4. Agreeing to Suffer
On the command deck of the Dalek flagship, the alarm systems were back on again. They blared off pretty loudly and the Daleks went into a frantic panic. They moved about from workstation to workstation.
Getting agitated, Salvador turned to the Command Dalek and said, “Well, Command Dalek! The alarm systems are going off again! What are you going to do about it?”
Ignoring Salvador, the Command Dalek turned to one of its subordinates “Report! Report! Report!!!” it barked impatiently.
Swivelling around, one of the Daleks addressed its leader. “Dalek units have been destroyed in corridor one three-seven, deck two one-nine. Unit two six-five has reported mega-cannon was used by the Doctor to destroy the Daleks.”
“Mega-cannon?!!!” the Command Dalek became afraid.
“You can still overthrow the Doctor,” Salvador said to the Command Dalek. “He may have his mega-cannon but you are Daleks! You can overthrow anyone! You’re the masters of the universe!”
Ignoring Salvador again, the Command Dalek addressed the Dalek unit who spoke. “What was the Doctor’s previous location? Where was his destination?”
“Previous location: life three six-one on deck two one-nine,” the Dalek answered. “Destination: ship’s command deck.”
“He is on his way here,” the Command Dalek realised, panicking. “We must be ready for him! The Doctor must be apprehended!”
“You’d better hurry then, Daleks,” Salvador said impatiently. “The Doctor will be here any minute. You won’t have a chance to stop him unless he gets to you first!”
“Too late, Salvador,” said a voice behind him. “I’m already here!”
Salvador and the Daleks turned to see the Doctor before them as he came out of the lift. He held the mega-cannon in his hands.
“Alert! Alert!!!” the Command Dalek ranted. “The Doctor is here! He must be destroyed! Exterminated!”
“Then why don’t you do it?!” Salvador shouted angrily. “Exterminate the Doctor, why don’t you?! Exterminate him now! Now! Now!!!””
At that, the Daleks began to encircle the Doctor.
But the Doctor retorted as he said, “No! Exterminate yourselves, why don’t you?”
With that, the Doctor raised his mega-cannon and opened fire. KABOOM!!! KABOOM!!! KABOOM!!! KABOOM!!!!! A whole lot of KABOOMS occurred as the Doctor fired consecutive shots with his mega-cannon. He destroyed every Dalek in sight on the command deck. This included the Command Dalek itself as well as its subordinates. Every Dalek got blown up.
“NO!!!!!” Salvador roared enraged.
The creatures writhed in pain within their casings once they’d been blown up before they eventually died. It was total destruction on the Doctor’s part. Shocked to see this, Salvador couldn’t believe how the Doctor managed to blow up every Dalek so quickly.
“You can’t do that!” Salvador snapped angrily. “You can’t destroy every Dalek on sight like that! They were my allies! We were going to destroy Gallifrey together! You’ve ruined it!!!”
“Give me back the crystal, Salvador,” the Doctor demanded as he reached out his hand to him. “It’s over! Give me back the Zorbius crystal and let this dream end.”
“Fat chance of that!” Salvador laughed out loud. “It’s not as easy as you think, Doctor. I won’t give you back the Zorbius crystal. Not with one iota of my body.”
“You must give it back to me,” the Doctor persisted. “You’ll destroy the universe with your corrupted mind and heart. I can’t allow you to hurt so many people’s lives because of your vengeance.”
“I don’t care about other people’s lives,” Salvador snapped. “It’s only me that matters!” Taking the Zorbius crystal in his hand, he soon raised it above his head and said, “I’ll use this crystal to destroy Gallifrey forever! Everything that you knew about your home planet and its people, Doctor, will be obliterated!”
“No it won’t,” the Doctor told him. “Not in the way you think, I mean.” Pausing for a moment, the Doctor gradually leaned forward and said, “This is all a dream for you isn’t it, Salvador?”
A moment of silence ensued. Salvador froze, unable to believe what the Doctor said.
“What?” he demanded quietly. He trembled slightly as if he was on breaking point.
“Everything we’ve been through,” the Doctor continued. “With the Daleks and me chasing after you. It’s all been a dream created by Charoc herself. You’ve been tricked, Salvador. Just as you tried to trick me into a dream to let you steal the Zorbius crystal from me and my TARDIS.”
Shaking his head violently, Salvador snapped, “No! You’re lying to me! This can’t be a dream I’m in! Everything that’s happened to me was real! With me and the Daleks, it was all real! We’re currently in outer space, waiting around Gallifrey’s orbit! You can see the planet below on the viewscreen! Look, Doctor! Your home planet! Your home planet and I’m about to destroy it with the Zorbius crystal.”
Salvador held the Zorbius crystal higher in his hand to prove his point. He still trembled whilst he held the Zorbius crystal in his hand.
“Sorry, Salvador,” the Doctor said. “I’m afraid everything’s been a dream for you lately. It’s a very convincing dreamscape created by Charoc. I’m sure at any moment she’ll be switching it off to put us back into a cave corridor or something.”
“No!” Salvador shouted definitely. “No!!! It simply can’t be!”
But it was no use for Salvador. Soon, a bright white light enveloped him and the Doctor. The Dalek flagship’s command deck disappeared from sight too. The Doctor was pleased about being correct regarding Charoc’s control of the dreamscape.
Soon, the Doctor and Salvador found themselves in a cave corridor. The Doctor was correct on that too.
“Why is it we keep coming back to a cave corridor,” he grunted. “I suppose Charoc switched off your dreamscape but can’t switch off mine. You have to do that for me in order to get back into the real world.”
Folding his arms, Salvador said spitefully, “You’ll have to wait a long time for that to happen, Doctor.”
“Please Salvador!” the Doctor pleaded. “End this madness so that we can all be free! At least do that for the billions of people in the universe who will suffer under the tyranny of the Daleks and the Time Lords!”
“No!” Salvador roared. “I won’t end it for you or for anyone else! At least I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ll suffer for the rest of your life being in this dreamscape with me.”
“You’ll suffer too with having to see my face for an eternity,” the Doctor pointed out.
At that, Salvador lunged forwards and pushed the Doctor up against a cave wall. Salvador gritted his teeth fiercely whilst the Doctor became nonchalant.
“Makes you feel better, doesn’t it?” the Doctor remarked. “Letting out your anger upon me. I suppose that’s the least I can expect from you. You have nothing but anger in yourself. I wish the good aspects of you came to the fore more when I trained you to become a Time Lord.”
“You’re a monster, Doctor,” Salvador snapped sharply. “You’re worse any other Daleks or Time Lords! Worse than the Cybermen! Worse than the Sontarans! Worse than the Dwaxi!”
“You’ve made your point pretty clear countless times, Salvador!” said the Doctor, frustrated.
