Writers... Sarah, James , Jamie, Rachel

A Gestalt Entity

Chapter 1

Somewhere on an unknown planet

As the Doctor and Destiny walked out of the TARDIS a great wave of heat hit them. The white sand of the desert reflecting the suns rays, almost blinding them. Ahead Destiny spied the place they were looking for. It appeared to be made of and emerald material the green hexagonal pillars glinting in the sun. As they walked nearer there appeared to be what Destiny thought were two emerald statues of guards standing either side of the huge door. The door itself didn’t appear to have any locks or way of opening them.

When they finally reached the entrance the Doctorr suddenly stopped about three meters from the door.

Destiny turned to him and pleaded, “You don’t have to do this. You can do it on your own. I know you can.”

The Doctor turned and spoke to her as one might speak to a child. “There is no need to be afraid by what I am going to do. It is the only way to save the known universe from tyranny.”

“I still don’t like it,” she replied looking around nervously. Destiny had a nagging feeling she was being watched.

The Doctor turned to face the emerald statues, “Sentinels of the crystal of Tock’ma please grant me access to the chamber of the crystal!” he said ceremoniously.

Destiny almost let out a scream when the emerald statues began to reply.

“Who is it that seeks entrance to the sanctuary of the crystal of Tock’ma?” the two statues said in unison.

“My name is the Doctor, I am a Timelord the keepers of the secret of the crystal of Tock’ma.”

“Your request is granted, you may enter!”

The door seemed to turn to liquid and melt away. The Doctor and Destiny both stepped inside, the ‘doors’ closed behind them. Destiny swung round and cried out to the Doctor “Were locked in!”

“So it seems we are,” replied the Doctor.

Destiny turned and looked down the corridor that appeared to be made out of the same hexagonal emerald columns as outside. As they walked down the corridor it seemed to be endless, all the time she could hear the sound of running water, yet she couldn’t quite work out from which direction it came from.

“Come, we must hurry time is of the essence,” said the Doctor making a fast pace down the corridor. Destiny not wanting to be left alone in this strange place hurried after him. They seemed to be walking forever, when finally they came up against a sheer wall impeding their progress.

“Oh! That’s just great we come all this way and it’s a dead end!” exclaimed Destiny.

“Don’t jump to conclusions.”

He pressed several of the crystals in order. Each time he touched a crystal it made an echoing note. When the last crystal was pressed the wall seemed to melt away revealing a doorway and a room behind. The Doctor walked through the doorway Destiny followed close behind.

The room they entered was a large circular room with a high roof; the floor was split into twelve segments. In the center was an object made of the same material as the building. There was a large shaft of ‘emerald’ running from the floor to the roof and round it was twelve hexagonal shafts of emerald that came to waist height.

The Doctor turned to Destiny “You had better stand back,” he said pointing to the doorway.

“Is this dangerous then?”

“Only if you get in the way.”

Destiny went and stood well back by the entrance.

 ***

The Doctor stepped up to the central object and placed his right hand on one of he crystals. Suddenly there was a huge blinding flash of light that seemed to emanate from the central shaft filled the whole chamber. Destiny had to shield her eyes the light was so intense.

When the light died away she looked and there was seven other men standing there each with their right hand on a crystal. They had a translucent almost holographic quality. One looked very old, another with dark hair was wearing an extremely long scarf, and another was wearing extremely bright clothes.

That’s when the Doctor spoke his voice sounded distant and echoy, “I have used the crystal of Tock’ma for a reason,” he began.

“It is not time yet not all the paces are filled. Why did you break protocol?” asked one of the older men.

“The universe is in grave danger Catatonia is free!” Destiny could see the shock and fear in their reactions at the mention of that name. The Doctor continued, “Already she is gathering her armies as we speak!”

“She must not be allowed to gain a foothold in this universe,” said one of the others, he was a short man wearing a panama hat.

“Will you help me?” asked the Doctor there was a moment of silence, then one by one they replied.

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

They each took their hand off the crystal as they did they became solid, flesh and blood. This entire Destiny watched wide-eyed amazed by what she had witnessed. Destiny looked down at her hands they were shaking. She ran over to the Doctor grabbed his arm and asked, “What was that? What just happened? Who are they?”

The Doctor placed a reassuring hand on he shoulder and said, “Don’t worry the crystal had just recreated, you could say cloned each of my previous incarnations.”

“What do you mean?” Destiny asked looking nervously around the room.

“Every time I ‘die’ I regenerate and each incarnation is different. You know my current incarnation, they are me so you have nothing to fear,” explained the Doctor, “Come we must make haste Catatonia already has Earth in her grasp. She must not be allowed to spread any further.”

They made their way back down the emerald corridor. The other ‘Doctor’s’ following their footsteps echoing as they went. The emerald doors opened as they approached letting them pass.

As they left the building a huge wave of heat wafted over them even fiercer than before. Destiny turned to the ‘Doctor’ and asked, “Where are we going then?”

“Where else? Earth!”

Chapter 2

Destiny of Doom

Destiny looked up at the TARDIS scanner and saw the seven previous incarnations of the Doctor standing around the exterior of the ship. The TARDIS interior resembled an elaborate gothic castle while the outside looked like an obsolete Police Box.

 “Are they not coming to Earth with us?” she asked.

“As clones they cannot leave the planet,” replied the Doctor, who had been busy programming the TARDIS.

 “But they have a very important part to play. They will be contacting friends around the universe, building up support, persuading nations to join in the fight against Catatonia and her powerful armies. They will also be keeping an eye on our progress. And progress is what we must do now.” He flicked a final control and a familiar noise filled the room. “To Earth.”

Destiny walked out of the TARDIS behind the Doctor and assumed that the erratic machine had once again arrived at the wrong planet. She had walked through the streets of London in her mind using the vidistrips on her home planet. On a beautiful sunny day with a bright blue clear sky she had walked through Hyde Park, visited Trafalgar Square, taken a stroll along Downing Street and even explored the gardens of Buckingham Palace. The streets she found herself in now where smelly and dank, fog and smoke hung everywhere and there was a sharp frost in the air.

“Ah, excellent,” said the Doctor. 

“This is London?” asked Destiny.

“Of course. Late 19th century. Catatonia has seized control in the 21st century so there was no point in going to that era. I set the controls to take us to the middle of the 20th century, the Fabulous Fifties or the Swinging Sixties. Marvelous time to live in England.” He patted the TARDIS door. “Only fifty years out. Well done, old girl.”

Destiny shivered. She doubted that this London would ever appear in ‘Zenaroc’s Wonders of the Universe.’

“And look”, said the Doctor, pointing to a street name. “Only about two miles away from our intended location.”

Success was relative with the TARDIS, Destiny decided. “The walk will do us good, I suppose?”

