Chapter 4: The Competition

The last of the papers were signed and everyone in the room sat back with a collective sigh. The attendants began gathering up cold tea cups and smudged water glasses and some of the more diligent secretaries started stacking papers in preparation for their exit.

"We can all be proud of the work done here today" Chancelloe Shue said, a broad smile on his face. "Tonight we'll have the official treating signing, and tomorrow the sports competition will be held at the stadium."

The Doctor looked up from his reading, his glasses perched on the edge of his nose. "Sports competition? What's that about then?" He asked curiously.

Chancellor Shue responded gleefully "Our friends of the Chrysoberyl Cluster have a custom of holding friendly competitions when gathering with other races. We've decided that in the spirit of our new treaties, that we would honor that custom and host the competition ourselves."

"What type of sports?" The Doctor asked.

"Mostly strength, speed and teamwork. There's this one that I love – the participants throw lances at a target, and it gives points depending on where it lands. The team with the most points win, but it's very exciting! Anyone can sign up for it, and a lot of the fun is watching people who have never competed before try to beat the favorites. There's a couple of dangerous contests, but everyone leaves those to the professionals."

"Doesn't sound too bad" the Doctor said, returning to his paperwork with concentration.

Everyone rapidly jumped to their feet when the doors flew open and the Princess was announced.

"Gentlemen, Others," she nodded her head gracefully "I wanted to come down myself to congratulate you on your efficiency and care in getting the trade treaties completed in such an economical time line! I've been informed of the contests of tomorrow, and have volunteered to oversee them. As is custom, I will be giving an award to the winner of the competition from myself personally. I would like to ask, however, what prize the Chrysoberyl Cluster will donate for the winner?"

One of the ministers from the cluster stepped forward, respectfully bowing to the Princess. "Madame, we have a crystal that is cut with flawless perfection. It will make a priceless piece of jewelry, and we would like to offer this for the prize." At that, he withdrew from his pocket a small box and opened it with a flourish, presenting it to the Princess.

Her face stared at the remarkably beautiful crystal. The Doctor noted with wryness that her eyes appeared to have glazed over as she ogled the stone. She may only be a teenager, but her taste was very grown up, he thought to himself.

"Perfect." Remembering her manners, she in turn bowed to the minister.

"Tonight, then, gentlemen?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned and swept out of the room.

The Doctor consulted with the business managers of the two parties while everyone else was vacating the room. Satisfied that all of the loose ends were tied up, he bid them good evening and leaned back in his chair, putting his feet on the elaborate conference table. He swirled a bit back and forth in the chair, enjoying the knowledge that his job was done and the Shadow Proclamation can leave him alone.

As often happened when his mind was allowed to slip from the disciplined grasp that he normally used to fight for control, Rose appeared before his consciousness, her smile beckoning him to let go further and join her in the echoes of his memories. He closed his eyes tight, immediately assaulted by the overwhelming emotions these moments cost him.

It was less than a year since he last saw her, on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay, embracing his double. He made a decision that he knew was the right one, and no matter how many times he re-thought it he always came to the same conclusion, but he never escaped the pain of the consequence.

In particular, he lived with the pain of never telling her he loved her. Oh, she knew – but he never said the words. In the end, he let his double say them.

And now he could see her again, for the moment joining him in his solitude as he desperately wished for the ability to visit his own past. For him, it was time locked. He couldn't go there. But how he so wished he could. He sighed, bringing himself back to the conference room and the table before him.

His eyes refocused and he began to gather up his own papers. The door to the conference room opened, and the Princess entered again, this time alone. He stood up out of respect for her position.

"Doctor. I was hoping you would still be here. I wanted to ask you for a favor."

"Princess, if it's within my power, it would be my pleasure." He answered.

"This competition tomorrow – would you tell Pranis that I want him to compete for me?"

The Doctor froze in his movements, and slowly turned his head to look the Princess in the eye. "Pranis is not my employee nor my servant. I can't TELL him to do anything."

"Will you ask him?"

"Why don't you?"

"I can't speak to him direct. It would be bad form and I would be censored."

"Yet, Princess, you speak to me direct. Why is that?"

A mischievous smile lit up her face. "Because, you're the head negotiator. Of course I'm allowed to speak to you – you're important!"

The Doctor fought down the impulse to be insulted on behalf of Pranis. "And Pranis isn't?" He responded.

"No….not really. He's only here as your assistant. Everyone knows he's no one."

"No one? You have no idea, do you? Who he is, who his father is?"

"It's not important." She waved her hand as if the gesture would dismiss the conversation. "You're the one I'm talking to, you're the one I'm asking."

"Yet it's Pranis that you want to compete for you."

"Well, he's big and strong and you're" - here her voice hesitated, as if for the first time during the conversation she stopped to consider her words. "Not" she added in a small voice.

Now the Doctor was insulted. "Size doesn't equal talent, Princess. You need to learn some negotiating skills of your own. Small men can do just as well in sports as large men."

"No, Doctor, don't be silly" the Princess said with a laugh to her voice. "Someone small like you couldn't possible compete in these contests."

"Someone small like me?" He answered in an even voice.

"Right – could you imagine?" She started laughing now at the image she held in her mind "Here are all these big men competing, and then you come forward – oh no!" She sat down, gasping for breath as her laughter overtook her.

The look on the Doctor's face would have most species quaking in their shoes. It was the same look that stopped the Vashta Nerada in their tracks. It foretold the extermination of the entire race of Racnoss in a single act perpetrated by him. And it most recently sentenced the entire race of Daleks to the void.

But to the Princess, who was oblivious to the Doctor's history and didn't know what intimidation was, the look only fed her laughter. "But Doctor, you couldn't possibly think that you could win at this type of competition!"

"I think that I would have just as good a chance as anyone else." He stated firmly.

"Ok, then. You can do it for me. I put my faith in you, Doctor, and I REALLY want that crystal!" She bounced up to him, kissing him on the cheek as he stood frozen in shock.

Still giggling, she skipped out of the room, leaving her victim standing for a very long time as he tried to figure out what just happened.

Only one thing came to mind – there was absolutely nothing wrong with the Princess's negotiation skills.