“I haven’t made it clear enough!” Salvador thundered. “Don’t you understand, Doctor? You’re unredeemable! You can’t expect me to feel any sympathy for you! For what you’re going through! With what you’ve done in the Time War! As far as I’m concerned, I’m happy you’re going through hell! I’m overjoyed! It’s what you deserve!”
Silence ensued. What Salvador said to the Doctor really did hit home. It was bitter; it was cruel and more than that it was damaging on the Doctor’s part. In his lifetime, he had denied everything that he was as the Doctor to fight in the war. Beyond that, the Doctor couldn’t think of a way to escape the pain he was experiencing, both now and afterward once he did what had to be done to end the war forever.
Eventually, the Doctor said to Salvador, “You’re right of course.”
Salvador was surprised. He didn’t expect that response. “What?”
“I’m not expecting sympathy from you,” he continued solemnly. “I agree with what you said. I am a monster. I’m worse than the Daleks, the Time Lords, the Cybermen, the Sontarans and the Dwaxi. I’m the greatest monster that ever lived in in this universe.”
“Well good,” Salvador said bitterly, nodding his head. “I’m glad we agree on something.”
Silence ensued again as the Doctor sighed heavily. He reflected on all the experiences he had of fighting in the Time War. Salvador stood there, not making the Doctor feel any better.
Eventually, the Doctor said, “I planned to go back to Gallifrey to steal the Moment – the weapon to destroy all Time Lords and Daleks in this universe. It’ll be instantaneous! It’s end the Time War.” Pausing for breath, he went on, “I’ve had enough of fighting, Salvador. I want to end my life along with the Daleks and the Time Lords. In the process, I’ll be killing many children of Gallifrey. I don’t want to live with that on my conscience. By tormenting me this way, you’re preventing the inevitable. And you hate your own existence because of me.”
Salvador didn’t know where this was going. He was sure the Doctor had something to say. He wished he would get to the point.
“So let me make you a deal,” the Doctor began to offer. “Let me go and I’ll see to it that I end both my life as well as yours. In doing so, I’ll end the Zorbius crystal’s lifespan. You can have the satisfaction of knowing that I died as you die. And I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that the universe can exist without me after the genocide I cause on the dear children of Gallifrey. What do you say?”
Gobsmacked, Salvador was surprised by the offer the Doctor made. He couldn’t believe he was willing to sacrifice himself to end the Time War as well as the Time Lords and the Daleks. It was a way for the Doctor to escape his guilt, but it was also a way for him to cease his tortured existence as well as save the universe. It was too good an offer to be true.
“No!” Salvador shouted. “I can’t you let die! I must torment you forever! You must keep on living to know how much you’ve hurt me! How much you’ve hurt Salvador?”
“Why?” the Doctor demanded to know. “What’s the point of tormenting me any longer? Why can’t you have an existence outside of torturing me? Why can’t you have a life where I’m not part of it anymore? If you hate me so much, why don’t you agree for me to end both your life as well as mine simultaneously?”
“Because I love hating you,” Salvador yelled. “I don’t want an existence without you, Doctor! I love torturing you! It’s the only thing I have to live for! It’s all I want!”
It was the Doctor’s turn to be gobsmacked. He couldn’t believe Salvador wanted to continue tormenting the Doctor despite loathing his own existence at the same time.
“You’re certainly an oddball, Salvador,” the Doctor told him. “You’d prefer an existence of being obsessed with me over a life with a loved one? Some would call you tedious and boring if you did that all the time.”
“I don’t care what other people say!” Salvador shouted.
“You should!”
“I don’t want to know!!!!”
Salvador’s scream of defiance almost caused him to strangle the Doctor with his bare hands as he pushed him up against the cave wall. But eventually, he stopped himself. He couldn’t bring himself to do it. Relaxing his grip on the Doctor, Salvador moved away, allowed the Doctor to go free. The Doctor relaxed once he was able to get away from the cave wall.
“You and I are closely linked, Salvador,” the Doctor told him. “We can’t kill each other otherwise we both die. And neither of us can kill one or the other without killing one of ourselves first.” A pause ensued. “I allow you to roam freely in the universe and have the chance to live your own life. Yet you keep coming back to torment me. Don’t you see that having a longer life gives you the chance to experience many other ways to live? Even when I die and regenerate, it gives me the chance to find out more about myself and what potential I have.”
“How lucky for you then that you have the power to regenerate whereas I don’t,” Salvador snorted.
“You still have the power to control reality,” the Doctor reminded him. “Why don’t you put that to good use and live a peaceful, prosperous life.”
“My powers are a blessing and a curse,” Salvador snapped.
The Doctor felt like giving up. There was no way to get through to Salvador.
“Understand that this is your fault, Doctor,” Salvador said bitterly. “You made me this way and I hate you for it! I wish to keep reminding you that I hate you. Hence why I don’t wish to see you killed! Ever!”
The Doctor watched Salvador slump to the floor in the cave corridor, almost looking wretched. It almost seemed that Salvador was about to cry. The Doctor couldn’t believe he would act like a cry-baby.
“So this is how it’s going to be then, is it?” the Doctor asked, exasperated and flapping his arms about. “You wish to keep your hatred of me to stay alive.”
“It’s all I want,” Salvador said bitterly. “It’s all I need.”
“A pity,” the Doctor gradually said. “I had hoped better of you.”
Another moment of silence ensued as Salvador looked up grimly at the Doctor.
As the Doctor continued to be sad, he eventually came to a decision. “Alright, Salvador. I’ll make you another deal. You let me go back to Gallifrey to end the Time War, and I’ll make sure I stay alive by escaping it. Then I’ll have the guilt from causing the genocide of so many people which will be enough for you to torment me with once I survive the Time War. Does that satisfy you?”
Salvador looked up at the Doctor. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
“Yes, Doctor” he said. “That does satisfy me greatly. I’ll let go back to Gallifrey to see you suffer for the brutal destruction of so many Time Lords as well as Daleks caused by you. It’ll destroy your dignity and that’s something worth looking forward to.”
Becoming grim, the Doctor said, “I’m glad the offer pleases you, Salvador.” After a moment’s silence, the Doctor demanded, “Now! Set me free! End this dreamscape for me!”
Smiling sinisterly again, Salvador said, “As you wish.”
With that, Salvador closed his eyes and soon the deepening rain began to die down. The Doctor knew that he still had to get the Zorbius crystal back from Salvador, but he’ll worry about that once the dreamscape was over. Very soon, a white light surrounded the Doctor and Salvador before it became increasingly brighter. Soon, the dream came to an end.
The Doctor woke up properly this time. He found himself in a white room. There wasn’t a raincloud above his head, thank goodness. The Doctor looked to see where Salvador was. He lay unconscious on the floor nearby. Going over to him, the Doctor took the Zorbius crystal out from Salvador’s dark jacket. Satisfied he recovered it, the Doctor put the Zorbius crystal into his own leather jacket.
