Chapter 2
The TARDIS was still at the surplus yard, in orbit of Zanak, as Nita and Michelle continued to investigate the theft of a surplus Time Ship and material.
In a Zanak piano bar, an alien woman played a keyboard. She must have been quite a looker once, but her best years were clearly behind her now. There was a bored, routine quality to her playing, aside from the fact that she had four arms. In one hand, she held, not a cigarette, but a salt stick that she sucked on. She had a tip jar that had a few gold coins in it.
The trail had led Nita and Michelle to the former wife of a deceased smuggler.
The bar itself was dark and private, a place where quiet liaisons could be safely arranged. It was a slow night. A couple of alien hookers waited for trade to pick up, some very strange faces stayed mysteriously in the shadows of tables in the back. Harriet looked up to see Nita sitting down at the piano bar. "A new face."
"Same one I've always had."
"What would you like to hear?"
"Know the blues?"
"Look at me, Miss. What do you think?"
Nita grinned.
"Seven different shades of them. How about some Adipose blues?" She went into a bluesy riff. She licked some of her salt stick with a spare hand. Offered one from a pack to Nita from another hand. "Suck salt?"
"Never cared for it."
"Good for you. Nasty habit. So who are you looking for?"
"Who says I'm looking for anybody?"
"Your face. Your clothing. In a place like this."
"Okay. I'm looking for you."
"You just made my day."
"I have to ask you about your husband."
"Well, it was nice while it lasted. Which husband?"
"The dead one, I'm afraid."
She kept playing, never missing a beat. "You must be from the TARDIS. His ship was destroyed because of you."
Nita acknowledged with regret. "He fired on us."
"He always did."
"He was involved in some pretty bad business. And he took the evidence with him."
"His one endearing quality – he always cleaned up after himself. What do you want from me?"
"I was hoping you might know his business partners."
"Why should I help you?"
"To be honest, I can't think of a good reason."
"Well, my ex-husband did die because of you. That's not a bad start. Why don't you drop a few coins in the jar. I'll see what I remember."
"I don't carry money."
"You don't offer much do you?"
Nita studied her a long beat, thinking what she might offer her, then, "Slide over."
"Huh?"
Nita got up, sat next to her at the piano, she reacted, "Just what I need – another set of hands."
"You know this one?" She began to play some blues. "Early 20th century, from a place on Earth called Memphis, maybe I could teach you a new lick or two."
"You already have."
"So, whattaya say?"
She took a second to decide, then shrugged 'what-the-hell'. "Gonna be around a few days?"
"I can be."
"Sooner or later, a man named Bastiani Slitheen will come by for a song. Always wants to hear the same thing – 'Melor Fumgal.' He's an arms trader. A fat Raxacoricofallapatorian."
In the Skaro capitol city the next day, it was bright. It was clean. It was metal and chrome and glass organized into high rises of various dynamic shapes. In a stately office, suggesting great power, of very clean lines, orderly, spacious, a Dalek chime at the door, a voice:
"Enter."
Davros came in with Romanadvoratrelundar. An energetic, handsome Dalek, was at a station, came forward to greet his guests.
"Inquisitor General."
"Yes. Davros, come in."
"Ambassador Romanadvoratrelundar of Gallifrey."
"Inquistor General."
"Please. I have never liked titles since I was a lowly drone. I am Larg."
"Permit me to withdraw."
"Will we see you and your wife tomorrow at the state function?"
"We're looking forward to it." Davros smiled and withdrew.
"It has been years since old Davros was invited to an official function. He is far too attached to the 'common dalek' for most dalek's comfort."
"That is their loss. I've recently found Davros to have a unique insight into many issues."
"Let me tell you something, Romanadvoratrelundar. We are going to start something here, you and I, that will redraw the face of the quandrant."
"You are prepared to support unification?"
"I believe it must eventually come. Our two worlds need each other."
"Forgive me. But I did not expect to hear a Dalek Inquistor General speak like a member of your underground."
"I want you to know exactly where I stand."
"Do you believe you can gain the support of the full Senate?"
