Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to various persons and corporations that are not me or associated with me. This piece of fanfiction is written with the admiration and respect for the original work. I claim no ownership of Doctor Who's creations. No profit is made from this material, now or in the future.
Thanks to Armity for beta-read.
FOR TIME AGENCY REVIEW ONLY
Security Level: ULTRA
Released to: Overseer Gamma
Authorized: 1 viewing
Visual Footage from the Lost Base Archives
Interrogation of River Song
Session: 5
The recorder activates along with the lighting in the room. In the lower right-hand corner, the footage keeps track of the exact coordinates in time and space. The recorder is a hovering device that on activation sweeps the perimeter of the cell. In the bright lights, the extremely large room is exposed in its entirety. There is little more to observe than that it is made completely of metal from floor to ceiling and is nearly empty. It's based off the Agency's preferred design of a psych room: 100'x100'. Past studies have proven smaller cells less efficient with trained detainees. Enclosed spaces still offer a sense of safety, even in hostile circumstances. Empty, unknown spaces have a far more advantageous effect on the human mind. The detainees cannot know the true measures of the room or the number of observers. They are both held and exposed. This is best for the destruction of otherwise strong mental resources.
The periphery lights deactivate in a series of mechanical clicks until a singular space of light remains only in the center of the room. The recorder hovers closer. In the light is a metal table and two chairs.
There is loud sound as if the room had suddenly taken a deep gasp.
In a flash, a tall, blonde human man appears next to the table by vortex manipulator. He is wearing an Old Earth style regimental jacket in red. His eyes scan the darkened room before turning to the recorder. It circles him to observe his every angle before returning to face him directly.
"Agent 1078, reporting for mind-fuck duty, sir!" His accent is modulated to compliment his outfit. The way he mouths his consonants and the blaster on his belt gives away the fact that he is from British Mars.
He salutes the camera, before walking into the darkness. His laughter is dying away in echoes just as the air is disturbed again. Two more agents appear by vortex manipulator with the prisoner. She is in thin prison regulation shorts and sleeveless shirt. The guards lead her to one of the chairs. She sits down of her own volition. She places her arms and feet into position without guidance. Metal restraints snick into place. Both guards check the restraints. They nod to each other, step back, and two gusts echo in the room as they leave.
The coordinates in the right-hand corner of the footage keeps track as forty-two minutes pass. The prisoner sits in her chair and rarely fidgets in place. There is only minor movement as she adjusts her seating or shakes hair out of her eyes or stretches her fingers and toes. Her breath is visible in the air in gray puffs, calm and regular. It is obvious they decided to use cold treatment on her today.
Another gust of disturbed time and space echoes in the room. A dark-haired man appears in a long coat, gloves, and scarf. His boots thump as he walks to the table. The chair scrapes on the floor as he pulls it out and sits. He leans back, throwing his legs up, and crosses his boots on the edge of the table. He smiles broadly at the prisoner. The recorder sweeps to the other side to catch her reaction. She smiles back.
"River Song," he says in a distinct Peninsula accent. "It's an honour to meet you. Really, I'm your biggest fan. Well, second. You have no idea what favors I had to give out to get this assignment."
"Knowing you, Jack," she replies, "I think I can guess."
His eyes widen for only a moment. "Is that reputation, or do I have something to look forward to, gorgeous?"
"A little bit of both."
"Well, I see we don't need to waste time on introductions then. I'm happy enough to go by Jack for this interview, if that makes it easier on you."
"Oh, is this an interview?"
"Of course, it is."
"Silly me," she looks around them, "I thought this was an interrogation in a psych room, using the cold treatment. Personally, I've always found that the mirror maze yields better results with a more efficient use of agency resources. It's also more fun, like a crystal carnival I visited once in the 33rd century. Have you ever been?"
"We've already tried the mirror maze on you, River." He laughs. "It didn't work."
"Well, that's the trouble with interrogating your former interrogators, isn't it? We know all the tricks."
"Not all of them," he says with a fixed smile, "but we hope it won't have to come to that."
"Ah, the threat. Sooner than I would have advised. You've shown your hand too early, handsome." She cocks her head to the side. "You're not an interrogator. Even now. I'm glad, Jack. The man I know would be heartbroken if that was where his agency career had led him. Another man I know would be heartsbroken for you. Not that I would ever tell him. Despite what he thinks, he doesn't need to know everything."
"This other man you are talking about, River . . . Do you mean the Doctor or the Master?"
She smiles. "Yes."
He clenches his jaw.
"You're so young, Jack. You've seen so little death."
"I've seen quite a lot, actually," he replies. "I am a time agent. You know as well as I do what that can mean. Just because I prefer to be kind doesn't mean I can't be brutal. Please, let me be kind, River, and answer my questions."
"If I can."
"What's your relationship with the Doctor?"
"Wouldn't you like to know."
He sighs and swings his legs off the table. After a moment of hesitation, he stands up. She watches him with calm eyes. "I really do like you, River Song. I hoped we could work together. Maybe after you've met my partner, you'll be more forthcoming." He steps back from the table and the sound of footsteps in the darkness echo in the room.
"Maybe you aren't asking the right questions, Jack."
He holds up a hand. The footsteps stop.
"Why were you working with the Master?" he asks.
"Because I'd do anything for the Doctor."
"What were you doing?"
She blinks several times and glances at the floor. "That, I can't tell you."
"Why can't you tell me?"
"Sorry, I misspoke. I should have said 'won't'."
He takes a long breath through his nose. "Why won't you tell me?"
"Because together we did something so very terrible, so very wrong, that no one should know what happened that day. No one should ever have that knowledge because no good can come from it. No one should ever try to do that again." She pauses and her eyes search his face. "Do you know the best part, Jack?"
