Chapter Four
The Time Lord leaders – for that was simply what they were called due to their humility from centuries of learning – strode out. The Doctor was slightly nervous, although not merely as nervous as he was the last time he was greeted by the same creatures. An ancient, gravelly voice gurgling from eldest leader came first,
"I see you are carrying a very large disruption in a major time loop. You have got yourself into a lot of trouble, son." Over nine centuries old and the Doctor was still a youngster. For the first time in a while, the Doctor felt relatively insignificant.
The Time Lord to the speaker's right nudged in,
"This is in violation of Rassilon's original laws. You have committed an offence and must immediate be banished from Gallifrey."
"I'll be out of Gallifrey soon. Trust me." said the Doctor is a half sarcastic voice. The ancient first speaker was staring at the Doctor – hard. The Doctor could feel his eyes probing every inch of his body, scrutinising, discerning, wondering. Eventually, the leader spoke again, "No banishment yet, I think the situation is much more complex. I think this youngster and I need to take a walk."
He gestured for the Doctor to follow him and started walking down the lane opposite the Academy that was famous for its display of trees with silver leaves. "You are the close friend of the distinguished Time Lady who calls herself the Nurse," gravelled the Time Lord, "are you not? I think you may need to speak to her more than you need to speak to me."
The Doctor knew priorities: although he was worried about the Nurse, he was extremely worried about the fate of Gallifrey – again. "With all due respect, Leader, I must consult you and warn you of what is going to come."
The Time Lord leader stopped and glared into the eyes of the Doctor. It was like a predator staring into the eyes of its prey before delivering the mercy blow. In this case, the blow was the leader's next words.
River leaned her back on the wall, preparing to peer over the corner to sight if there were any Daleks. She turned to the Nurse by her side and whispered, "The TARDIS is just down that corridor – I think." With all the maze-crossing River had done in the past hour she was savvy with the layout, but never certain. And she knew that where the TARDIS was situated, open to several corridors, was not an ideal position for a stealthy escape.
Nevertheless, River and the Nurse needed to get to that blue box. River peered around the corner. All clear. She gave the Nurse the nod, then leaned forward and started jogging briskly and what she hopefully thought was quietly.
With the TARDIS coming into view, River and the Nurse were making good speed and no other obstacles were apparent. When River was three paces away from the blue box, she slowed down to inspect at corridors – all empty – while the Nurse sped up and overtook River with the TARDIS key in her hand. The River nodded that the corridors where clear and then WHAM, she saw the Nurse run into a field surrounding the TARDIS. Well, River inferred that it was some type of energy field based on the coloured ripples that were radiating where the Nurse hit it, like and LCD display on a dodgy old laptop.
The Nurse turned to River, a look of panic on her face. Characteristically acting fast, River took out her laser gun, pointing it at a corner and an angle that it would (hopefully) hit the field and miss the TARDIS. Focusing on the shot, she blocked everything out her mind; the Nurse, the corridors, the predatory Daleks faded away. Just when she was about to squeeze the trigger, there were the tread of heavy wheels coming down the corridor. River snapped out of her hypnosis.
"I wouldn't want to fire that if I were you. Who knows where those great bursts of energy would go, who it would hit?" The voice was slightly electric but utterly sickly.
River turned around. Wheeling towards her was the most grotesque face scarred and burned that was propped out of a partial Dalek shell.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but that must be a TARDIS. Infernal contraptions of the Time Lords." He turned to a Dalek, "Destroy it. Now."
"Master Davros, the TARDIS will be destroyed immediately," said the Dalek as it turned to face the TARDIS, hauling its arm and what both River and the Nurse to be it's death ray energy weapon.
"Dalek!" screamed River talking spontaneously trying to prevent (or at least delay the destruction) of the TARDIS "what about the energy field? Surely you can't shoot at it."
The Dalek answered robotically, "The energy field has been deactivated."
Passionately and stubbornly, River persisted, "But you have no idea what is inside that TARDIS. Surely Daleks are designed to ensure the safety of their lives?"
The same Dalek responded, "Preliminary reports show that it is a Type 40 TARDIS, decommissioned and obsolete. Therefore, a basic console and limited range. It does not contain dangerous amounts of energy."
River half thought up a plan during the short exchange and tried to look at the creature called Davros as it seemed he was calling the shots. "This TARDIS, although old, is different. And think about it, all of time and space. A leader like you could use the power that such a tool brings. I know how to adequately pilot the TARDIS. Couldn't you profit more by utilising this powerful object? Hm?"
Studying Davros' face, the River noticed that his bottom left lip turned up a bit. In humans it showed contemplative thought, and she hoped that whatever species Davros was that the sign was the same. Had River reeled him in? "All of time and space, you say?" said Davros, "That is definitely … enterprising."
River thinking fast; once inside the TARDIS there was a control that would kill Davros and she hoped she could remember where that was and find it fast, and she could also use coordinates of the space dump area to dispose of Davros dead or alive, or push him out into radiation fields… That was the thing about the TARDIS, the possibilities were endless.
All she had to do was get him into the TARDIS. "How about a trial, a test drive. Anywhere you want to go. The Nurse here will just get the key. I hope your thinking h…" River stopped. Davros' neck had moved slightly and it looked painful, but he looked enraged. "The NURSE!" he roared.
Davros' partial Dalek bottom moved so he could see the Nurse, who seemed to be shrinking under his burning glare. "Bring the Time Lady to me!" he ordered a Dalek. The Nurse bit her sleeve. Instinctively aiming for her nails, thought River, but missed under extreme stress. The Daleks grabbed the Nurse, whom River thought was acting very calm given the circumstances, and wheeled her in front of the now imposing monster.
"So you're the Time Lady called the Nurse." growled Davros, "My Daleks told me that they had a captive by that name, and now I finally get to meet you… And to teach you a painful lesson." He turned to River, or almost, "Both of you."
River, in pretence of accepting bounds put her hands at her back – and typed a series of commands into her Pineapple ePal.
The Doctor approached the hospital. The service entrance door was locked. He grasped the sonic screwdriver and he felt the most empowered he had felt in his life. And felt great determination to make amends of everything.