IDChapter35
That evening after everyone had worked hard and the Krills had retired to the ship for the night, the Gallis gathered outside around a fire. It was a pleasant night, the sky was clear, the stars bright.
"Rose, will you finish your story, please?" Carra asked.
"While you were gone, I was telling everyone our story," Rose explained to Jon. "I left off where we were dropped off together at Bad Wolf Bay. I thought it would help everyone to get to know us better."
"So now you've added story-telling to your many talents." Jon laughed.
"You should write them all down sometime," Carra suggested.
"That's a brilliant idea!" Jack agreed. "You two are the stuff of legend, you know."
Rose ducked her head and blushed as the group laughed. Jon just grinned and gave her shoulders an encouraging squeeze.
She told the group how she and Jon had gotten to know each other and fallen in love again. She proudly described how they had molded their Torchwood into an organization that prepared Earth for entry into intergalactic society. Their eyes went wide as she described her dream-state encounter with Jon's twin in the other universe, Arianna's conception and birth, and how the other Doctor had copied his personality into a fob watch for Jon before he regenerated. She told them of the plot by the renegade Krillitanes to use their family to help crack the Skasis Paradigm, and how they had foiled their plan – and in the process Jon discovered he could use the Krillitane oil to change his DNA back to that of a Time Lord. She then told them how he had helped her to change her own DNA so that they could have their 'forever'. She went on to their experiences with the Shadow Proclamation, and how Jack had brought them here.
"The rest you all pretty much know about," she finished, and the group began to clap in applause. Rose blushed again. Jon had remained silent throughout, and he pulled her into a one-armed hug and kissed the top of her head.
"Well done, my love," he whispered in her ear. Then he spoke to the group, with his arm still around Rose. "I'm really, really glad that Rose has had the chance to tell all of you about us. There is nothing I want more right now than to get to know my people in this universe. I want to help, to provide a safe haven for those of my race that have been persecuted here. So, I just wanted you all to know that if you want, you can stay with us, and we can re-build our society. If not, we'll do our best to find a safe place for you elsewhere and get you off to a good start. But sleep on it, think it over well, I'm sure you'll have lots of questions, and I'll answer them as best I can in the morning."
There was a lot of murmuring amongst the group as everyone got up and made ready for bed.
"I think that went well." Jack said.
"Yeah, I think it did, too." Jon smiled proudly at Rose. "You brought them together with our story, you know. Before I came back, they were just a loose bunch of refugees. Now," he couldn't resist a wink, "now they're all members of your devoted fan club."
"Jealous?" Rose teased, grinning and showing the tip of her tongue.
"A little. I'm used to being the center of attention." Jon tried to pout, but pouting is difficult when your wife pulls you to herself and starts kissing you.
Jack and Isana coughed loudly. The two separated, grinning cheekily.
Isana spoke up, "I understand we're leaving for the trial tomorrow."
"Yeah, Kor'Lo is looking forward to divesting himself of his prisoner. You're up for it?" Jon asked.
"As much as I'll ever be, I guess. I just want to get it over with, but I'm not looking forward to seeing him again." She couldn't help but shudder a little. Jack put his arm around her.
"We'll keep him out of sight until the trial, and even then he'll be bound, he won't be able to get to you."
"Even so..." Isana began, but let it drop. She actually felt the tiniest bit guilty, although she knew it was wrong to feel that way. She let Jack lead her back to Voyager. She felt safer there than sleeping in the caves with everyone else.
The next morning everyone was up early. Jon conferred with Kor'Lo about the progress being made. Everything had been unloaded from the ship and organized in the caves, the latrine and shower facilities were almost finished and the kitchen was well underway. Jon was impressed with how well the Krills and Gallis were working together. He was equally impressed with the deference the Gallis showed to Rose, she was clearly one of them now, and they respected her.
Kor'Lo left some men behind to guard and help with building the settlement. Jon kissed Rose and the children goodbye, and he, Jack, and Isana joined Kor'Lo on the Krillitane ship. They took off toward the Krillitane homeworld again.
Isana never saw or heard Koschei the entire trip, just as Jack had promised. The trip went uneventfully, and after a day at top speed, they landed. As they disembarked, a pair of waiting guards took Jack, Jon, and Isana directly to the Esteemed Father. Kor'Lo and Son'Mar stayed behind to escort Koschei to his holding cell.
As they entered the Esteemed Father's ornate office he stood up. "Greetings Lord Doctor, Friend Jack, and this must be the lovely Lady Isana." He gazed at her intently, as if he could almost see through her, then bowed. She was a bit taken aback by his gaze, his formality, his humanoid form, and his attractiveness.
The Esteemed Father explained to them how the trail would proceed. "It will be over with very quickly," he summed up, giving Isana a reassuring look. "You remember where my personal courtroom is, Jack?"
Slyly Jack smiled. "How could I forget?"
"Then escort the Doctor and Lady Isana there, I'll meet you there shortly."
Dismissed, Jack led them out of the office and down a winding glass staircase, then into another room. This room, the Esteemed Father's personal courtroom, was rather small. You got the impression, looking around at the rich tapestries hung on the walls, and the luster of the elaborately carved wooden furnishings, that this was a very old, exclusive room reserved for only the most important cases. Jack took them over to the left-most of three tables and sat Isana down at it, indicating that Jon should sit in the chair behind her and to one side, while he sat next to Jon on her other side. "The prosecutor will sit at the middle table here next to you," Jack explained to Isana, "while the accused will sit over there," he gestured at the table to the right, "and his defender will sit on the other side of the Prosecutor." Isana noticed sturdy metal rings fastened to the table. Following her eyes, Jack explained, "That's what they attach his chains to."
Jon arched an eyebrow. "Not even an attempt to make the accused look innocent, is there?"
