Interlude

The Memory of the Uncertain Soldier

The Doctor stood in silence, his head bowed as he leant on the question mark umbrella, while he seemed at peace his mind was full of plans, schemes and worries.

"Co-ordinator," the Doctor turned as Vansell entered the tomb and came up to stand by his side. "The special envoy of the High Council has arrived; a special meeting of the High Council has been called."

The Doctor nodded before looking to Vansell.

"Do you remember the history of the Dark Times?" the Doctor sighed. "After the Other fled Gallifrey there was no one to stop Rassilon leading to the Time Wars. The most terrible chapter in our history; we destroyed whole sections of the universe in an attempt to destroy anyone who could ever challenge us. The wars finally ended when Rassilon was imprisoned inside the Dark Tower."

"I know that Doctor, I've seen the files," Vansell shot back.

"Please ensure that all of our operatives are in place, I have a feeling that Peace or War may well be decided in the next meeting," the Doctor gave Vansell as slight smile before leaving the memorial, he headed into the core of the Citadel.

Built after the Old Times the Citadel was a fortress, with battlements and fortifications inside of the dome, however it was built over the ruins of Old Gallifrey, the Vaults and the Old City were still underneath and while treacherous could be used as shortcuts to traversing the dimensionally transcendental buildings of the Capital. For instance if the Doctor could get to the base of the Communications Tower in five microspans he'd be able to cross into the Panopticon and presuming the rotation hadn't changed he'd be able to reach the High Council chamber in record time.

Crossing through the abandoned caves and walkways the Doctor found his way to the elevator by the spot he'd once landed as a pawn of the Master, taking several levels up as his Time Lord right rather than the stairs he exited and headed into the Panopticon, the massive hexagonal hall was at the very centre of the Capitol and formed the base of several towers including residential Compounds for Time Lords, the Presidential Palace, CIA tower and other High Council facilities. The centre of the floor was inlaid with the omniscate, the Seal of Rassilon, an ancient, swirling, circular design that symbolised infinity and eternity. Far, far, beneath there was the Eye of Harmony; Omega's star, the Singularity that he'd sacrificed his life to bring back to Gallifrey at the end of the Old Time. A vast statue of one of the Gallifreyan Founders stood in each corner of the Panopticon, at the furthest end to the Doctor leading to the High Council chamber would have been Rassilon except due to the civil war the damage had been left unrepaired, the statue of the Other was over the entrance to the CIA tower and Omega was above the entrance to the Presidential tower, so as to remind those who held the highest office of the sacrifice the Glory of Gallifrey was based on. In the other corners were Arcalia, Prydon and Dromiealandren, all six statues were in various states of disrepair, but Rassilon's was the worst; most likely due to Romana's influence. Sprinting across the aircraft hangar sized hall was not easy, members of the Chancellery Guard practiced time honoured positions, Time Lords milled around expectantly while engineers reinforced the Eye of Harmony's containment shielding, but at last the Doctor dashed into the High Council tower.

Inside the hollow of the tower he was left with two choices, either he could dash up all seventy five floors via the steps or the elevator, a bell rang through the Capital. Five Bells, the High Council didn't like to be kept waiting, the Doctor took the lift.

As the Doctor arrived he caught sight of Leela, still in the skins she wore during her time with the Doctor.

"Castellan!" the Doctor dashed to catch her up, he saw her face and regretted his choice of words.

"It's Leela, Doctor!" Leela grated out. "I refuse to wear your city clothes and I will not use your titles."

"Very well Lady Leelandredloomsagwinaechegesima," the Doctor nodded his head ignoring Leela's glare at the Doctor's use of her full Gallifreyan name as the entered the High Council Chamber.

The Room was hexagonal, and coloured in pastels, on the left side of the double doors was the transmat control, opposite the door was the Harp of Rassilon with a portrait of Rassilon and a sheet of music. On the right was a two layered area for the six seats of the High Council members and in the centre of the table was a gold table covered in Gallifreyan symbols.

Romana sat at the head, Narvin on her left and Brax on her right, also at the table was Lady Flavia, Lady Theorasdavoramilonithene, Lord Wratac, Lady Patience, Lord Savar and Lady Dondequest. Romana looked again even older, as did Narvin by her side, Brax looked the same as ever while Flavia had regenerated, her hair was still in her typical manner and she wore the robes of office easily. The Lady Theorasdavoramilonithene had her dark hair pulled up in a bun, as did the older severe looking Dondequest, Wratac looked extremely uncomfortable as one of the few men on the High Council. Savar looked uncomfortable for a different reason; he was here by proxy while another Council member was regenerating. To the Doctor of course the Lady Patience was utter perfection even with the full ceremonial headgear and skullcap; her hair flowed just down the side, he sat next to her while Leela sat beside Dondequest.

