeared through the window dangling from a cord, swung inside and landed straight on Edain's face.

"Ow!" Edain tripped and found himself sitting on the floor with Mik laughing on his lap. "Mik, you're made of metal. You can't just throw yourself at people!"

Mik kept laughing and climbed up to his head. With a sigh, Edie got up and covered Mik's mouth, making silence in the room. The adults' voices entered the study through the open window, and Edie felt a shiver down his spine. He sat on the windowsill and listened.

"…have started serious training already." was saying Runa. "No one says it's for war, but they're incorporating newer weapons in the strategies."

"Even time weapons?" asked Edain's grandfather.

"Not yet, at least not in general practice." Said Runa's husband, Ledakan. "Still, some of my colleagues have been selected for special training. It's all secret, but I overheard a conversation in which they mentioned the Nightmare Child."

There were a few moments of silence. Ed had no idea what the Nightmare Child was, but it didn't sound particularly pleasing.

"What does the High Command say, Runa?" asked Ainur. "About this, I mean."

"Depends on who you talk to. General Sumrak, the one that commands my division, is against any confrontation, but Valgus instigates it. I suppose it is only a matter of time before most generals agree with him."

"That's not the biggest problem, though." Intervened Ed's mum. "The Army High Command can't do anything unless the Senate approves, but with Rassilon at its head, it's clear what he will do."

"Rassilon?" That was Amser. "Isn't that the guy that expelled uncle Edain from the Academy?"

"Yup." Said the Doctor. "And that's a true testimony to his character. He defends so much his idea of timelord superiority that he won't accept anything that doesn't fit it. He still insists that we should send Ed to Earth, and it's been a hundred years."

"I don't get it. What does that have to do with the war?"

"The daleks are a threat to the timelords, Amser." The Doctor explained. "We are two of the greatest civilizations in the universe, probably the best two. If Rassilon can't stand a child timelord, who is the same species as him, what makes you think he will want to make peace with the daleks, who couldn't be more different? Him expelling Ed is just an example of how he thinks: before the Zooficus, mum and I received letters from Rassilon each month, praising him and talking about what he would achieve when he was older. After the infection, he didn't even show up. He sent us a note saying Edain was no longer welcome at the Academy, and that was it. If that's his attitude in time of peace, I don't want to imagine what it will be like at war."

"The best thing about that is that Ed is still smarter than Rassilon" said Thais, and Edie blushed proudly. "That spaceship he's building will be one of the best ones in Gallifrey. Only Tardises will beat it. And he's one hundred and ten."

"How old is Rassilon?"

"He's going on three thousand, I think." Said Ed's grandma. "It's hard to say with all the time travel."

"Beat by a hundred year old" Ainur laughed. "I know Ed's not your common timelord, but honestly, Rassilon had it coming. Do you think he could convince the Senate to go to war, grandma?"

"I think he's already doing it" grandma said grimly. "This idea of timelord superiority is very common, unfortunately. Rassilon is just much more convinced than the others."

"How many do you think would refuse?"

"Realistically? Me and Setia."

"That's it?"

"I'm absolutely serious about this, son. If Rassilon reaches everybody in the Senate, Gallifrey goes to war."

"Well then, I suppose we'll have to go war too." The Doctor said, and again there was silence. Ed closed his eyes in an effort to control the fear. His father was the best dad, and the kindest when he wanted to, but even Ed had heard the stories about the Doctor from Gallifrey, Greatest Warrior of Them All, The Oncoming Storm. He wondered what title he'd end up with this time, if he really went to war against the daleks.

He felt something on his ear and noticed that Mik, worried, was rubbing his head against it.

"I's okay, bud." He tried to sound optimistic. "Dad won't let anything happen to us."

Mik nodded, but he didn't look happy. Edain sighed.

"Let's get out of here. This conversation is getting depressing."

He and Mik climbed out of the window, and up to Edain's bedroom. Below them, the conversation went on until the wee hours of the night. But Edain went to sleep calmly. The Doctor might be the oncoming storm, but he was also his father. He would be safe.