“Never will I lose sight of you again,” the Doctor said, patting the crystal in his leather jacket. “I’ll put you in a proper place – a proper safe – once I get back to the TARDIS.”
The Doctor had decided not to use the Zorbius crystal at all to end the Time War. As much as he would like to, the Zorbius crystal would indefinitely corrupt him forever should he try to use it in any time-space event. He couldn’t bear to live with that prospect. He also knew that Salvador would torment him further should he use the Zorbius crystal in any capacity. The Doctor decided the Moment was a better option. He couldn’t let Salvador torment him for using the greater of the two evils.
Getting up from the floor and onto his feet, the Doctor saw a glass window nearby. He went over to take a look outside. He saw outer space – stars twinkling brightly on black. The Doctor gradually realised he wasn’t on a planet at all. The planet was created by Salvador himself – an illusion – aboard the space station. Yes! That was it! He was on a space station! The Doctor deduced that Salvador had a generator on the station to create the illusions he wanted to fool and trick him. It was very convincing to make the Doctor and the TARDIS land on an imaginary planet. The Doctor wondered how Charoc fitted into this.
“Salvador caged me,” a distant voice said behind him.
The Doctor turned around and saw Charoc trapped inside a glass cubicle nearby. He knew he wasn’t in a dream anymore since he didn’t feel wet water trickling on his face. And Charoc trapped in a cubicle didn’t seem like a dream. Horrified to see her caged up, the Doctor went over to her.
“Charoc,” he called out. “Are you alright, dear girl?”
“Don’t worry about me,” she responded. “You have your own journey to complete.”
“I’ll get you out of there,” the Doctor said to her, but Charoc’s voice stopped him.
“No! Dont!” Charoc growled distantly. “If you free me, I’ll vanish completely. You must not fret over me.”
The Doctor could see that Charoc’s lips weren’t moving. He also gradually noticed that Charoc was asleep whilst trapped inside the cubicle. The Doctor found it ironic. The lion girl that existed in dreams was asleep outside the dream world.
“How can you be in here?” he asked her. “How did Salvador cage you up like this?”
“This is how I am when you see me outside the dream world,” Charoc’s voice told him. “I can’t exist outside the dream world. I can only sleep. Salvador reached me inside the dreamscape when he came across me on the asteroid I was on.”
“Charoc, I’m so sorry,” the Doctor apologised. “Salvador’s my responsibility. Had I known he would trap you like this, I could’ve…”
“You could not have known,” Charoc told him. “Even a Time Lord like you can’t be everywhere and know everything. And it’s just as well Salvador found me when he did.”
“Just as well?” the Doctor queried, quite baffled by her calmness.
“Salvador gained access to me and he controlled how I can exist in the dreamscapes,” Charoc explained. “But he couldn’t prevent me from gaining access to his mind and what plans he had for you in connection to the Zorbius crystal.”
“So you let him set up this trap aboard the space station in order to create a planet in which my TARDIS could be dragged to it,” the Doctor surmised. “So that you could find a way to rescue me whilst Salvador tormented me.”
“Yes,” Charoc replied. “And for you to know, Salvador didn’t create your companion Clo-Zen. I created her for you.”
“You created her for me,” the Doctor said, surprised.
“I was her in a way,” Charoc answered. “Salvador had in mind to create a companion for you in order to trick you into his dreamscape. I stepped in and assumed Clo-Zen’s form in order to warn you about the trap you’d be falling into. I hoped it was enough to guide you away from the wrong track.”
“Believe me, Charoc,” the Doctor said happily. “Clo-Zen was almost the perfect companion for me.” He paused for a moment. “It was very considerate of you to protect me like that.”
“And now you must go on with your journey to Gallifrey,” Charoc said, “I must depart henceforth. I will leave you and Salvador to depart in the TARDIS. It’s outside in the corridor once you depart this.”
“How can you leave,” the Doctor asked, intrigued. “Didn’t you say you’d vanish completely…?”
“I have my own means of departure,” Charoc answered. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
“No,” the Doctor muttered. “Of course not.”
Charoc still had more to say. The Doctor saw that she was getting weak as she seemed to be struggling inside the cubicle whilst asleep.
“Before I go, I must tell you,” she struggled to say. “You must not give up on the ideals you had once you escape the Time War. You must live on and be the man you once were. There are good things for you to come, whether you like it or not.”
The Doctor became sad. He lowered his head and reflected on all he had experienced in the war.
“I somehow doubt that,” he said. “One thing’s for certain. I’m determined to forget this life I’ve had once I escape the Time War. I denied being called the Doctor. I’ll deny this life I’ve had once I escape. I shall do so in all my future incarnations.”
A moment of silence ensued. The Doctor expected Charoc to contradict him.
“That is your wish of course,” she instead said. A pause and then, “I leave you now with this gift, Doctor.”
The Doctor then felt a tingling inside one of his leather jacket pockets. Fumbling inside, the Doctor took out from it the Zorbius crystal. It was glowing brightly and a fragment that had once been lost was now filled in. The Doctor gradually realised that Charoc had given back to him the fragment that was collected during his dreamscape experience with Salvador. She had kept her word to give it back to him.
Looking up to her, the Doctor heard Charoc say to him in the cubicle, “Farewell, Doctor. Take care in your future lives.”
With that, Charoc gradually vanished from sight. She was no longer there in the cubicle. The Doctor was saddened by Charoc’s departure. He’d grown used to her company.
Just then, the space station came under attack. The white room shuddered with the Doctor and Salvador inside it. Salvador still lay unconscious on the floor whilst all of this was happening. The Doctor eventually went over to Salvador and lifted him up from the floor to get away.
“Come on, Salvador,” the Doctor told him. “We’ve got to get away from here! We’re presently under attack, I believe.”
As the Doctor carried Salvador along with him up from the floor, he looked out of the glass window to see. He saw Daleks attacking the space station, both in their saucers and in their hover transports.
“Yes,” the Doctor said grimly. “It would have to be them, wouldn’t it? Just like the Daleks to make an attack on this space station.”
The Doctor heard the Daleks bark out orders in outer space as they said, “Life-forms detected on space station. One of them is a Time Lord. It is the Doctor! He must be exterminated! Exterminate!!!”
Wasting no time, the Doctor dragged Salvador with him. He went over to the door controls and pressed a button on it. Eventually, the door opened and the Doctor dragged Salvador outside.
“Off we go then, Salvador,” the Doctor said encouragingly. “Out of this white room and back to the TARDIS, shall we?”
The Doctor could sense that Salvador was slowly waking up. As he dragged Salvador out of the white room, they headed off into a corridor. The Doctor hoped to escape any Daleks coming after them aboard the space station. He made sure the Zorbius crystal was still in his leather jacket as they went.