"Nope. Not that it bothers me in the least in this case."
"Hmm." Jon nodded, but it still bothered him.
"You have to realise that in the Krillitane system, in order to get this far you pretty much have to be a 'special case', and they don't take any chances with special cases."
"What do you mean by 'special case'?" Jon asked.
"Dangerous and alien. Like me."
"You've been here?"
Jack nodded and smilled. "Right where Koschei will be, and in chains."
"What did you do to get here?" Isana turned in her seat and asked.
"I got caught stealing a shuttle. I was shot, died, and came back to life. That's how I met the Esteemed Father. I'm free today because he likes me."
"Somehow I don't think Koschei will fare as well." Jon observed.
During the trip back to Karn Jack had explained his immortality to Isana, but it still hadn't really sunk in. Now that, and Jack's 'consort' relationship with the Esteemed Father, was weighing heavily on her mind. She rubbed her temples.
"Are you alright, Sweeheart?" Jack asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine," she replied, turning away and brushing his hand away. "I just want to get this over with."
Just then a side door opened and Kor'Lo strode in. "I will be functioning as the Prosecutor, since I am familiar with the case," he explained to them. He sat down next to Isana, as he did the door opened again and four Krillitane guards marched in, escorting Koschei. They took him to his chair, seated him, and fastened his chains to the rings. They sat in the chairs behind him, flanking him as Jon and Jack flanked Isana. Then another Krillitane, the Defender, walked through the door and sat at Koschei's side, between Koschei and the Prosecutor. Isana's shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath and sighed with relief. At least she didn't have to look at him, the Krillitanes' bulk hid him from view.
Behind them, twelve more Krillitanes filed in and took seats. They all wore colorful, ornate robes.
"That's the Krillitane Royal Court. They sit in judgement of any case the Esteemed Father brings before them. They usually rule in His favor, but have occasionally be known not to. But in order to override him, it has to be unanimous."
"Pretty tough crowd, then." Jon remarked.
"Exactly. Coming here isn't usually a good thing."
A hush came over the room as a chime was heard, and the Esteemed Father appeared in the front of the room behind his dias. Everyone stood.
"This court has opened." He announced. Everyone sat. "Brought before this court is a Karnian accused of trying to murder a Friend of the Krillitane Empire, and Consort of the Esteemed Father. How does the Defendent plead?"
The Defender stood, grabbing Koschei's arm and making him stand with him. Koschei's expression was stony. "Not Guilty, Father, as the victim cannot be killed." Soft grunts of surprise were heard throughout the chamber, but otherwise it was silent.
"Very well. How does the Prosecution respond?"
Kor'Lo stood up. "The Prosecution maintains that the ability of the victim to come back from death is irrelevent. The Defendent did not know that when he shot the victim, he believed he had killed Captain Harkness, and said so to many witnesses, including Captain Harkness' fiancee, whom the Defendent was in the act of kidnaping when the victim was shot."
"So let me understand this: This man, the Defendant, shot this man, the victim, while in the act of kidnaping this woman, correct?" He looked at both the Prosecutor and the Defender.
"That is correct." They both nodded.
"So if it were not for the victim's 'special ability', he would be dead at the Defendant's hands, correct?" He looked at the Defender, who nodded.
"Then I pronounce the charge of Attemped Murder to be valid and credible. I find the Defendant Guilty. How say the Court? Those of the Court who find the Defendant Guilty answer by standing and saying 'Aye'."
All twelve stood and pronounced, "Aye!"
"Be seated. Since the Court is in agreement, I pronounce the Defendant Guilty of Attempted Murder. Guard, take him to the examination room and prepare him." A chime sounded and the guards unfastened Koschei's chains and led him away, still silent and stony-faced. The Esteemed father left the room, then the Royal Court left, then everyone else stood and prepared to leave.
"We're invited to lunch with His Emminence, by the way." Jack told them.
They spent the rest of the morning hours walking about the Krillitane capitral city admiring the unique architecture of the buildings, ships, and the varieties of plant life.
They wound up having lunch in the garden outside the Esteemed father's office. They were served cuisine from several worlds, all of which had been approved of by Jack. Most of the initial lunch conversation had the three men explaining the origins of different dishes to Isana, occasionally punctuated by a funny story from Jack or Jon. Throughout the meal Isana felt peculiar under the Father's gaze, as if he were studying her. Eventually she seemed to have passed, however, because he suddenly seemed satisfied, and less intense.
Finally she could bear it no longer. "What will happen to Koschei?" she blurted out suddenly.
Coversation halted while the Father considered his answer. "His life is mine."
"And that means..." prompted Jon, who had also been wondering about Koschei's fate.
"... Whatever I want it to." The Father said firmly. "But worry not, Lady Isana, he will never bother you again. Now," he changed the subject, 'What about this settlement of yours?"
He, Jon, and Jack then delved into the plans for the Gallis. Isana sat quietly by, eating and taking it all in. With everything that had transpired, Jon had given up on keeping their plans secret. At this point, only the developing TARDIS was a secret from anyone.
"I will send agents to help you anonymously purchase the territory around your settlement," offered the Father. "I'll also send out agents to locate Galli slaves and return them to you. Your people are going to have to start reproducing, however, and in a way that encourages genetic diversity."
Jon shook his head. "I'd rather develop a Loom. We can mix genes without compromising anyone's morals that way."
The converstion went on and on, it seemed to Isana, who felt more and more out of place. Finally the meal was over, but as they prepared to leave Isana spoke up.
"Excuse me, Esteemed Father, might I speak to you in private?"
Jon and Jack exchanged puzzled glances, neither having a clue what Isana wanted of the Father.
"Certainly, Lady Isana - ...Gentlemen..." Jon and Jack took the hint and excused themselves.