“Of course,” replied the Doctor and he set off at a brisk pace, leaving Destiny struggling to follow.

Three quarters of an hour later Destiny had seen none of the familiar sights of England’s capital city but she had seen street after street of dilapidated housing, packed tightly together, along with numerous courtyards, alleyways and backyards. The whole area was a gloomy and depressing maze. Beggars sat on the streets and shabbily dressed children hung around many of the houses. Once the detectors on her coat warned her of the presence of an alien hand in her pocket and as she turned round a half naked boy, no older than six in Earth years, turned on his heels and quickly disappeared down yet another alleyway.

The Doctor jaunted happily along as if he was enjoying a holiday in the Eye of Orion. “Watch out for Jack the Ripper,” he called jovially at one point. Destiny did not know to whom he was referring but she didn’t like the sound of the name. At last the Doctor stopped outside a little corner shop. ‘Antiques and Collectables’ read the sign above the dirty windows where a few glass bottles and an old mirror could just be seen through the grime. Destiny assumed that he was going to ask for directions. But it seemed that the Doctor had arrived at his destination. They went inside. The shop was filled with what Destiny would politely have called ‘items which serve no further useful purpose,’ or, less politely, ‘junk’. It was impossible to see the walls for all the old pictures, hat stands, bookcases, ornaments, umbrellas, clocks, bells, toys, papers and hundreds of other items all covered in dust and grime. The Doctor led the carefully across the floor, also covered in ‘junk’, to the end of the dimly lit room where a dark haired man with a sallow face, aged about 35 in Earth years, was standing. Without introduction the Doctor said, “I am looking for a Telosian Matcatcher.”

“Indeed,” replied the man.

 “I have some out in the stockroom. Follow me.” He walked through a door at the back of the shop, gesturing for the Doctor to follow him, who in turn motioned for Destiny to do the same. Destiny had expected to enter another room containing even more junk. The second she crossed the threshold, however, she found herself in a brightly lit room containing sophisticated looking equipment and a large hexagonal console in the middle. The lighting appeared to be electric, not like the gas lamps in the shop. The man stood in the room waiting for them.

“Another regeneration, Doctor?”

“Several,” replied the Doctor.

“You should try it yourself one day, Collector.” The Collector smiled.

 “No thank you, the results are too unpredictable. As I believe you have demonstrated. Who is the female?”

“This is Destiny. Destiny, this is the Collector.”

The Collected shuddered. “You have brought Destiny to Earth?”

“I have.”

“This can only mean one thing. Catatonia is free.”

“You are very wise, Collector. That is indeed the case.”

The Collector turned towards Destiny.  “Destiny, I fear our acquaintance will be brief. Show me your arms.”

Destiny did not like being given orders. She glared at the Collector and made no move to respond. She was not expecting what happened next. The Collector moved forward and roughly grabbed her left arm, pushing up her coat to reveal her bare arm. He repeated the action with her right arm, then jammed the lower half of her arms together and held them tight. Destiny gasped with pain. The Doctor watched, his face registering concern but making no move to stop the Collector. As her arms were clasped together, a thin plume of smoke arose from her wrists, firstly coloured purple, then changing to blue and finally becoming green before it disappeared. The Collector released her and moved away. Her arms still hurting, Destiny hugged herself then looked up at the collector with a mixture of hatred and fear.

“Still green,” said the Collector. “The smoke is not yet yellow or red. The danger is real but we still have some time. What is Catatonia’s position?”

“She has control of Earth in the 21st century,” replied the Doctor. The Collector waved a hand dismissively.

 “Earth is an insignificant planet. If she were to takeover a technologically advanced planet like Alphaone then she may be able to launch an attack on the whole universe.”

“I agree,” said the Doctor. “Which is why I am here. You know what I need.”

“Yes. I will fetch it for you. Wait here.”

The Collector left the room. The Doctor went over to Destiny and began examining her arms. He rubbed them both slowly and the pain disappeared. “I’m sorry about his manner,” he said. “But he has something we desperately need if we are to defeat Catatonia.” 

“Are we going to kill her?” asked Destiny.

“I hope not,” said the Doctor, so quietly that his companion almost missed it. Destiny pointed at the door through which the Collector had left.

 “Who is he and what is this place?”

“He is a Time Lord, like me, and this is his TARDIS.”

Destiny slowly nodded. Of course, another TARDIS. But she had another question.

“What did he mean our acquaintance will be brief?” The Doctor sighed. It was the one question he hoped she would not ask. He looked up into her mauve eyes.

 “Destiny, it was no accident I asked you to join me on my travels. You do not know it, but there is a strong bond between you and Catatonia. You are like mental twins. Except you are opposites. You are good and she is evil. But in some cases opposites need to co-exist. The termination of one means the end of the other.” The Doctor looked down, then back up at Destiny again. “There’s no easy way to say this. Destiny, if Catatonia is killed then it will also be the death of yourself.”

Chapter 3

Equally cursed and blessed

There was a long, awkward silence. This was finally punctuated by a loud "Ahem", which made Destiny jump a little... She hadn't noticed the Collector re-enter the room. Taking a pair of horn-rimmed reading glasses from his eyes, and returning them to his jacket, he held up an ornate gilded box with his other hand. "Here you are, Doctor."

The Doctor took the box gingerley, carefully undid the clasp, and stared at the contents for a long few seconds. Destiny caught a glimpse of some kind of glowing crystal, before the Doctor snapped it shut hastily. He brought his pensive gaze to bear on his fellow Gallifreyan.

"Well, well. If the High Council knew you had this..."

The Collector was unfazed. "What was it your earlier self was fond of saying? - `It's not breaking the rules, just bending them a little` ?" he said, sardonically.

The Doctor grimaced at this reference to his own, sometimes maverick behaviour. "Yes, well..." he muttered, a little sheepishly. "Only when the greater good..."

The Collector rolled his eyes. "There really isn't time for your platitudes right now, is there? That thing should punch a hole just big enough, and for just long enough, to send her back where she came from. But you'll only get one chance to use it. And that chance is getting slimmer by the hour." He strolled over to his Central Console. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'd better make preparations to leave this part of the galaxy for a while - not that I don't have faith in you, Doctor." He smiled grimly. "Just in case, eh?"

All in all, Destiny considered herself in pretty good shape. Her training as part of the Stealth Team back at home - followed by life on the run from those same authorities - had ensured that. But yet again, she struggled to keep up with the Doctor's brisk pace as he strolled nonchalantly back to the TARDIS. She decided that, given her life was at stake, she couldn't wait any longer for some answers. "Doctor..."

"Hmmm?"

"What did he mean back there? I mean, about sending Catatonia back...?"