Running down the corridor and lugging Salvador with him, the Doctor saw that they were soon pursued by Daleks chasing after them. The Daleks opened fire with their gun-sticks. They chanted “Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!!!” whilst chasing after the Doctor and Salvador. Salvador soon came around whilst the Doctor carried him on his shoulder. The Doctor found him rather heavy as he carried him.
“W-What…what happened?” Salvador asked wearily, as he woke up.
“You need to lose some pounds,” The Doctor grunted to Salvador.
“Doctor,” Salvador began to say accusingly.
But the Doctor chortled, interrupting Salvador as he answered his question. “Don’t worry. You’ll thank me once we get inside my TARDIS. At present, we have Daleks to outrun.”
“Daleks!” Salvador exclaimed. “They’re my allies! They’ll obey me! They won’t harm me!”
“We’re not in the dreamscape anymore, Salvador,” the Doctor told him. “I’m afraid these Daleks will harm you. They don’t know you and they’re certainly not your allies! Now come on!”
As the Doctor carried him, Salvador stumbled forward. The Doctor had to stop in order for Salvador to regain his balance.
“And pick your feet up!” the Doctor added.
Once Salvador was back on his feet, the Doctor continued to drag him along with the Daleks pursuing them. The Daleks fired their gun-sticks but kept missing the Doctor and Salvador as they ran.
“Are we there yet?” Salvador complained wearily.
“Don’t be an old donkey,” the Doctor grunted. “We’re nearly there.”
Eventually, the Doctor and Salvador turned the corner and there standing before them was the TARDIS. Bright, blue and battered, but reassuring as ever.
“And here we are at last!” the Doctor declared. “Here’s the TARDIS! Just like Charoc said.”
With that, the Doctor continued to drag Salvador with him. The Daleks weren’t behind them for a little while as the Doctor and Salvador made their way towards to the TARDIS.
“Now remember, Salvador,” the Doctor said. “We agreed that once I escape the Time War after ending it forever, you can torment me then. Not before.”
“Of course,” Salvador muttered rather smugly. “I agree to let you go free once you use the Moment. I shall look forward to seeing your face after you use that weapon of destruction.”
Shushing Salvador, the Doctor told him off. “Don’t let the Daleks know of my plans, you idiot,” he said. “If I’m to succeed in ending the Time War forever, they mustn’t know about it, right?!”
Eventually, the Doctor and Salvador reached the TARDIS. The Daleks were getting close behind them as the Doctor fumbled for the TARDIS key in his leather jacket.
“A pity Charoc didn’t tell me how far we had to go into the corridor before we reached the TARDIS,” the Doctor grumbled. “Then I wouldn’t have trouble fumbling for the TARDIS key, would I?”
“The lion girl,” Salvador enquired. “What became of her?”
“She’s gone, Salvador,” the Doctor answered. “Back in her dream world. And right where she should be after you imprisoned her.”
“She should’ve known her place,” Salvador snorted. “I was her Lord and Master. She was to obey me!”
Ignoring Salvador, the Doctor eventually found his TARDIS key and took it out of his leather jacket. He inserted the key into the TARDIS door’s lock, before he twisted it around, hoping to open the time machine in time. It was then that many Daleks came around the corner to catch up with them.
“There they are!” one Dalek declared. “There is the Doctor and his associate!”
“Exterminate them!” said the Daleks’ leader. The Doctor recognised it as the leader since it was a black Dalek whilst the others were bronze and silver. “Exterminate! Exterminate! EXTERMINATE!!!”
Finally, there was a click and the TARDIS doors opened once the Doctor unlocked it.
“Come on,” the Doctor prompted Salvador. “Inside!”
Pushing Salvador inside first, the Doctor soon followed after him into the TARDIS. The Doctor was in the TARDIS just in time before the Daleks opened fire. The Daleks missed their chance to exterminate him once the Doctor closed the TARDIS doors on them. Soon, the TARDIS began to dematerialise, whooshing and grinding very loudly as it departed. The Daleks frantically shot at the TARDIS with their gun-sticks, trying to prevent it from getting away into the time vortex. But it was no use. The TARDIS was soon gone from their sights.
Lowering its eyestalk, the Dalek leader became aggrieved. “We must report to Dalek Control,” it grated. “They must know that the Doctor has escaped us.”
“Dalek Control will not be pleased,” said one Dalek to its leader.
Meanwhile, inside the TARDIS, the Doctor was setting the controls at the console. He and Salvador had barely managed to escape as the TARDIS was getting away from the space station. The Doctor watched the TARDIS scanner as the Daleks were chasing after them in their saucers and hover transports.
“You couldn’t pick a big space station,” the Doctor snorted at Salvador. “It had to be small, right?”
“Ridicule me all you want, Doctor,” Salvador said derisively. “It was suitable enough for me to lure you into a trap. The lion girl was there to combine both dream and illusion to full effect.”
“You using other people to get at me isn’t ideal, Salvador,” the Doctor retorted bitterly. “It’ll cost you becoming more dangerous in the universe by everyone else.”
“Let everyone else think what they like,” Salvador snorted proudly. “I don’t care!”
“I wish you did care,” the Doctor said. “Showing compassion on other people isn’t that difficult!”
“Why should I show compassion on other people,” Salvador snapped disapprovingly.
“No-one showed compassion on me. Compassion wasn’t one of your lessons in your Time Lord training on me.”
A moment of silence ensued. The Doctor lost focus on setting the controls at the console as he reflected upon Salvador’s training.
“No. No it wasn’t,” he agreed. “I wish I put it in the syllabus. I was a different man back then. Compassion on others wasn’t really one of my strong points.”
“What you’re about to do won’t redeem you,” Salvador taunted him. “Killing the Time Lords and the Daleks together won’t make you a better man.”
“You think I don’t know that,” said the Doctor angrily. He paused for a bit and sighed deeply before he spoke again, calmly. “At least, I’ll give you the chance to see me suffer for the actions I’ll cause in the Time War upon returning to Gallifrey. I hope that’ll satisfy you in your vengeance for me.”
“Nothing satisfies me in my vengeance for you, Doctor,” Salvador snarled. “So long as you keep suffering for the rest of your treacherous life, I shall always know when to come back and haunt you.”
The Doctor couldn’t believe he was letting Salvador get to him like this. He wasn’t sure he could stand for it. Eventually, he decided what to do in order to cope with that.
“Then it should be an interesting challenge for you, Salvador,” he said. “Oh yes, I’ll blame myself for what I’m about to do to end the Time War. The pain will stay with me for as long as I live. But once I’m out of the Time War, I’m determined to be cheerful. I hope to return travelling across the cosmos. I hope to explore all of time and space; and become a different and better man than what I am now.”
“How considerate of you,” Salvador snorted.