"You are not cooperating, River. I can't protect you if you don't cooperate."
The footsteps begin to approach again. They are slow and irregular.
"It's now a paradox," she says. "Somewhen, I am always making that mistake. Before I was born, the very worst thing I will ever do was already happening. Long after I die, I will still be doing that terrible thing. That is my thumbprint on time, my signature. And he knows. He's known since I met him and he still smiles at me. He still loves me. He still forgives me. It happens over and over again in Time. It has to be like a thorn in his mind. But he still chooses to forgive me, over and over again. That remarkable man. I did it for him. And he knows. I know he'll never forgive himself for that. I didn't have to do it, either. Time can be rewritten. I knew what I was doing and I did it anyway."
"Unfortunately, the agency needs facts, River Song," he replies. "Tell us exactly what you did."
"I will never tell," she answers.
"The Doctor will never know if you tell us."
She smiles. "But I will."
"Then we'll never hear your side of the story."
" And I can't say I'm sorry." She shook her head. "Assume the worst. That'll still be better than I deserve. Beyond that, I have nothing more to say to you today."
Agent 1078 walks out of the shadow and leans with a hip against the metal table. "Why don't you let me have a go now, Jack?"
"Oh, look," she says. "It's your master."
"I'm sorry, River. I wanted to be kind." He raises his arm, activates his vortex manipulator, and disappears with a bright flash of light.
"River Bloody Song," Agent 1078 looks her over with a grin. He throws his arms out in a grand gesture. "I am your biggest fan!"
Entered into Evidence:
Interrogation of River Song
Session: 5
(This transcript has been edited to preserve Empire secrets.)
River Song: [Redacted] Despite what he thinks, he doesn't need to know everything.
Agent 3099: This other man you are talking about, River . . . Do you mean the Doctor or the Master?
RS: Yes. [Redacted]
A. 3099: [Redacted] Please, let me be kind, River, and answer my questions.
RS: If I can.
A. 3099: What's your relationship with the Doctor?
RS: Wouldn't you like to know. Maybe you aren't asking the right questions.
A. 3099: Why were you working with the Master?
RS: Because I'd do anything for the Doctor.
A. 3099: What were you doing?
RS: That, I can't tell you.
A. 3099: Why can't you tell me?
RS: Sorry, I misspoke. I should have said 'won't'.
A. 3099: Why won't you tell me?
RS: Because together we did something so very terrible, so very wrong, that no one should know what happened that day. [Redacted] Do you know the best part?
A. 3099: You are not cooperating, River. [Redacted]
RS: It's now a paradox. [Redacted] I knew what I was doing and I did it anyway.
A. 3099: Unfortunately, the agency needs facts, River Song. Tell us exactly what you did.
RS: I will never tell.
A. 3099: The Doctor will never know if you tell us.
RS: But I will.
A. 3099: [Redacted]
RS: I can't say I'm sorry. [Redacted] Beyond that, I have nothing more to say to you today.
From: Doctor Dorris Holaday, The Great Guild
To: Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Message Content:
I am outraged at evidence of Doctor Song's continued lack of regret for her actions. She appears to delight in her deviance and refuses to acknowledge any higher authority than her own whims.
Whatever leniency she might have received from our court by admitting to some measure of her crimes must be augmented by this stubborn refusal to apologize for them. I wish this to be remembered when it comes time to decide upon Doctor Song's sentencing. She shows no interest in softer emotions for those she has harmed. The court should show none for her.
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Dorris Holaday, The Great Guild
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Message Content:
Agreed.
From: Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
To: Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Overseer Gamme, The Time Agency
Doctor Dorris Holaday, The Great Guild
Message Content:
We have yet to decide upon Doctor Song's guilt. It seems premature and even draws into question the objectivity of the court to speak about sentencing before reaching a verdict.
It was a terrible tragedy that The Great Guild lost 32 of its best minds in the events surrounding Doctor Song and the Master. However, I am certain Doctor Holaday would not allow her emotions to interfere with her judgment.
Our duty is not only to punish, but to also seek the truth.
From: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Message Content:
Our duty is not only to punish but to protect. The truth is that Doctor Song is a danger of inconceivable proportions. This is not a judgment based upon on unvoiced verdict, but common sense gathered from the trail of crimes and verdicts littering her past. The only reason Doctor Song was enough of a free citizen to be in our court today is because she is an unparalleled genius that the empire thought it could harness to its own ends. Doctor River Song has proven that she cannot be directed or rehabilitated. She can only be contained.
I do not mean to cast doubt on the objectivity of our cout or to suggest that Doctor Song's final verdict has already been reached without viewing all the evidence. I only suggest that the court remember her lack of empathy for her victims. Too many courts in the past have shown her mercy in deference for what services her genius could provide society, that has resulted in her showing no mercy for society in her genius.
From: Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Message Content:
I understand Doctor Holaday's concerns and acknowledge their logical foundation, as well as their emotional. Nevertheless, I must disagree that mercy in the court is ever a failing. It is true that Doctor Song has a background that suggests a strange disregard for the constraints of society or natural order. That does not mean we should demonize her.
I would very much like to see more evidence before deciding for myself the extent of her crimes. In particular, I would like to see a full psychological report on Doctor Song.
Doctor Holaday remarks on Doctor Song's genius, but who is to say that it would not be better termed as madness? I do not think a mortal woman could see the things she has seen, do the things she has done, and come away from those experiences with sanity intact.
Who is to say she is not her own victim? In that case, perhaps we are the only ones who can show mercy and should.
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
A full psychological report of River Song will be provided.
From: Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Message Content:
A witness will be provided by the Shadow Proclamation to insure there is no doubt to its authenticity.
From: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
Madness is no apology.
From: Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Message Content:
Mercy is no sin.
TBC
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