The Doctor was silent for a few seconds. He seemed to be looking right past her, far into the distant mists of Time.

"In the beginning..." he started slowly. "The very beginning, I mean, when the Universe started. At the same moment, another one came into existence. One that was inimical to life as we know it. A universe made of anti-matter".

"Anti-matter? That's very dangerous, isn't it?"

The Doctor nodded. "If matter and anti-matter collide, it causes a huge explosion, but that's the least of our worries. For the last ten million years or so, that realm has been home to a very ancient and powerful Timelord - the one who made Time Travel possible in the first place. Over there, he's a God, able to reshape anti-matter at will, but he's made numerous attempts to break through into the positive matter universe. Catatonia is... well, I suppose she's one of his creations, although I can't tell whether she's acting on her own, or whether she's been sent to soften us up."

He started striding again, more purposefully. "But she's an anomaly. The longer she exists in this Universe, the more damage she'll do to Cause and Effect, linear time, all the physical laws which make the whole of creation viable. Eventually, this whole Planet – and countless others – will become like a disjointed dream, not making any sense."

"But... where do I fit in?"

The Doctor shrugged. "The Universe itself is trying to reject the anomaly. So, by fate, by chance, by Destiny, one has been born who has all of the abilities necessary to counteract her chaotic abilities." He suddenly broke out into a schoolboy grin, and gave the young Ba'Kuan a hearty slap on the back. "You're a big antibody!"

"Great." she groaned.

London, 2005

Catherine Toyner kicked off her heels indulgently, put her feet up on the expensive mahogany desk and, cradling a glass of red, surveyed the elegant office. Getting here hadn't taken long. The people of this world were so simple, so easily swayed by her persuasive powers. There was a knock on the huge wooden doors. A smartly dressed man in British Army uniform entered. He was red-faced, and seemed to be in a perpetual state of confusion.

"Begging your pardon, Ma'am." He saluted clumsily.

Catherine was amused. She put on her famous smile, the one which had given the Tabloids the idea for her nickname… "Cheshire" Cat.

"Not at all, Field Marshall. What seems to be the problem?"

"The sky outside… you asked me to tell you… well, it's not green any more. It's changed."

"…to Yellow ?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Why, yes, ma'am. Permission to ask… is this normal?"

"Oh, absolutely. It's all part of the same harmless atmospheric illusion which our best meteorologists are looking at. Probably just like the Northern Lights." She leaned forward. "Inform the press I'll be holding a conference shortly, Field Marshall, and don't you worry your little cotton socks."

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted again, and made to leave. At the door he paused, and turned.

"And thankyou, Prime Minister."

After he had left, a figure stepped out of the shadows in the corner of the room.

"Neatly done, Catatonia. A queen amongst primitives."

"It was nothing, really. I learnt my abilities from the master of the Dark Dimension himself. Few people in this country even remember how long ago the election was, let alone what happened before. And now that we've reached Yellow Phase, it won't be long before I become truly unstoppable."

"The Doctor will try and stop you. He's on his way."

"To be expected. Now, you have something for me, I believe."

The Collector stepped forward, holding an ornate gilded box. "Yes, here it is, Catatonia."

He grinned. "The real McCoy, you might say."

Chapter 4

A meeting to make you think

The Doctor and Destiny made their way back to the TARDIS. The Doctor pushed Destiny through the doors.

"Don't push. What is wrong with you?" She howled at him as he let his hands dance around the console.

"Something is not right cant you feel it?" Destiny closed her eyes and then snapped them open.

"I feel that a lot is wrong but I don't think I can put my finger on what you are taking about"

"He is talking about me." A man walked out from behind a bookcase. Destiny had seen him somewhere before.

"You cant be here you are on Tock'ma. But you cant levee there you are a copy."

The man walked forward and had no regard for Destiny as he pushed past.

"No I am an original."

"Erm hate to butt in but who is he?" Destiny waved her hands around trying to get attention.

"Oh ah well he is me, or is it I am him."

"I am the 6th him." The 6th Doctor walked forward and gazed at the TARDIS console shaking his head like a plumber who is about to tell you is if going to cost a small fortunate to fix a pipe.

"But what are you doing here?" Queried the Doctor.

"Ah well you do know the problem you are facing is more severer that you think. And you did not think that you going to Tock'ma would not alert the Time Lords and your other selves."

The Doctor gazed at him opened mouthed.

"Hum it seams with age I have become more slow. Let me put it in simple terms. Catatonia is only on Earth to experiment with her powers. If she is successful here then she will try to take over Gallifrey. Now the Time Lords are worried you won't succeed and have pulled me out of my time line and put me here with you. And I can tell you I don't like being messed around with. I was very happy on Veron having a holiday."

Destiny tapped the Doctor on the shoulder and he spun round to face her, "Is he really you?"

The Doctor gazed at her then his 6th self and shook his head. "Yes he is me. It seems the Time Lords don't trust me, and think I need help. Well I don't."

The 6th Doctor placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. "I don't want to be here any more than you want me here but there is two forces on Earth not one as you think."

Destiny was starting to lose the plot completely and decided to butt in again. "Two, don't be stupid."

"Stupid, STUPID!!! I young lady am not stupid. I am telling you the truth. The Time Lords have been keeping a look out at what has been going on here and…." The Doctor interrupted the 6th in mid flow and his face was like thunder.

"And seeing as they don't like to interfere they sent you. Well us."

The two Doctors seamed to be contemplating their next move. Destiny was wondering what two of the Doctor could possibly do. The 6th Doctor paced the room like a caged best. A bleeping from the console brought them out of their stupor.

"Hum a message from the Time Lords." Said the Doctor taping the console with his finger.

"Well put it on then, and I don't like what you have done with my TARDIS."

"Your TARDIS this is my TARDIS now!!"

"Shut up the both of you and play the message. You are like a bunch of squabbling kids!!"

Destiny pushed past the two of them to get a good look at the scanner as the Doctor played the message. An old man appeared on the scanner. He was in the robes of an elder of the high console of the Time Lords.

"Ah Doctors there you are. We have decided to worn the both of you that time is running out and that Catatonia's powers are becoming stronger. You must hurry to stop her or all will be lost. She can not be allowed to take over Earth or she and her master will use it as a bridge head to take over our world and then all of time will fall to there evil. There is also another here called Nothamal and he is………."

The transmission broke up and the image faded away. The 6th Doctor bellowed, "Now look what you have done you have lost it!!"

"Me, it was you not me"  

Destiny shook her head and said to no one in particular. "Kids."

Catherine gazed out if the window of her office then turned round to face Catatonia. "Is he on his way?"

Catatonia looked at her and grinned.

"Oh yes and he has another one of himself with him but I will deal with the 6th incarnation first before I deal with the other."

