The Doctor woke up back in her own body, lying next to Jessica, who was still unconscious. "Oh, Jessica!" The Doctor said apologetically after getting up and hugging the unconscious companion, "I'm so sorry. That wasn't me who knocked you out." She looked behind her to see Khaldun, prepared to fight again in case the Doctor was still possessed by Tantalos. "I'm sorry, Khaldun."
Khaldun could see in the eyes that it was the Doctor speaking, not Tantalos. "I know it wasn't you, Doctor." Khaldun replied, "I'm just happy you're back."
The Doctor and Khaldun took Jessica back into the TARDIS. The Doctor had prepared the TARDIS for takeoff. "I'm going heavily apologise to Jessica when she wakes up. Then again, she'll most likely slap me hard in the face like I did to her after we fought the Kandyman."
"Well, I think I'm done with Earth adventures for the time being. Can we just have a rest on a different planet for a while?"
"Okay then, Khaldun. I do know this one planet where they play games all the time. I can introduce you to a few of those games, if you like."
"I can do that, Doctor."
The Doctor had set the TARDIS to take off, dematerialising from the USS Pickering, now a ghost vessel strewn with the corpses of the crewmen that Tantalos once possessed. The Doctor and her companions were happy to have a rest after this particular incident.
Meanwhile, Tantalos woke up in the bottom of the ocean. He noticed that at the bottom-left corner of his eye was a small map, showing a triangle and a yellow dot. He understood that the triangle was where he was meant to roam and the yellow dot was himself. This is what the Doctor is making me do.Tantalos thought. Frustrated that he could not conquer the universe, but understood completely that he had complete freedom despite having to stay underwater and being stuck in the area the Doctor set out for him: a triangle that had its corners at San Juan in Puerto Rico, the city of Miami in Spain's part of North America, and the island of Bermuda. The Bermuda Triangle had been established by the Doctor herself, in a peculiar case of the Bootstrap Paradox.
Over the next few centuries, Tantalos would claim many vessels, sailing and flying, that trespassed the area where he eventually grew comfortable in. He would die in the Earth year of 1052076926, when the world was too hot to sustain complex life and the oceans evaporated for good.
15th of September, 2000
New Castle, The United States of America, Earth
Peter Newcastle, descended from Admiral James Newcastle was presenting a memorial in front of the crowd surrounding the pier. The memorial was the 200th anniversary of the disappearance of the USS Pickering, the vessel his ancestor was on. "Fellow citizens of New Castle," he began, "with permission of the local government, we are honoring not only the fine vessel launched from this very pier, but all the men who were on board when it vanished without a trace. The story would have been lost to time had it not been for the actions of my ancestor, Admiral James Newcastle, and a woman known only as "The Doctor." It is because of them that we are here today, and I can speak for us all when I say we are all grateful. Thank you."
The audience cheered for a few minutes. After that, they began to lay flowers on the memorial. By nightfall, only Newcastle was left standing there, until a woman stood beside him. "I never knew your ancestor all that much." she said, with Newcastle turning his head to see a woman in a black sweater, a blue woolly shawl, a blue satchel, a pleated skirt, and a pair of sandals, her blonde hair blowing in the wind, "From what little time I spent with him, though, he was a good man who did the best that he could to save his crew."
"How did you know him?" Newcastle replied in confusion.
The woman received her hand. "I'm the Doctor. It's quite an honour to meet you."
"Oh hell no. You can't be the Doctor. Nobody can live that long."
"Well, I can, but I didn't live in this country for a couple centuries."
"Okay, I know you're just joking at this moment in time, but-"
"Oh no, Mister Newcastle. I'm not joking. I remember him ordering his crew to put down their arms because he thought I was the President's wife."
"Wait, my grandpa used to tell me about his great-grandpa meeting a woman and thinking she was the First Lady. Does that mean..."
"Oh yes."
Newcastle shook the Doctor's hand. "It's an honor to meet you, Doctor. Name's Peter."
"Nice to meet you, Peter. Can't stay long, though. I got places to be and worlds to save. Farewell."
"Umm, goodbye."
With that interaction done and over with, the Doctor went back to the TARDIS, where the impatient Khaldun was. "I thought we were going to that planet of games." he said.
"Curiosity got the best of me." the Doctor replied before turning to Jessica, rubbing the back of her head, "Still sorry for knocking you out."
"Dunno why you're still apologising." Jessica replied, "I knew it wasn't you."
"Good. Now, let's finally play something."
"Excellent idea. We could all use a break."
The TARDIS dematerialised from the pier. Newcastle saw it disappear and cried: he finally got to see the woman who saved his ancestor's life for a brief moment, and on his mind, it was wonderful. With a tear in his eye and a hand to his chest, he spoke with gratitude "Goodbye, Doctor." He decided to go home afterwards, rest to live the rest of his life in total peace.