Brax took hold of a mallet and banged it down onto the table.

"I Chancellor Braxiatel do herby call this session of the High Council of the Time Lords begun." Brax intoned in time honoured tradition. "Bring forth the Special Envoy."

Through the door lead by two Chancellery Guards was the Monk; he seemed reticent and unsure of himself. The Guards lead him to stand before the Council before Brax turned back to the table.

"I now turn this meeting over to the Madam High President,"

Romana stood every fibre of her being the most powerful in all of creation.

"As President I call the Co-ordinator of the Celestial Intervention Agency, the Lord Doctor of the House of Lungbarrow to speak," Romana sat once more as the Doctor stood, he brushed he frock coat before speaking.

"As of recently the focus of our Intelligence operations has been to ascertain the nature of the Dalek forces," the Doctor pressed a control bringing an image of a bright green planet sprawling with oceans to the screen. "I give you Kembel, under a massive Dalek occupation, as the Monk will tell you has been a vital Dalek stronghold. Since the destruction of Skaro and Davros' efforts to rebuild the Daleks begun on Earth, Kembel has been used for weapons research. Our intelligence suggests that the Dogma Virus was created there and we now have intelligence that suggests the Daleks still have samples of the Apocalypse Element from Etra Prime and are using it for a weapon."

"Very well, Lork Monk please make your report," Romana spoke clearly as she gave the Monk his orders.

"Yes Madam President," the Monk swallowed. "I'm afraid that I have failed, the Dalek Emperor and Davros sent me back to tell you that either Gallifrey will surrender or be destroyed…"

Deep inside the CIA tower a motor bike roar could be heard, Vansell rushed forward as the motor bike took shape and the Lady Ace climbed off.

"Vansell, is the High Council in session?" she quickly moved forward and headed towards the CIA infinity Chamber.

"Well they've just started why?" Vansell ran after her as she charged in.

"Look it doesn't matter set your sensors to observe Kemble relative dateline Humanian era 4299." Ace bellowed to the technicians.

"Do as she says," Vansell added before turning to Ace. "What did you find there?"

"Sir I'm detecting a massive energy wave spreading through the Vortex!" Vansell immediately moved forward.

"Technician Nivet, what is it?" Vansell vaulted down to the control station.

"I don't know sir!" Nivet screamed in frustration.

"Alert Damon in Time control, and send an alert to the High Council," Vansell roared at the top of his voice. "Raise the Transduction barriers to maximum and direct all power to the Quantum force field."

The room seemed to tingle; every hair on Vansell's body was on its end, every instinct made him want to run for cover.

Cousin Innocet stood in the garden of the House of Lungbarrow, something wasn't right, as Housekeeper she could sense danger coming. She sent the telepathic signal to all forty five Cousins of the House.

Something was wrong, everyone in the council chamber seemed to have realised that. Instinct seemed to demand the Doctor to run and hide, then he heard Innocet inside his head, her warning clear.

The double doors crashed open and Damon dashed in, the two Chancellery Guards rushed to stop him.

"Let him pass!" the Doctor ordered, he looked to Leela and Romana seeing them nod their heads in agreement. "Technician, what do you have to report? This is a closed session of the High Council, explain your interruption or you will be placed under arrest."

"Sorry, Doctor… Madam President…" Damon leaned on the table before looking up at them. "Set your feed to show Kembel, Humanian era 4299."

The Doctor complied and brought up the image to see a massive wave front leave the planet in all directions.

"What it it?" Leela asked.

"A wave of energy generated from Apocalypse element reactions," the Doctor said solemnly. "Are the transduction barriers raised?"

Damon nodded, looking around the room the Time Lords were ready to meet whatever would come.

The Wave hit the transduction barriers with more force than had ever been used against the Time Lords; they flared and stuttered, but held.

The Capitol shook, the sky turned red, radiation leaked through, auroras came over the planet.

Innocet watched the sky and shivered the omens all said that something bad would happen.

The barriers lasted for just under a minute before black spheres of fire rained down on the planet, the fires where charged pieces of the causal nexus itself, mountains cracked and burnt.

A wave of energy ripped through the Capitol, deep in the CIA tower Vansell threw himself over Ace as fires burnt and power conduits, people caught fire around them.

Inside the ring of the citadel between the main residential areas and the Panopticon was the TARDIS cradles, the energy arced from the Transduction generators and into the TARDIS. They began to explode one by one, the cries of their telepathic screams was heard throughout the Capitol.

The Doctor clutched his head as the transmat booth exploded in flames, and then… nothing.

The wave had passed, Romana pulled herself up.

"Co-ordinator, Gallifrey cannot allow such weaponry to be deployed, you are to destroy the emplacement with all necessary force," Romana's tone brokered no argument.