"What will you do my Lady?" Catherine asked in a hushed voice knowing her Lady could kill with an instant thought.

"Don't worry I wont kill him because if I do all of his other incarnations will die."

The two Doctors where heading for the TARDIS doors when the 6th Doctor fell to the floor. "Arrr my head!!" He howled and he clutched his throbbing head.

"What is it are you ok?" Destiny and the Doctor said in unison.

"No arrr it ah it Catatonia. Ah you know what you have to do. You must banish her, you must stop her whwhahahaha!!!!!!" The 6th Doctor began to fade away. Destiny ran to him and tried to hold on to him but he faded away in her arms.

"Where has he gone?" She asked.

"He has been sent back to his own time zone by me!!" The voice was echoed around the TARDIS console room, it was the voice of Catatonia.

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Her Greatest Desire

“You do realize,” said the Collector as he and Catatonia entered the Cabinet Room, “That once the Doctor discovers that his Matcatcher is a fake he may try to use Destiny to take over you. And with the combined strengths of his previous incarnations’ clones he may be able to succeed.”

“Not if I take over Destiny first,” replied Catatonia.

“And how will you mange to do that?”

Catatonia smiled. “I suppose you’ve never been inside the mind of a young woman, Collector. It’s amazing what you find there. Her thoughts and dreams, her hopes and fears. Her loves, her joys, her tears, her heartaches. Destiny’s mind was fascinating to explore. I found all of these and more. I know what I need to do to lure her to my side. I know what her greatest desire is. And I can give it to her. Now, Collector, perhaps you will do as I ask and bring the Doctor to me.”

“Marvellous,” said the Doctor as he drained half the test-tube of thick, dark green liquid.

“What is it?” asked Destiny.

“The milk of Davalorian Minor Bushscaling Goognot. An ideal remedy for bruised legs.”  He stood up and started walking around.  “Excellent, I feel as good as new.” He looked at the test-tube in his hand.  “Good job I always try to keep some in stock. Even if I can’t always find it when I need it.  And now, Destiny, you should drink the rest.” He held the test-tube out to her.

“Why? My legs are fine.”

“It’s also good for headaches and nausea. I know you’ve been trying to avoid being sick on the TARDIS floor for the last five minutes, even if you don’t want to admit it. Come on, drink up.”

Destiny drained the test-tube and almost immediately the eruptions in her stomach and her head ceased. Seconds later she produced the loudest burp she had ever heard in her life.

“Yes,” said the Doctor, “and that’s what happens if you drink it too quickly, so be careful how you use it when you’re in company. Wars have started and civilizations wiped out by careless use of it. Now, I think we should…”

He was interrupted by a familiar wheezing, groaning sound. He turned round and saw the two halves of central column of the TARDIS begin to alternatively come together and move apart. He dashed to the console and starting reading off information from the panels located around its various sides. He looked up at Destiny, a grim expression on his face. “Someone’s operating the TARDIS by remote control. I think we’re about to come face to face with Catatonia.”

“She’s working the TARDIS?”

The Doctor shook his head. “Not on her own. She hasn’t got that power. Only a Time Lord can do this. Not one comprised of anti-matter either, so that rules out Omega. She must have teamed up with a renegade. The Master, perhaps, or the Rani. Whoever it is, we’ll soon be in her domain. Still, it’s about time we met.” He picked up the Matcatcher and held it up. “Hopefully, we’ll put a stop to her plans with this. It will require perfect timing, of course, but I should be able to achieve it. I wonder where she’s based.”

Destiny wished she had some more of the Goognot’s milk as her stomach started doing somersaults again. She sat down,cradled her head in her hands and did not speak for a moment.

“Destiny?”

She looked up at the Doctor’s concerned face. She was silent for a moment longer, then said, “This is going to be dangerous for me, isn’t it, Doctor? This could be the end of my life.”

The Doctor nodded. There was no point in denying it. “I’m afraid so, Destiny. Double danger. If Catatonia proves to be stronger than you then she could take over your body and mind. And, as I said before, if Catatonia dies then you will die as well. But…” he smiled, “it’s not going to come to that. I’ll just use my Matcatcher to send the old girl back where she belongs, I won’t let her get near you and we’ll all live happily ever after. Let’s hope we get back to the TARDIS in time for tea.”

Destiny looked at him for a minute in bewilderment, then she burst out laughing. The nausea passed as quickly as it had arrived.  She and the Doctor continued laughing for a full minute and a half. Then Destiny suddenly looked serious again. “Doctor, if I do die, will you take my body back to Ba’ku?”

“Of course,” said the Doctor.

“And will you arrange for me to be buried next to Hikarus?”

“Was he a friend?” asked the Doctor.

Destiny smiled a weak smile. “My most loyal and true friend. After I went on the run the authorities called at his home, tried to force him to say where I was hiding. He wouldn’t tell them. They tortured him, slowly burned his mind. His screams could be heard halfway across the town but he still wouldn’t tell them. Eventually the torture killed him. His death was described as an accidental termination whilst resisting supplying legitimate intelligence to the appropriate agency. I called it murder. I want to be buried next to him. I want to apologize to him. I want to thank him. I want to love him.”

She fell silent. “I will arrange it,” said the Doctor solemnly.

Destiny looked at the Doctor through her tear-filled eyes.

“And Doctor, please tell everyone who knew me the truth. Tell them I was framed. Tell them I didn’t do it.”

“I will,” said the Doctor. “But…” he smiled a big smile again, “All this is hypothetical, of course, because you’re not going to die.” Destiny nodded. But this time she did not smile.

The police box appeared and faded and finally solidified. The wheezing, groaning noise ended and the blue lamp at the zenith of the ship’s exterior stopped flashing. Seconds later the door opened and the Doctor put his head out of the door and looked around.

 “Amazing,” he muttered. He stepped outside, followed closely behind by Destiny.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Well you’ve walked down the street outside with the use of your vidistrips,” replied the Doctor.

  “We’re in the Entrance Hall of 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister.  Mind you, it’s changed a bit since I last said goodbye to Lloyd George here.”

“Lloyd George?”

“David Lloyd George, Liberal Prime Minister after the First World War.”

“You’ve met him?” asked Destiny, impressed.

“Of course. Who do you think persuaded him to agree to allow women to vote?”

Destiny looked appalled. “Women weren’t allowed to vote at one time?  I thought Earth was supposed to be civilized.”

Before the Doctor could reply a door to the right opened and the Collector entered the hall.

 “Welcome, Doctor.”

The Doctor stared at the Collector. “You brought me here, didn’t you. You’re helping her Do you know what she’s planning to do? She’s planning to destroy Gallifrey.”

“Good, never could stand the place,” replied the Collector.