"Things are not what they once were in the Senate. The old leaders have lost the respect of the daleks. Involvement in the Ice Warrior War, endless confrontations with the Galactic Federation. They are tired of it. Times are changing. Leaders who refuse to change with them, will no longer be leaders. Romanadvoratrelundar, I am prepared to publicly endorse the opening of talks between our peoples. How do you think the Gallifreyan people will respond to that?"
A public announcement. This was astounding.
"They will be… cautious. There are generations of distrust to overcome."
"But surely with a woman of your influence leading the way…"
He was interrupted by a com voice – "Inquistor General, the Senate has been recalled into session."
"Very well. Can we meet again tomorrow?"
"As you wish."
"Good. Farewell Romanadvoratrelundar."
Romanadvoratrelundar bowed her head, and left. After a beat, a side door opened and a woman entered, thoughtfully looking at the door Romanadvoratrelundar had just left through. Larg looked at her, she nodded, satisfied at the way the meeting went.
Inside caves, Romanadvoratrelundar and the Doctor were sitting with members of the underground, Davros at one side, Vidal on the other. They were reacting to Romanadvoratrelundar's report of the meeting.
"It is everything we could have hoped for."
General murmurs of excitement and joy.
"It is more than we could have hoped for," said Romanadvoratrelundar, skeptically.
That stopped the excitement. The Doctor looked at Romanadvoratrelundar, concurring.
"But if Larg is ready to publicly endorse unification."
"I can't imagine that one rises to the position of Senate Inquisitor General without the support of the Dalek traditionalists."
"That's true."
"Then, how can he turn his back on them so easily? How can he endorse unification when it is considered subversive?"
"Because he is not afraid of them, because he knows we will support him."
"The Doctor is correct. It is not logical for the Inquisitor General to endorse unification at this time."
Clamor… disappointment… objections…
"Why would Larg lie?"
"Perhaps they are hoping to use this to expose members of your movement."
"No, this is our chance for acceptance. Finally, to be heard."
"I believe it is the Galactic Federation that fears an alliance between Skaro and Gallifrey."
Louder clamor… yells of anger…
"That is not true."
After a beat, Romanadvoratrelundar rose… a silence fell. "I came here to determine the potential for unification. In spite of what had occurred, I intend to continue my efforts! I intend to meet with the Inquisitor General as planned."
The crowd was pleased, but the Doctor gave Romanadvoratrelundar a concerned look that was ignored as Romanadvoratrelundar left the chamber. After a beat, the Doctor followed her into a larger cavern.
The Doctor and Romanadvoratrelundar were alone. The Doctor was angry. "You let their emotions sway you."
"On the contrary, I am pursuing the most logical course."
"You are as skeptical as I am, is it logical to ignore your own good sense?"
"I fear the influence of my father has coloured your attitudes, Doctor. Toward unification. And perhaps toward me."
The Doctor reacted. "That is the second time you have accused me of speaking with another man's voice. Yes, he will always be a part of me. His experiences. His spirit. But I speak with my own voice, Romana. Not his."
Romanadvoratrelundar studied him. "Curious. That I should hear him so clearly now that he is dead." Romanadvoratrelundar moved away from the Doctor, thoughtfully. "It is possible that I have brought my arguments with my father to you, Doctor. If so, I apologize."
"Is it so important for you to win one last argument with him?"
Romanadvoratrelundar considered that possibility. "No, it is not. Although it is true that I will miss… the arguments. It was, finally, all that we had."
"Your fight with Lenarddvoratrelundar is over. And you have none with me."
Romanadvoratrelundar looked deep inside to find a way to explain this, and in a way she looked at the Doctor in this situation as a surrogate for her father, trying one last time to find a context for their relationship. "I always had a different vision than my father, an ability to see beyond pure logic. He considered it… weak. But I have discovered it to be a source of extraordinary strength. Lenarddvoratrelundar would find this mission of unification a fool's errand. But somehow I think it is not. Logic cannot explain why, but I know I must continue to pursue this."
"Even if it leads you into a Dalek trap…"
"If the Daleks do have an ulterior motive, it would be in the interests of all concerned to determine what it is."
The Doctor could not deny it.
"So I will play the role they would have me play."
The Doctor reluctantly acknowledged her point.