Interlude

The Death of the Doctor

(Year 789 of the Last Great Time War)

"…of the House of Lungbarrow do commit Lord Braxiatel of the House of Lungbarrow, Lord Salyavin of the House of Firebrand, Lady Leela of the House of Deeptree, Lady Ushas of the House of Warpsmith and Lord Magnus of the House of Fordfarding to the flames and let their souls live forever on in the Gardens of Remembrance in the Matrix," the Doctor trailed off tears ran down his cheeks, he felt the entire weight of his Time Lord robes and collar, looking down at the assembled survivors amongst the wreckage of the Eye of Orion. The Doctor turned to the new monument to the deceased who died in the battle.

The Doctor returned to his TARDIS and slumped into the arm chair, the TARDIS control room around him, a steampunk Victorian heaven, was heavily damaged, floor boards were cracked and wires poked through, the auditorium was cracked. Taking a cup of earl grey tea the Doctor pulled up the latest battle plans from the high council.

A bleep from the console brought him out, crossing over to the ruined console he activated a holographic interface showing a series of old High Gallifreyan circles, nodding in response the Doctor passed out of the doors.

"Admiral Neeloc," the Doctor walked with purpose to the Time Lord second in command. "I've been summoned by the Presidency, and in accordance with protocol I'm putting you in charge here."

Neeloc nodded in response, the Doctor rounded on him as soon as his junior gave him the affirmative and headed straight to the TARDIS.

Romana and Narvin stood inside the Presidential suite as the TARDIS materialised, Narvin unconsciously straightened as the Doctor emerged now in a typical green velvet frock coat and finery.

"Madam President, Vice President," the Doctor said while nodding at each of them in turn as a show of respect. "What exactly is going on, I was hoping we'd be able to plan on offensive to take advantage of Dalek losses-, what's wrong?"

"They tried to give her a vote of no confidence," Narvin calmly said in perfect monotone.

"Who?" the Doctor's glare and voice implied that those who stood against his President would be in more peril than soldiers at the front.

"Darkel, Mathias and Thalia," Romana said plainly brushing some of her dark hair back.

"How was the vote?"

"In favour of Romana, just," Narvin said looking down at his shoes.

An overhead chime suddenly rung as the PA system activated.

"Madam President, My Lord Vice-President Councillors Darkel, Mathias, Thalia and a special envoy are here to see you."

Romana looked at Narvin and the Doctor in turn before looking to the door.

"Send them in," Romana said as she composed herself and Narvin and the Doctor closed ranks around her.

The Doctor suppressed a shudder as he saw the three councillors and the envoy enter.

"I wanted to talk to the Presidency alone," Darkel said focusing her glare on the Doctor.

"Anything that can be said to me can be said to the Doctor," Romana said back equally icy.

"And since when did you want to be arrested for treason?" the Doctor asked smiling as he walked forward in unison with Narvin as he took hold of the handle of his staser.

"I have no idea to what you are referring, the vote of no confidence is a perfectly legal practice," Darkel said smiling insincerely.

"We're not talking about your attempt to sow discord amongst the council…" Narvin started as he and the Doctor crossed to the side of the cloaked figure of the special envoy.

"… We're talking about bringing an individual from the Faction Paradox to the Presidential chamber." The Doctor said as he drew the staser and pulled the hood back to reveal the bone carapace mask of a cousin of the Faction Paradox. "Identify yourself Faction criminal."

The voice that came back shocked all three legitimate Time Lords in the room, while Darkel's retinue smiled.

"I'm no Faction criminal Doctor, why I've held the same office as you and the Lady Romanadvoratrelundar," the Doctor's grip on the staser increased as the cousin pulled off the mask and threw it to the side to show the features of the Lord Rassilon, one of the triumvirate founders of Time Lord Society. "For I am conqueror of Yssgaroth, overpriest of Dronid, First Earl of Prydon, Patris of the Vortex, Ravager of the Void and President of Gallifrey from the time of our civilisations great foundation. I am the Lord Rassilon and I have returned to guide my children!"

"Very nice of you but we're doing fine," Romana said without missing a beat, distinctly unimpressed. "Narvin, Doctor please escort the councillors and the Lord Rassilon from my office-"

"This isn't your office, this is the President's office," Rassilon said trying to sound impressive.

"And Romana is the President, now Lord Rassilon you will accompany me and Narvin out of the President's office or I will arrest you and place you in the lowest dungeon in the capital." The Doctor threatened stepping right into Rassilons personal space, his staser still levelled at his head. "Just give me an excuse."

"How dare you this is our saviour returned to save us, Romana is unfit to rule Gallifrey." Darkel said outraged at the attitude Narvin and the Doctor had in their absolute devotion to Romana.

"Narvin keep the Lord Rassilon covered," the Doctor smiled as he walked to stand before Darkel. "And why is that what experience does Rassilon have that Rassilon lacks? Please do tell?"

"She has no experience leading a war against impossible odds," Darkel said venomously. "Rassilon fought against the Vampires and Yssgaroth and the cult of Pythia."

"Firstly Romana lead and won the civil war against Pandora, two when in E-space she successfully fried the Tharils and helped them rebuild a society despite universal opposition to them." The Doctor stepped forward looming into Darkel's personal space. "Now Rassilon is actually responsible for letting the Yssgaroth and Great Vampires into this universe in the first place leading to the war and two the cult of Pythia was already falling before Rassilon did anything."