“When it’s destroyed I’m going to be ruler of half the universe. My rules will be simple, of course. Do as I say and you live, disobey me and you die.”

“Very neat,” said the Doctor.  He produced the Matcatcher.

“I suppose this is about as much use as a joke book at a funeral.”

“Precisely, Doctor. A little Gallifreyan Minddust to give the glow, mixed with a quantity of something they call Fairy Liquid around here. Mind you, I’m convinced it’s never been near a fairy. Anyway, enough chat, the Prime Minister is waiting for us in the Cabinet Room. We mustn’t keep our host waiting. Follow me, please.”

The Doctor and Destiny entered the Cabinet Room and saw Catatonia sitting in the Prime Minister’s chair in the centre position on the opposite side of the Cabinet Table.

“You’re the Prime Minister?” the Doctor asked Catatonia.

Catatonia smiled. “My loyal subjects have elected me to this position, yes.”

The Doctor sniffed. “You no doubt made them a load of promises which you have no intention of keeping, you will disrupt their day-to-day lives without delivering anything in the way of improvements. All in all, I think Prime Minister is the perfect job for you.”

“Well, at least I won’t do any worse than the last incumbent of this chair.”

The Doctor looked out of the window.

“And what do your subjects think of their yellow sky?”

“They think it’s very pretty,” replied Catatonia.

 “And I’m sure the shepherds will be delighted by their red sky tonight. Ah, I see my other half is here. Greetings, Destiny. You are welcome to my home.”

Destiny glared at her. “You’re evil. You’re trying to destroy planets just for your own selfish ends. You’re worse than those who tortured Hikarus on Ba’ku, and I never thought I would say that to anyone.”

“Ah yes,” said Catatonia. “Thank you for reminding me. I have something for you. Something I think you will like.”

“I don’t want anything from you,” said Destiny.

“But it’s not from me. It’s from your own Government on Ba’ku. Look.” She reached below the table and produced a tablet of Ba’ku Plastiplex, a communication device with writing on its surface. As the reader read the words they scrolled up the screen. Quick readers would see the words wheezing upwards, for slow readers the words would slowly crawl off the top of the screen. Destiny took one step closer and saw the words “Government of Ba’ku.Highest Department of Justice.”

Catatonia looked straight at Destiny. “It’s a pardon, my dear. No, more than that, a complete exoneration of yourself. It acknowledges that you are wholly innocent of the crime for which you were accused and apologizes for the false accusations made. And it’s yours, my dear. Just come and take it.”

Destiny stared at the Plastiplex. Here it was, her heart’s greatest desire, just a few steps away. She could touch it. She could hold it. She could own it. She started to move forward.

“No, Destiny,” said the Doctor but she did not hear him. She took another step forward. The Doctor moved to grab her but the Collector restrained him. While the Doctor and the Collector struggled, Destiny reached out to pick up the thing she wanted more than anything in the universe.

Chapter 7

Delbert Wilkins chuckled to himself as he unplugged the Freeview box and placed it on top of the VCR. Nonchalantly, he turned to face the silent form lying on the sofa, in the front room of the little terraced house.

"Don’t mind if borrow your stuff, do ya, man?"

The man didn’t respond, his mouth twisted gently into a wan smile, slightly open eyes staring into blissful yellow worlds a million miles away. His just visible pupils rolled gently from side to side, as his world slowly became indistinguishable from REM dreamstate.

Delbert laughed again. "Wicked, innit?"

Even with the paint-cracked back door jammed open, he had to twist his body like a slow-motion ballerina just to squeeze out with the stack of electrical goods cradled in his loving hands. For the sixteenth time, he praised his good fortune. This was like taking candy from a baby, man! Delbert had never been the best burglar in the neighbourhood. His mates told him proper geezers don’t spend so much time looking in the mirror, buying gaudy but expensive threads. But hey, what was wrong with lookin’ good? Just because a guy likes to wear a peach silk shirt with a purple velvet jacket, that doesn’t mean he’s stuck in the eighties, man! But his posse wouldn’t laugh at him no more. No siree. Not since Cat Toyner and her New Unity party took over, riding the wave of patriotism after the Queen’s state funeral. Not since the Yellow skies, and the golden, sparkling mists descended on the Capital. (Didn’t it used to be green for a while? Or did he just dream that?) Delbert couldn’t distinguish between day and night anymore. And the streets were practically deserted, most people having retreated to their homes, and sweet, dream-filled slumber.

Delbert ended up backing out of the doorway, whistling the tune to Michael Jackson’s "Smooth Criminal", and turned in a slow semicircle. Then he stopped, the lazy smile wiped from his face. A few feet away, the huge Alsatian silently stared at him. It’s eyes seemed to glow with more than reflected daylight. As if on cue, it started snarling, baring it’s fangs. Delbert felt fear rising up in him, along with a feeling of being somehow strangely detached from reality.

 "Er… Good doggy", he said, and began edging sideways towards the garden gate, and his waiting van.

The dog didn’t make a move until Delbert had reached the gate. Then it abruptly turned, and made a single, impossible bound across the garden, landing on the roof of the van, making the vehicle shake. That was enough for Delbert, who dropped his loot on the pavement in shock, and pelted away down the street.Through the mist, Delbert could see other glittering canine eyes staring at him from side avenues, from garden walls.

"Oh God oh God oh God," he squealed, frantically.

As he reached the main road, he was nearly run over by a double-decker which seemed to loom out of nowhere. It swerved to avoid him, and screeched to a halt.

It was the first sign of life Delbert had seen in days – maybe weeks – and he never thought he’d be this glad to see it. Relief flooded over him, and he stood panting for breath as the pneumatic doors swung open. Two neatly-dressed, bowler-hatted figures stepped out into the mist, one slender and smart, the other rotund. Delbert squinted to try and make out their features. As one, the two figures silently raised their brollies and pointed them ominously at the thief.

????????????????????

"NO!! Destiny, it’s a trap! Can’t you see it’s a trap?!"

Catatonia smiled wickedly at the struggling Timelord. "It’s no use, Doctor. You’ve lost everything. The Telosian Matcatcher. The element of surprise. And now, your young companion."

The Doctor seemed to give up struggling, a picture of despair on his face, his arms pinned behind him by the Collector. Destiny, her face rapt, raised her hand, and reached out towards the Plastiplex…

For a moment, the Collector was distracted by the tableau unfolding before them. In that moment, the Doctor suddenly wasn’t there any more, and he was left holding the Doctor’s frock-coat. The Doctor deftly tumbled across the floor… and grinned. "Actually, I already have two out of three. And I intend to recover the third." He pulled out a box he’d been holding behind his back. "Now, this has gone quite far enough."