“I’ll keep living on as the Doctor,” the Doctor declared. “I’ll become the future Doctors once I’m gone! Doesn’t that terrify you, Salvador?”
“Not really,” Salvador goaded before he challenged him. “How do you even know there will be future Doctors after you, old man? There probably won’t be any future Doctors after you’ve escaped the Time War. You’ll probably remain as an old man you are now and not regenerate all. You’ll most likely be dead once you use the Moment to destroy the Time Lords and the Daleks forever.”
Another moment of silence ensued. The Doctor considered Salvador’s words for a moment.
“You could be right of course,” the Doctor eventually said. “I could probably stay as the old man I am now and not regenerate at all. I could probably be killed once I use the Moment to end the Time War.” A pause and then the Doctor continued, “But then, I’ve seen my future via the use of the Zorbius crystal in one of the adventures I’ve had with it. I’ve seen both my past and future lives. I can’t say everything in my future is assured since it’s all so fragmented. But I’m certain my future is waiting for me.”
“How can you be so sure, Doctor,” Salvador challenged him again. “You could be wrong. I could easily wipe out your memories and you’ll be downcast, not knowing your future existence. I could easily snatch the Zorbius crystal from you and erase everything that happens to you – both past and future.”
“Now remember, Salvador,” the Doctor told him off. “We had a deal. Our deal said nothing about you snatching the Zorbius crystal from me. I won’t have you spoiling my future should you even try.”
Once again, silence ensued. Salvador watched the Doctor focus his attention on the console again.
It was then the Doctor realised something. “You knew I took the Zorbius crystal from you when you were asleep, didn’t you?”
“Of course,” Salvador answered. “Did you doubt that I wouldn’t?”
The Doctor considered for a moment. And then he said, “No. I suppose not.”
Just then, they were interrupted as the TARDIS came under attack. The TARDIS shuddered from heavy pounding firepower. The Doctor and Salvador stumbled forward onto the console once this occurred.
“What was that?” Salvador demanded to know. “Are we under attack?”
“Of course we are!” the Doctor grunted impatiently. “Isn’t that obvious?”
Checking the TARDIS scanner, the Doctor saw that the Daleks in their saucers and hover transports were attacking the TARDIS in outer space.
“As I thought,” the Doctor said. “The Daleks have managed to catch up with us. This will be a challenge to outrun them, won’t it?”
“The Daleks will prevent you getting back to Gallifrey before I torment you,” Salvador goaded.
“Just as much as you used Charoc for your own ends to control the dreamscape,” the Doctor got back at him. “But she became strong in the end! She got the better of you! Just as I hope to be strong and get the better of the Daleks.”
“Don’t be so confident, Doctor,” Salvador warned him derisively.
“And don’t you go on mocking me this way,” the Doctor said back to him. “It spoils my concentration. Now, shut up while I’m concentrating.”
Salvador became sulky, folding his arms as he allowed the Doctor to concentrate at the console. Watching the Doctor work hard at the console, he eventually asked, “Where are you taking the TARDIS?”
“Into deeper space,” the Doctor answered. “I’m making for a nebula right up ahead.”
Gradually, Salvador joined the Doctor at the TARDIS scanner screen to see where they were heading. What the Doctor said was true. They were heading for a nebula in deep space. The Daleks were hot on their tail as they pursed them in outer space.
The TARDIS travelled at an incredible speed towards the pink-purple nebula up ahead in deep space. It was far from reach of the Time War’s time locks. It was also far away from the Constellation of Kasterborous. The Daleks kept pursuing the Doctor’s TARDIS in their modes of transport.
Working at the TARDIS console, the Doctor saw that according to the scanner, they were almost inside the nebula. The Daleks continued to follow them no matter what.
“Nearly inside the nebula,” the Doctor told Salvador. “Hopefully we’ll be shielded from any Daleks trying to track us. The nebula should play up with the Dalek ships’ sensors. There are high levels of ionised gases within the nebula.”
“You think it’s that easy to escape the Daleks once we’re inside the nebula,” Salvador mocked.
“It can’t hurt to try these things out,” the Doctor told him. “You should have more faith in me.”
“I don’t have faith in you, Doctor,” Salvador scorned. “I never have! Not since you tortured me.”
“You don’t have to keep reminding me, Salvador,” the Doctor said.
“I’ll always keep reminding you,” Salvador retorted.
As the Doctor focused his attention on the scanner and ignored Salvador, he eventually said, “There! We’re inside the nebula!”
At that, Salvador lunged forward and grabbed the Doctor Both struggled against each other in the console room.
“Salvador!” the Doctor protested furiously. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Just taking what is rightfully mine,” Salvador said through gritted teeth.
With that, he snatched the Zorbius crystal out from the Doctor’s leather jacket. Backing away, Salvador held the Zorbius crystal in his hand, tightening his grip and making sure he wouldn’t let it go.
“Salvador!” the Doctor growled. “Give back the Zorbius crystal! What do you hope to achieve by stealing it from me again?”
“Since you’re going to use the Moment to destroy the Time Lords and the Daleks forever instead of the Zorbius crystal,” Salvador said, “I can have the Zorbius crystal myself! After all, you shouldn’t have two weapons in your arsenal, Doctor. It’s very greedy of you!”
“You can’t have the Zorbius crystal, Salvador,” the Doctor argued. “I won’t allow it!”
“There’s no Charoc to help you this time, Doctor,” Salvador taunted. “We’re outside the dream world now. There’s no chance of you outwitting me this time!”
“We had an agreement!” the Doctor protested.
“And I choose to break it!” Salvador snapped savagely. “I’m vile, Doctor! Just as you were vile to me all those years ago!”
“What kind of a life is this you’re living, Salvador?” the Doctor asked flummoxed. “It’s all backstabbing and treachery!”
“Life?! You call this life?!” Salvador thundered. “Living an eternity to form matter without end.”
“You could’ve had an existence where you did anything you wanted without me,” the Doctor argued. “Without laying your vengeance upon me. We discussed this when we made our agreement.”
“You’re so gullible,” Salvador said. “To think I would agree to an offer you made to me. You say you’ll suffer after escaping the Time War. Well, I say, you won’t suffer enough. I want you to suffer without enjoyment of life! Without the hope of knowing everyone will be safe with you around. Because they won’t! Nobody will be safe with you around! Because you’re an evil man, Doctor! A nasty, evil man!”
“Why can’t you learn anything from me, Salvador?” the Doctor asked sadly.
“I wish to learn nothing from you, Doctor,” Salvador snapped. “My rage and anger to you is greater than ever! I wish everything to be destroyed! I will use the Zorbius crystal to burn everything and everyone together! Forever and ever!!!”
“You’re insane!” the Doctor proclaimed. “You’re completely and utterly insane!”
“That’s the way you made me!!!” Salvador pointed out, fiercely.