"Doctor, look at this objectively, Rassilon is our only hope," Thalia spoke drawing the Doctor's attention to her.

Looking right to her the Doctor started again.

"Are you so unfamiliar with our history, you know this man betrayed Omega trapping him in a black hole as he was jealous of his popularity. He also forced the Other into committing suicide when he tried to liberalise Rassilon's power base." The Doctor turned back to Rassilon. "Rassilon is the worst of our kind to ever live; his is responsible for more crimes than even the Master and has been given the mercy of leaving this room alive. I strongly advise he take it."

"Why not?" Rassilon asked the Doctor.

"Because I am a loyal Time Lord and will stop you," the Doctor looked into Rassilon's eyes causing the 'legendary' figure to squirm in fear.

At that moment the doors opened and a five man security detail came in, the Doctor didn't look to them, neither did Romana.

"Ah guard commander take these people into custody," Romana ordered looking down at the situation holograms.

But Narvin did look to them and started as he realised exactly who the Guard Commander was, as such he was too slow as Rassilon drew a long curved dagger, and ancient ceremonial Gallifreyan weapon, and sliced at his side narrowly missing the main arteries for his right heart, as he cried out in agony Romana pulled on the Gauntlet of Arcalia and rushed to her vice Presidents side.

The Doctor watched in horror as Rassilon brought the blade down between her two hearts, raising his staser to fire the Doctor was caught off guard as Mathias crashed into his side.

"No!"the Doctor called out in rage as Romana fell down to her office floor, losing all perspective and control the Doctor lashed out, spinning he grabbed Mathias' head and slammed him into the wall with all his might before coming about, he was vaguely aware of hitting Darkel, hard, she probably broke something, but the Doctor was undeterred.

He raised the staser and fired on a low power setting smiling as Rassilon's hand was vaporised, the skin bubbled and burnt as Rassilon fell back in agony.

Without missing a beat the Doctor kept Rassilon covered as he crossed to Romana and Narvin.

Romana was in a bad way, her face was pale and drawn and the light faded from her eyes, the Doctor took a trickle of blood from the wound and put it to his lips.

"The blade was laced with a regenerative inhibitor, I'm so sorry Narvin." The Doctor said, his fury lost as a sense of failure and guilt flooded his hearts, before his eyes he saw it all, Sam and the Faction's interference in history, the death of his daughter Miranda, Charley begging him to kill her, C'Rizz's death along with Alex's, Lucie's and Tamsin's. The horrors of the war were also mixed in along with the memories of his past incarnations, Adric, Roz, Sara and many others.

"You Lord Rassilon now stand accused of high treason and will be executed!" the Doctor roared as he levelled the staser at Rassilon's head.

"On the contrary Doctor if you take any further action against Rassilon you will be arrested for high treason." The Doctor turned in fury as Maxil stepped forward levelling his own weapon at the Doctor.

"Romana," the Doctor and the others turned shocked at the small and tender voice from Narvin, so unused to the small voice the situation seemed to stop. "Please Romana; I don't think I can go on without you."

Tears streamed down his face as he held Romana in one arm and her hands in the other as he brought them to his lips.

"… Narvin…" Romana breathed weakly as the poisons on Rassilon's blade ravaged what was left of her. "I… love… you… husband."

With that Gallifrey's President died in the arms of her spouse.

"Narvin as emergency protocols stipulate you are now President." The Doctor said, every inch of this body ready to kill Rassilon, Thalia, Darkel, Mathias and all the other traitors on the coup d'etat without any mercy.

"No he isn't, he's a criminal who threatened our President." The lead guard commander stepped forward.

Narvin got up from Romana's corpse as he turned to face the Guard with Murderous rage.

"I gave you a second chance Janartis, I should have left you to die!" Narvin shouted.

"He knows his duty," Darkel said as she pulled herself up, blood smeared across her lips, while clutching her broken ribs.

Narvin turned to her, with no words he grabbed Rassilon's discarded weapon and impaled Darkel through the chest as he reached forward to snap her neck.

"I only wish I could make you suffer as you deserve," Narvin said darkly as Darkel died in his arms.

As Narvin sailed forward to kill his nemesis the Doctor acted quickly and pulled Rassilon in front of him as a shield as he fired on Janartis killing him instantly along with three Guard who fired first.

"Narvin get Romana's body and go inside my TARDIS, we need to get the high council and stop this," trusting Narvin the Doctor began to back toward the TARDIS himself.

"I've lost the Gauntlet!" Narvin cried out.

"Forget it," the Doctor ordered as he threw Rassilon forward firing his staser on a power relay causing an explosion to separate them, he then reached into his breast pocket. "Know this Rassilon, the Doctor died here; he died the moment the blade plunged between the President's hearts."

The Doctor's voice cracked a bit remembering Romana's last words with jealously as he threw a piece of paper to Rassilon's feet, as he entered the TARDIS he turned to look back at Rassilon.

"Know this, I am the Warking now, I will fight for Gallifrey and to win this war, and I will not rest until you are dead and Romana's Presidency is restored!"

He slammed the door as Narvin took off.

Rassilon smiled and pulled the Gauntlet over his right stump where the Doctor vaporised a hand.

"We must head them off with the High Council…"

Rassilon said as he picked up what the Doctor had thrown, he then looked up with horror, as on that photo was the Doctor, his Granddaughter Susan and Alex his great-grandson. It was then that Rassilon realised exactly what this meant, he really had renounced his promise as the Doctor.