Crouching on the floor, he pointed the box at Catatonia and opened it. A noise like a sonic boom sounded from outside, and the room was filled with blazing light. The Collector shielded his eyes, filled with a sense of disbelief. His Timelord senses were screaming as vast waves of temporal energy surged through him. The Doctor laughed at his _expression, and started to say something, the words whipped away by the wind surging through the room - "Naturally, I anticipated…switched the boxes…back in Victorian…"

Only a few seconds later, the light, sound and wind died away. The Doctor threw aside the now useless box, and swept his arms around to try and see through the smoke. The Doctor saw the desk, pieces of the broken "plastiplex" – a neural inhibitor, as he had thought- and Destiny shaking her head as if to clear it of sleep, and no Catatonia. For a few seconds, he thought optimistically that he had won. Then, the room was flooded with ominous red light, and the Doctor’s face collapsed into self-disgust.

"Too late, Doctor," said Catatonia from where she was standing next to the now-open curtains. "As you see, we slipped into Red Phase three minutes ago."

"Do you really think that will save you?" said the Doctor, with more bravado than he felt. "I’ll find some other way to stop you. Without a Timelord host, you can never be stable in this realm."

"Wrong again, Doctor. Look." Catatonia gestured to the desk. The Doctor could just make out the high-heeled feet protruding from behind it.

"The original Catherine Toyner, I presume. You’re a maniac."

"Yes, poor Catherine. I promised her that she would rule at my side. But once my I’d finally drained all of her bio-data, she outlived her usefulness. There is only room now for one Ruler." She smiled wickedly. "And one right-hand woman."

The Doctor scoffed. "What, you think you can bring Omega across? Firstly, you know full well a human host could never serve as a template for his consciousness. And secondly, the energy required would…would be…" he trailed off and stared at the box on the floor, then slowly slapped his forehead in awful realisation.

By opening the box in Red Phase, he had created a Time Bridge into the anti-matter universe. He had put both Earth and Gallifrey at risk.

"Yes, Doctor. It seems your timing was less than perfect on this occasion. Mine, on the other hand, was exemplary." As she spoke, she pulled a slender device from her jacket. "And I wouldn’t worry about the template, Doctor. We’ve…made arrangements." She nodded over at the Collector, who was still holding the Doctor’s coat and looking chagrined. "A very special bloodline, carefully cultivated across countless generations, purely to provide a suitable vessel."

"What?!" the Doctor exploded. "I expected more, even from you! Interfering with human evolution is very dangerous, Collector. Can’t you see she’s used your time travel capabilities to engineer a… a family who are less than human? Do you really think this creature will honour any bargains made to you?" The Collector looked uncertain.

"Enough moralizing, Doctor." Catatonia pressed a button on her device. Immediately, alarms rang out through the corridors. "With you out of the way, there will be nothing to stop me from taking my rightful place in history."

"That’s what they said about Sir James Jaspers," retorted the Doctor, playing for time.

"Who?"

"Exactly, NOW!! Destiny, Run!"

As if on cue, the two villains reeled, screaming in pain, holding hands to their heads. Destiny’s trained reactions took over, and she hurled a chair through the window, leaping after it, followed closely by the Doctor.

????????????

As she tried to catch her breath in the sulphuric crimson mist, crouching behind an abandoned Ambulance lying by the side of the road, Destiny turned to face her friend. "How…how did you manage…"

"I didn’t," said the Doctor sorrowfully. "My clones…between us, we had just enough mental energy to hold them off for a minute. I…I don’t think any of them pulled through."

Destiny couldn’t think of anything to say.

"So, what now?" she said finally.

"We find Catatonia and stop her somehow. That "template" she was talking about must be somewhere in central London – within a few blocks, in fact. There shouldn’t be many people still awake by now." He looked around at the dreamlike street. "Well, well. This takes me back. You should have seen the Nottingham Bubble Reality of 1997. Watch out for dogs, by the way. Oh, and men in bowler hats." He straightened up cautiously. "Now which way? You wouldn’t have a coin handy would you? I left mine in my Frock-coat."

Destiny glanced over to where something was glittering on the road. She stooped to pick it up. "Will this do?"

"Aah, a £5 coin. Perfect." He took it from Destiny, and flipped it.

"Tails we head that way, heads…" He stopped suddenly, and stared wide-eyed at the coin. "Heads. Of course! If Catatonia’s the Prime Minister…"

??????????

Elsewhere, an elderly man tenderly stroked one of his beloved plants. He was very sad. He’d set up this particular display in memory of his late mother. And now, they were dying too, unable to thrive in the ever changing light. Somewhere deep inside, he knew that all life was going to be extinguished in the coming…events….

He shook his head, as if to clear it. No, he thought, not all life. He himself would survive. The plants had told him. Poor Mother. She never believed him when he told her what the plants said. She thought it was just part of their family’s well-known eccentric streak. But they did talk to him. They told him that he would be very important one day. They told him stories of a wise, old King who ruled in a fairytale palace, faraway. They told him he would return into the real world one day, and help to bring back the days of glory.

The elderly man was jolted out of his thoughts by a sharp rap on the greenhouse door. Outside, he could just make out two bowler-hatted shapes standing patiently in the glowing red fog. He moved over to the door, and opened them, breathing in the sweet dream-filled air.

"Do come in, please," he mumbled.

As they entered, he could see that the bowler hats weren’t proper ones. They were plastic, like you got at children’s parties, with a big Union Jack emblazoned across them. Something about their smiles looked artificial, too. The shorter, blonde-haired one turned, and spoke to the other. "We’ve got a special message to deliver today, haven’t we, Mr Gareth?"

The other, a huge, rotund man with a scraggy beard, returned the grin. "Indeed we do, Mr Lance. Indeed we do."

They turned to face the staring gardener, but he already knew what they were about to say. "It’s Time…. Your Majesty."

Chapter 8

The Doctor and Destiny ran for want of a better word for there life. As they where being pursued buy two very hungry and mad dogs.

“I have no idea what you are going to do to get us out of this one!!” Destiny howled, as one of the dogs got a little too close to her leg.

“Oh have faith my girl.” They rounded a corner and where confronted by 6 other dogs. The Doctor stopped dead and Destiny misjudging the distance between them ran straight into him.

“It was a trap they where luring us into an ambush!!” The Doctor looked around for a possible exit but there was not one. The dogs got closer and closer!!

“Do something!!” Destiny shouted bearing her head into his chest.

“I can’t.” He whispered.

The Collector was starting to question what he was doing that betraying Gallifrey and the universe was wrong. He began to pace the room when a stabbing pain shoot through his head.

“I still need you so stop with all the betraying thoughts.” It was Catatonia.

“I…. Sorry I will stop it my Lady.” Catatonia left his mind and he whispered to himself.