A moment of silence ensued between them. The Doctor saw how angry Salvador had become and that there was no going back. He had damaged Salvador far too much. He wished he could go back in time to restore Salvador to what he was before. Before he was experimented upon to become a Time Lord. What a little Spanish boy he was all those years ago.
“Salvador,” the Doctor eventually said. “I can’t let you harm the Universe like this. Not in your revenge against me. It’s wrong! It’s cruel, selfish and unjust!”
“Tough,” Salvador spat back. “I love being cruel, selfish and unjust. It’s all I am. What I always shall be.”
“I’m going to stop you in any way I can,” the Doctor said solemnly. “Whether you like it or not.”
Ignoring the Doctor’s warning, Salvador held the Zorbius crystal up high in his hand whilst he stood in the console room. “I’d like to see you try it,” Salvador snorted. “I have power at my fingertips! Power to destroy Daleks, Time Lords and anything else alike! Life will be extinguished! I shall command the Zorbius crystal to end all life…”
“Zorbius crystal!” the Doctor commanded out loud. “Come to me!”
At that, the Zorbius crystal began to come out of Salvador’s hand, obeying the Doctor to go to him. Salvador saw what was happening and tried to keep hold of the crystal in his hands. It was a struggle to do so.
“No,” Salvador cried. “Don’t take the Zorbius crystal from me, Doctor! It’s mine! MINE!!!!!”
“Zorbius crystal!” the Doctor persisted. “Come to me, I say!”
Despite Salvador attempting to keep his grip on the Zorbius crystal, it soon shot out from his hands. It eventually ended up in the Doctor’s hand whilst he stood in the console room. The Doctor caught it neatly. Looked at the crystal forlornly and almost wishing he had never created it, the Doctor eventually looked up at Salvador.
“See, Salvador,” he said, holding the crystal in his hand. “Not as easy as you think. Getting this power you so desperately want.”
Salvador became scared as he said, “Doctor, give me back the crystal! I’ll be dangerous if you don’t!”
“You were already dangerous holding it in your hands,” the Doctor told him. “I refuse to let you change how things are in the Universe. Not with the crystal or anything else. From now on, I shall change you, Salvador. I shall change your outlook on life, whether you like it not!”
“No!” Salvador shouted, pleadingly. “Please Doctor, don’t do it! Don’t change my life! I wish to torment you forever! Don’t change how I am! You’re a monster if you do it! Don’t do it please!!!”
“You’ve called me a monster already,” the Doctor reminded him. “And this is for your own good.”
Eventually, the Doctor looked to the Zorbius crystal and placed a hand on it, closing his eyes as he did so. He wished he didn’t have to do this. But then again, he wasn’t the Doctor anymore. He had broken the promise.
“Zorbius crystal,” he commanded. “I command you to freeze time!”
“NO!!!” Salvador roared.
Silence ensued. At first, it seemed like nothing happened. Everything was quiet between the Doctor and Salvador whilst they stood in the console room.
A few minutes later, the Doctor opened his eyes and he looked up at Salvador. He smiled cheerfully and said, “Now then! Let’s take a walk outside, shall we?”
“What?” Salvador became confused. “I…I don’t understand…”
“Come on!” the Doctor insisted. “We’ll take a walk inside the nebula. I’m sure there’ll be a yellow brick road waiting for us to walk in the nebula. The Zorbius crystal will see to that.”
Eventually, the Doctor and Salvador found themselves walking in the nebula. And there was a yellow brick road for them to walk on like the Doctor said. The Zorbius crystal provided that. As they walked, everything seemed still and silent. They were able to breathe since oxygen had been provided for them in the airless vacuum of space within the nebula. Shadows of frozen Dalek ships were present, about to enter the nebula and open fire with their weapons. Salvador was baffled and aghast by what occurred with the Doctor utilising the Zorbius crystal to freeze time as they walked the nebula.
“How could you allow this to happen?” Salvador demanded. “Now that you’ve used the Zorbius crystal, you’ve become corrupt. How were you able to summon it at your command when I held it in my hand?”
“Come on, Salvador,” the Doctor retorted. “Haven’t you forgotten? We’re closely linked you and I. And the Zorbius crystal is connected to us as we’re a part of it.”
Salvador became smug at that. “Then I can summon back the Zorbius crystal from you whenever I want.”
“Not yet,” the Doctor interjected. “Not until you see what I have to show you.”
“What have you got to show me that would interest me?” Salvador scoffed.
Ignoring Salvador’s arrogance, the Doctor had a moment of silence to himself before he eventually said, “Salvador, with the help of the Zorbius crystal, I’m going to show you how things are going to turn out for you and me in our futures. I’m going to give you the chance to live a new life should you want it.”
With that, the Doctor closed his eyes and placed a hand on the Zorbius crystal as he held it. Salvador could’ve easily taken the Zorbius crystal from the Doctor if he wanted to. But he was intrigued.
Just then, images appeared in the nebula. Salvador was intrigued by the images.
“Salvador,” the Doctor then said, “I can give you back the life you deserve. I can return you to Santa Cruz de Tenerife in July 1797. I can return you to the point before you entered the portal for the Time Lords of Gallifrey to pick you up. There’ll be war and battle waiting for you, but I’m sure a young boy like you could cope with that.”
Salvador saw the images that were in the nebula and saw himself as a little boy on the beaches of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1797. He didn’t want to return there. He didn’t wish to see his home in war-time and be caught up in it again.
“On the other hand,” the Doctor continued, “there are two other options.”
The images that appeared next in the nebula were as the Doctor described them to Salvador.
“First you can live a life on an uninhabited planet,” the Doctor said. “There you can be a ruler. You can have your own colony of people to lead as you wish. You don’t have to be bothered by the Time Lords and me anymore.”
Salvador was quite taken by that choice. The thought of ruling a colony world was irresistible.
“However,” the Doctor continued, as the images changed for Salvador to see. “The other option is for you to end your life by being killed by the Daleks on their flagship. Unless you can think of a way to escape them or make allies with them, the Daleks will kill you in an instant. Remember, this is reality we’re talking about here. Not fantasy.”
Eventually, the images faded from the nebula. The Doctor took his hand off from the crystal as he held it; raised his head and opened his eyes to see Salvador.
“So, what do you think?” the Doctor asked. “Which choice is more appealing?”
Salvador became confused. He reflected on the choices the Doctor gave him.
“You offer me life and you offer me death,” Salvador stated. “You expect me to choose one over the other, Doctor.”
“Yes,” the Doctor said. “And I hope you’ll choose wisely.”
A moment of silence ensued as Salvador pondered on these options.
“I suppose you could select alternative outcomes yourself just as much as I can with the Zorbius crystal,” Salvador said.
“Yes I can,” the Doctor replied. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on the Zorbius crystal again.
