Title: Oddities
Author: tromana
Rating: K+
Characters: Romana II/Braxiatel, K9
Spoilers: None
Summary: Braxiatel tries to understand his President. This is always going to lead to failure.
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, but Nyssa the Kitten of Traken is currently tearing around my house.
Author's notes: 1st of 3 ficlets based on Gallifrey.

Oddities

"K9, that's vile, turn it off."

Irving Braxiatel smiled as he sat before the President of Gallifrey, who was at that very moment chiding her metal dog, who also happened to be one of the more powerful computers on the planet. Once K9 looked as bashful as a supposedly emotionless automaton could, she turned and finally graced her attention on him.

"I assume K9's music lessons are going poorly then?"

Romana sighed, "Yes. Anyway, that is not why I called you here. Any sign of Leela?"

Leela. It always came down to that savage. It wasn't that Braxiatel minded her being on the planet. No, he was one of the few Time Lords who did not mind her presence on Gallifrey. The problem was that he had to share the President with someone who could barely read, never mind write.

"What was that meant to be, anyway?"

"Just a terran Christmas carol. Don't change the subject, Braxiatel."

"Leela is still unaccounted for. It is possible that she is wandering the vaults – again," Braxiatel announced. "Do you want a search party sent out again?"

"No, no," Romana muttered. "Leela will turn up when she wants to be found."

"Anything else?" Braxiatel enquired.

"No, that will be all." Braxiatel wandered towards the door. "Oh. Brax?"

Braxiatel spun on his heels and nearly knocked over a modest pine tree, obviously imported on a whim by the President. Some things were easily explainable, others, less so. Still, there was no point questioning Romana, as you never knew whether she'd concede or take offence, leading to her snapping your head off.

"Thank you. Feel free to take a cracker on the way out. I was delivered far too many."

Braxiatel shook his head gently and did accept one. He thought he understood Romana, knew her thought patterns and had honed her into being something quite, quite special. If only she hadn't been sent away with the Doctor.

"Information regarding playback of Earth Christmas Carol 'Silent Night' required, Mistress," K9 chirruped.

"Never mind," Romana mused and took post beside her window, gazing out across the Citadel.