“Like hell I will. You need to be rubbed out!!”

The Doctor held on to Destiny and closed his eyes as the dogs got even closer but something was wrong.

A loud thud made him open his eyes, one of the dogs was lying in a pool of blood its head detached from it body. A figure jumped in front of him and with an elegant sword with the Gallifreyen symbol on it. The figure swung at the dogs and within a second all of them where dead or dying. The Doctor looked at the new comer and knew who it was straight away.

“Elektra what are you doing here.” The woman turned round to face him and smiled a warm smile.

“What did you think I was going to let you get all the fun?” She grinned and placed the sword back by her side.

“But I thought you where on Gallifrey.” The Doctor left Destiny standing jaw hanging.

“Oh officially I am still there but unofficially I am here, you know the Time Lords they cant be seen to get their lily white hands dirty.”

Destiny took a step toward the Doctor and tugged on his sleeve.

“Um who is this?” The Doctor gave a laugh.

“This is Elektra General of Gallifrey we have been friends for a very long time.” Elektra gave a wining smile but her faces turned more sinister.

“They are very worried you know.”

“What the Time Lords?” The Doctor rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Yes there instruments are showing a power build up in the antimatter realm. They feel Omega is planning his return.” The Doctor began to pace the length of the street.

“We need to get to 10 Downing Street can you assists us their Elektra seeing as the dogs are going mad because of the time distortion.” Elektra nodded and leaf the way, her hand on her sword at all time ready to pounce into action.

Mr. Gareth had been taken on to a bus and was now sitting in a room that he did not like very much. There where no plants and he know the wallpaper was to drab. He had tried asking where he was, but his traveling companions where not very talkative. He just sat and waited.

The Doctor, Elektra and Destiny had made it to 10 Downing Street and had with the help of Elektra and her persuasive talk with the door (swinging at it with her sword) they where in the main office. The Doctor was poking around the desk when he came across a button.

“I wonder what this does?” He murmured thoughtfully.

“I would not touch it.” Destiny worded.

“I am not going to.” The Doctor hit the button.

“Oops my finger slipped” He grinned. In the corner of the room a purple void had opened up.

“Nice one do you know what that is?” Elektra scolded holding her sword ready.

“Um well no.” The Doctor walked up to the void and put his hand into it. It tingled so he pulled it out again.

“That is a portal, but to where.” Elektra shook her head.

“Just a min something is coming through it.” Destiny pointed at the figure that was beginning to form.

“Is it time already?” the figure laughed. The two Time Lords looked at each other and in unison said.

“Omega!!!!”

Chapter 9

Final resting place

Before Omega had time to take in his surroundings the Doctor kneeled down on the floor in front of him and motioned for Destiny and Elektra to do the same.

“Omega,” he said.  “Greatest of the Time Lords.  Creator of our power.  I, the Doctor, salute you.”  Elektra stared at him in astonishment.

“Doctor,” boomed Omega.  “And Elektra too.  Not the welcoming party I expected.  Was it you who pressed the button?  And where is Catatonia and the Collector, my loyal servants?” By now the Doctor had risen to his feet. Destiny and Elektra did likewise. The Doctor adopted a crestfallen expression.

“I’m afraid, Omega, you have been betrayed.  Both your servants have turned against you.  They plan to steal your power and seal your exile.  Omega, I know I have fought against you in the past but I would not wish such a fate on you.  I summoned you to warn you against trusting Catatonia.  Escape now before it is too late.  Do not remain on Earth a moment longer.”

Omega laughed.  “No, Doctor, I am not falling for this trick. Catatonia has served me loyally for years. She and the Collector would not turn against me now. You, however, have always prevented my return to a proper life.  You are my enemy. When I am fully restored to my true power, you will be the first to die.”

“Nice try, Doctor,” muttered Elektra.

“You’ve more chance of convincing the High Council that Daleks are friendly creatures.”

“There must be a way,” whispered the Doctor. 

“There must be a method of convincing Omega that what I’m telling him is the truth – even if it is a pack of lies.” Seconds later that method walked through the door. Catatonia stood motionless in her rightful place as Prime Minister as the brief coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey neared its conclusion. The two men in bowler hats had escorted the old man into his throne and now he prepared to receive his own headgear, the magnificent St Edward’s Crown.  King Charles III.  He was finally to achieve his birth rite.  Like the previous monarch to bear his name, he came to the throne at a time of great upheaval. No problem, he would bring peace, prosperity, happiness and a new philosopher of talking to flowers to his realm.  He would be a great king.  His subjects would adore him and worship him.  Nothing could go wrong. Catatonia waited impatiently for Mr Lance to lower the crown.  The template of the Royal Family had been perfected over countless generations.  It was simply a case of waiting for the weakest link, a descendant not possessing the qualities of his ancestors and he would be made the template.  She smiled.  The system of monarchy was so absurd because it was guaranteed to sometimes produce individuals totally unsuitable to be head of state.  Why anyone supported the system she could not imagine but if the public wanted a figurehead then why not let them have one?  Soon the real power would be hers.  Once she had harnessed the power of Omega then every planet in the Universe she would either rule or destroy.  Total power.

“Evil,” shouted the Collector as he entered the room, the sight of Omega in the flesh convincing the confused Time Lord that he was wrong in assisting Catatonia.  “No, I will not serve evil.  I have betrayed my people. I have betrayed the Universe.  No more.  Be gone Omega.”

The Collector picked up a chair and ran at the figure of Omega.  The Doctor was later to wonder what use the Collector thought a few pieces of wood would be against one of the greatest Time Lords of all time but all he could think to do at the time was to shout a warning for Destiny and Elektra to get down. The thunderbolt, which struck the Collector, knocked him straight to the ground, killing him instantly.  Omega laughed at the terrified expression on the dead man’s face, now preserved for all time.  The Doctor stood up and faced his old adversary, a look of pure contempt in his eyes.

“You told the truth then, Doctor,” said Omega.

 “I have been betrayed.  Still, as you can see, these problems are easily dealt with.”

“You didn’t have to kill him,” replied the Doctor. Behind him Destiny and Elektra got to their feet.

“Oh but I did, Doctor.  I do not allow traitors the pleasure of living and deny myself the pleasure of killing. And now it’s time to deal with Catatonia.  I see she’s in some old church at the moment.  She cannot escape my revenge. She will die like her companion in treachery.  Then we shall discuss your positions.  I might make you minor members of my government.  Or I might just kill you all for the fun of it.”

“No,” shouted the Doctor, “don’t kill Catatonia. Let me take her away for trial in my TARDIS.” Omega ignored him as he sought out Catatonia’s exact location.  The process was tricky and killing her from a distance would take longer than the instant death he had served on the Collector but this would add to the pleasure.