At that moment, the images appeared in the nebula for Salvador to see. The Doctor could see the images whilst he had his eyes closed and his hands placed on the crystal.
“I can either live out my eighth life before I regenerate into a proper ninth self – leather jacket and…Northern accent, I believe,” the Doctor chuckled at that before he continued, “without fighting in the Time War. Or I can live out my eighth life before regenerating into a proper ninth self while I fight in the Time War. Either way, both options are appealing.”
As before, the images faded again from the nebula. The Doctor took his hand off from the crystal; raised his head and opened his eyes to see Salvador again.
“I’ve never liked living this life as…the War Doctor, as people would call it,” the Doctor said. “I hate being the War Doctor. I wish I had a different existence compared to how I ended up.”
Another moment of silence ensued.
“Then why don’t you?” Salvador taunted him. “Why don’t you use the Zorbius crystal to change your life instead of changing mine?”
The Doctor thought for a moment. He eventually told Salvador, “Because I can’t change what my life is. That would ultimately corrupt me, Salvador. The Time War is too fractured with so many diverging timelines. That’s happened to me too often in my lifetimes.” Another period of thought ensued before the Doctor looked to Salvador again. “But at least I can make amends by changing your life. I can give you the two options I offer you. One for a better life and one for a dismal one.”
As the Doctor said these words, a gleeful smile spread across Salvador’s face. “Then, based on your kind offer,” he began to say, “I accept the latter option!”
The Doctor reacted surprised at that. “What?”
Just then, Salvador rushed forward and placed his hand on the Zorbius crystal as the Doctor held it.
“And as I go to my living hell,” Salvador continued, “I shall erase your memories of meeting me. With the dreamscape; Charoc and the imaginary planet on the space station. I wish you to never know of the hope you have in your future lives. I wish for you to believe that you can never have a future!”
“This isn’t what I expected of you, Salvador,” the Doctor protested. “I hoped you would accept the first option! To live a life on a colony planet. Why choose a hellish option with the Daleks over a better life? A proper existence with people to care for.”
Ignoring the Doctor, Salvador went on, “You will suffer at destroying both the Time Lords and the Daleks in a bloody carnage once you use the Moment! They should die, Doctor! They all deserve to die!”
“I expected better of you, Salvador,” the Doctor snapped angrily. “I wanted you to learn a lesson in having compassion on others. By living on your own planet, you could’ve understood what it meant to have a better existence. A better life instead of torturing me.”
“Don’t you get it?!” Salvador yelled. “I hate you, Doctor!!! I hate you forever! It’s all I have to live on! It’s all I want! I wish nothing of that to change!”
“Then you leave me no choice,” the Doctor said, “I shall split you in half so you can live both lives whether you like it or not!”
“No!!!” Salvador began to panic. “No, you can’t do that to me, Doctor! You mustn’t do that! I won’t be split into two by you! I won’t…”
“Zorbius crystal!” the Doctor commanded. “Split Salvador into his two lives!!!”
“NO!!!!” Salvador roared. Eventually, he found himself being divided into two. Just as he was being divided into two, Salvador commanded, “Zorbius crystal! Erase the Doctor’s memories of meeting me!”
At Salvador’s command, the Doctor suddenly groaned wheezily. He soon collapsed back onto the yellow brick road which had been formed by the Zorbius crystal itself. The Zorbius crystal soon fell out of his hands. Salvador screamed as he fell back too; being split into two people before he faded out of existence. In the nebula, the Doctor lay back on the yellow brick road for some time with the Zorbius crystal lying beside him. Nothing was disturbed. Everything seemed to be frozen.
Eventually, time resumed and things started to catch up. The yellow brick road faded from existence and the Doctor began to fall out of the nebula. The Zorbius crystal fell with him. It was a matter of time before the Doctor woke up; realised he was falling and caught the Zorbius crystal that fell with him. Pressing a button on his sonic screwdriver, which he took out from his leather jacket, the Doctor was soon saved by the TARDIS materialising around him.
Elsewhere, Salvador found himself waking up on solid ground. It was green earth, wasn’t it? It was solid green earthy ground. Was he on Earth? Salvador wondered about this. He couldn’t be on Earth surely. But then he remembered. The Doctor sent him to a planet where he could rule a future colony. Where he could have his own people. Where he could learn…compassion. Wasn’t that what the Doctor said?
Smiling at this, Salvador began to create a colony word at the tips of his hands like the Doctor suggested. Soon, there were towns and cities everywhere. Homes were built instantaneously. Shopping malls were created. Even the wildlife and the plants were created. Soon, Salvador made the people in his own image. He was God on this planet. Except he created his world in seven seconds instead of seven days.
He saw that everyone was cheery and happy. Salvador saw to it that everyone was fully clothed and well-fed with food and water. He created an advanced civilisation far quickly than anyone ever imagined. And he didn’t have the Time Lords, the Doctor, not the Zorbius crystal to enable this.
It was at that moment that Salvador met up with a man and a woman who approached him. The man was bearded whilst the woman was red-haired. Salvador recognised them from somewhere. Were these two people made in his own image based on any people he knew, he wondered.
“Here we are, Salvador,” said the man bellowed. “We’re ready to obey you.”
“What do you wish us to do, Salvador?” said the girl cheerfully.
Lou-Arms and Clo-Zen! That’s how Salvador recognised them. The bearded man was based on his memory of Lou-Arms whilst the red-haired girl was based on his memory of Clo-Zen.
Smiling, Salvador declared, “Get some rest, everyone! Soon, we shall be ready! Soon, we shall overthrow the Doctor and destroy him in his endeavours!”
Elsewhere, Salvador found himself waking up on the command deck of a Dalek flagship. He wondered how he got here. But then he remembered the Doctor had sent him there so he can live out his living hell. This is what he should’ve expected from the Doctor. He knew the Doctor wouldn’t have any mercy on him and keep him alive. It was then that he saw the Daleks coming towards him. Salvador slowly got up to his feet and backed away whilst being surrounded by Daleks.
“Intruder! Intruder!” the Daleks chanted.
“How did this humanoid board our ship,” demanded one Dalek.
“He is an enemy of the Daleks,” said another. “He must be exterminated!”
“Wait!” interrupted another Dalek that happened to be the Command Dalek. The Command Dalek was more intimidating than the rest, being a black Dalek as opposed to a bronze and silver one.
Raising his hands up in the air to surrender, Salvador introduced himself. “Greetings Daleks,” he began. “I come in peace.”
“Tell us what you are doing here?” the Command Dalek demanded. “Answer! Identify yourself!”
“I am Salvador,” he introduced himself. “I am the Doctor’s enemy…and the ally you most need!”
The Daleks backed away, almost frightened by the name Salvador just said.
“The Doctor!” exclaimed one Dalek.