“Omega, spare her, I beg you,” the Doctor screamed.

“Why are you so anxious to save her?” asked Elektra.

“I’d shoot her down myself if I had the chance.”

“Because it will kill Destiny.  They are bonded.  Catatonia’s death will result in Destiny’s death.”

“No, Doctor,” shouted Destiny, speaking for the first time since they had entered the room.  “Let him kill her. She’s evil. She’ll destroy the Universe.  If we both die then hundreds of thousands of millions of people will live.  Do it, Omega, kill her.  I’m ready to die.”

“Got her,” said Omega and he began to unleash his deadly power on the women he believed had betrayed him.

Just as Catatonia watched the crown begin to descend onto the old man’s head, she felt the most awful pain hit her stomach.  She screamed out as the pain stabbed at her heart and then fell to the ground as she felt a thousand knives plunge into her brain. Mr Lance and Mr Gareth watched in terror.  The crown was dropped to the ground as seconds later they ran from the Abbey.  The old man looked around him, confused and dazed, wondering if this was an ancient part of the service. Catatonia’s screams resounded around the Abbey as she felt her lungs being squeezed and her kidney’s being compressed.

Destiny had also dropped to the floor, screaming loudly and feeling her whole body being turned inside out.  Her head felt like it was on fire and her innards felt like they had been ripped out.  She wasn’t sure whether she still had legs and arms, they felt like they had been torn off.  Her brain was disintegrating and her heart was no longer pumping.  Does death have to be this painful? she thought.

“Of course,” shouted the Doctor. 

“Help me, Elektra. Grab her underneath her arm.”

Elektra did as she was asked.  The Doctor did the same with Destiny’s other arm.  Omega was too busy concentrating to notice what was happening.  “Now we’ll pick her up together.”  They did so, lifting her limp body off the ground.  The movement caused Destiny more pain than ever and she let out her most blood-curdling scream.  “Now,” said the Doctor, “on a count of three we’ll throw her at Omega.”

“We’ll do what?” shouted Elektra.

“Just do it.  One, two, three.”

The Doctor and Elektra threw Destiny straight at Omega. Destiny’s body hit him square in the chest and it was Omega’s turn to let out a scream.  A huge red circular wall of flames leapt up around both Omega and Destiny and a few seconds later they disappeared.  The flames fell to the ground and were quickly extinguished.  The portal that had transported Omega collapsed into the ground and only the Doctor and Elektra remained in the room.

A whole minute’s silence followed, then Elektra said, “I don’t understand.  What happened?”

“Destiny was dying.  When we threw her at Omega his anti-matter constitution couldn’t handle contact with death.”

“But it was just one young woman. That shouldn’t have caused displacement.”

The Doctor smiled.  “Wrong.  Remember that Destiny was bonded with Catatonia who was also dying.  Omega was effectively cheek by jowl with two dying bodies.  He couldn’t handle that.”

Elektra understood now.  “So they’ve all been returned to their home planets.”

“Yes.  In the case of Omega and Catatonia let’s hope they stay there.”

“Will they be all right?”

“Oh yes, the pain Destiny and Catatonia experienced was only superficial.  They were only in the first stages of death.  None of their organs were damaged. They hadn’t reached that stage.  That was when the pain would really begin.”

The Doctor went to look out of the window.  The red sky had vanished to be replaced with a more usual grey one.  A few dogs were still roaming around. They still seemed agitated but could no longer be described as mad.  The streets would probably be mostly deserted of people for some time.  It would take a while for things to return to normal.  He turned to Elektra.  “Can I leave you to get things back to normal on this planet?”

“Of course, Doctor.  And where are you going?”

“To deliver a report on proceedings to the High Council on Gallifrey.”

“I see, Doctor.  And where are you really going?”

“To Ba’ku to pick up my companion.  If the authorities on her planet haven’t already found her and thrown her in prison.”

“And why would they do that?”

“It’s a long story.  Well, I’d better be off, the TARDIS is in the Entrance Hall.  Goodbye, Elektra.  Thank you for all your help.”  He started to walk towards the door, kissing Elektra on the cheek as he passed her.He’s such a gentleman, thought Elektra regrettably after he had gone.

The old man staggered out of Westminster Abbey.  The two men had fled, the woman had disappeared.  He was all alone now.  Still, somebody would help him. After all he was the king. He saw a woman walking down the street, looking anxiously around her and staring in amazement at the grey sky above.  As she drew level with him he said to her, “excuse me madam, could you please help one, I’m King Charles III.”

“Yeah,” replied the woman, “and I’m Cleopatra.”

She carried on walking and the old man stared after her.  People, he thought, he never could stand talking to them.  He saw a display of flowers nearby and decided to have a chat with them instead. He had always got more sense out of them than human beings.

***

On Ba’ku Destiny had found Hikarus’s grave.  She gazed down at his final resting place.  His tomb had clearly been lovingly cared for.  She knelt down and read the inscription on his ornate gravestone. 

“A loyal boy.  He gave his life so that his friend could live.  His body is gone, his memory remains.  Forever.”

Unlike on Earth, space was not left underneath on the stone for the names of all those who would later be buried there.  Instead, the names and years of birth were already inscribed there, only the years of death would be added later.  Destiny read the names of Hikarus’s mother, father and sister, then her mauve eyes filled with tears as she read her own name at the base of the stone.  She was to join Hikarus on her death.  His family at least believed her story of innocence.  She would finally be able to thank the boy she loved for the loyalty he had shown her.

A familiar wheezing, groaning sound was coming from behind her. The Doctor watched Destiny on the scanner screen. He opened the TARDIS door but did not go out to her.  He knew she would come when she was ready.  Predicting what her next move would be, he averted his eyes from the screen and looked down at the console. The Doctor did not look up as the  form of his companion entered the TARDIS.  This was for his benefit, rather than Destiny’s. Ba’kuans were neither embarrassed nor ashamed to be seen in their natural form but as he was half-human, the Doctor had a sense of modesty. 

“You’ll find some more clothes in the Costume Room.” he said.  “I’m sure you know where it is.  Most of my female companions seem to spend half their time aboard the TARDIS in there.”

“Yes, I know it.  Thank you, Doctor.”

As she left the console room the Doctor looked up at the scanner once again.  Destiny’s clothes had been neatly arranged on Hikarus’s tomb, alongside those of his parents and sister, the highest mark of respect you could pay a departed Ba’kuan and a sign that you intended to join them later.

The Doctor stared at the image.  There seemed to be a small piece of paper on top of the clothes.  He zoomed in closer on the scanner.  On the paper was a short message in Ba’kuan, written in Destiny’s neat writing. Translated it comprised just three short words in English: ‘but not yet.’

The End