“He is the greatest enemy of the Daleks,” said another.
“He must be exterminated!” said another.
“Exactly,” Salvador joined in. “That’s why you need me as your ally so much.”
“How do you know the Doctor?” the Command Dalek asked Salvador.
“We go a long way back,” Salvador replied. “He’s tormented me years ago. I intend to exact my vengeance upon him. And I need your help to do it.”
“Explain,” the Command Dalek persisted.
“I possess unique powers,” Salvador answered. “To control all matter and reality. The Doctor keeps a crystal in his possession to control all of space and time. I’ve tried to acquire the Zorbius crystal from him, but he has thwarted me. With your help, I can distract the Doctor long enough to weaken him.”
“Where is the Doctor’s current location?” the Command Dalek demanded to know.
“That I can’t be certain,” Salvador answered. “But I know where he’s going to end up. He intends to escape the Time War. I can help you Daleks to escape the war in order to follow him.”
“We must inform Dalek Control,” the Command Dalek said. “They must know of our plans…”
“No, wait,” Salvador said, interrupting the Command Dalek. “Dalek Control needn’t know about this. The Doctor will see to it that the Daleks and the Time Lords are destroyed indefinitely. But we can make sure that the outcome never happens by escaping the Time War. We shall see to it that the Doctor never hears the last of the Daleks. He’ll be tormented by your presence in the universe forever.”
“You wish us to accompany you outside the Time War,” the Command Dalek deduced.
“Yes,” Salvador answered. “I know how to trap the Doctor and to recover the Zorbius crystal from him. It will take some time, but I’m certain you Daleks can be patient enough in order to find and hunt down the Doctor. To apprehend him in order to make him suffer endlessly.”
The Command Dalek considered this offer. It seemed like a long wait to hunt the Doctor by escaping the Time War and by making an alliance with this interloper they’ve acquired. But since the Time War was inevitably going to be lost on both sides, the Daleks aboard this flagship didn’t like the odds. They hoped a certain amount of Daleks would survive the Time War outside the time-locked parameters.
“Very well,” the Command Dalek grated. “We accept your proposition. We shall assist you in every way possible to escape the Time War and to exterminate the Doctor forever.”
“Excellent,” Salvador said pleased. “We shall begin whenever you’re ready.”
Meanwhile, aboard his ship, the Doctor placed the Zorbius crystal inside a safe within the depths of his TARDIS. He realised that putting the Zorbius crystal inside a cabinet in the console room was a mistake. It could easily get stolen by anyone who was an enemy. He wondered if he had a recent experience with the Zorbius crystal to prove that. He couldn’t quite remember. Recent events for him seemed faded.
Once he locked up the Zorbius crystal inside the safe, he reflected on all that had happened. He’d been falling out of a nebula recently. How did that happen? How did he get there? It was lucky he had his sonic screwdriver on him to summon his TARDIS via remote control. But still, he wondered what he was doing out there in that nebula to begin with. Was he showing something to someone? Was he escaping the Daleks? That was usually the case. He tended to escape from Daleks when he fought in the Time War. Yet what was he doing outside his TARDIS instead of inside it?
As he left the Zorbius crystal in its safe, the Doctor couldn’t shake off the visions he saw concerning his future lives when he looked into the crystal momentarily. They were fragmented yes, but they seemed to be possibilities of his future. There was the man in the leather jacket; the man with the spiky hair; the man with the funny chin who often wore a fez; the Scottish chap and the blonde woman. Those were his future selves, weren’t they? He couldn’t be sure. They were so hazy now as he recollected them. He’d probably forget about them once he was back on track.
“Never forget who you are, Doctor,” said a distant voice behind him.
The Doctor turned around and was surprised to see her. “Charoc!” he exclaimed. “How did you get in here? What are you doing here? Where did you come from?”
“Never forget who you will become,” she continued.
The Doctor stared at Charoc. He wondered how this was possible. Was he dreaming her?
“Is that it?” he asked. “Am I dreaming you? Am I asleep? Am I caught in the deepening rain?”
“You are daydreaming,” Charoc told her. “I can exist in daydreams too.”
The Doctor was astounded. “I don’t know how, but…I’m learning new things about you, Charoc.”
“That is a good sign,” Charoc said. “Let’s hope you continue to learn new things in your future lives.”
The Doctor wasn’t so sure. He slumped to the TARDIS floor. “I thought I’d be exterminated by Daleks by now,” he said. “I thought I wouldn’t return to Gallifrey. Why am I still alive, Charoc? What haven’t I been killed already? I deserve to be dead after so much chaos.” The Doctor sounded weary as he spoke.
The lion girl didn’t answer. The Doctor wasn’t sure whether he would like the answer the lion girl gave him or not. Eventually, he found himself being helped up from the floor by Charoc to stand on his feet.
“You have a lot of work to do,” Charoc told him. “You must keep at it and never give up.”
The Doctor sighed grimly. “What I have in mind to do is so atrocious. I can’t end up like the man I’m going to be in the future. It’s too terrible to contemplate.”
A moment of silence ensued. Then Charoc said to him, “Things do seem like they’ll turn out bad for you.” A pause and then she continued, “But things do turn out to be so much better for you instead.”
The Doctor was so confused by that remark. “How can things turn out to be so much better instead of being so bad?” He paused for a moment. “I’m about to kill my own people, Charoc. That’s the worst thing ever conceived for a man to do!”
“Do you see another way out of this?” Charoc asked. “Do you see an alternative?”
The Doctor pondered on this question. “No,” he eventually answered. “There isn’t another way.”
“Not even the Zorbius crystal can help you out with one?” Charoc checked.
“No,” the Doctor answered. “I can’t use the Zorbius crystal. It’ll destroy me should I use it.” A moment of silence and the Doctor looked up into Charoc’s eyes. “The Moment is the only way to end the war. Unless I can find another way to stop the fighting, this is the only way I can think of.” Another pause as the Doctor looked away from Charoc down to his feet, feeling ashamed. “I have to go through with this.”
Silence ensued in the console room. You could almost hear a pin drop despite the vibrating engines.
“Then so be it,” Charoc said satisfied. “Let’s hope you can find the alternative in time before you realise whether you made a mistake or not.”
Charoc soon moved away from the console as well as the Doctor. The Doctor looked at Charoc, curious by what she said.
“Till we meet again,” she said. Charoc smiled at the Doctor before she vanished from sight.
Realising that she was gone, the Doctor remained standing still in the console room for a little while. He was increasingly curious and confused by the conversation he had with Charoc in his daydream. After standing still for a while, the Doctor decided to return to the console room. There was a lot of work to do like Charoc said.
Entering the console room, the Doctor approached the console unit. Pressing buttons and switches whilst looking at the scanner sceen, the Doctor saw he had already pre-programmed a course to Gallifrey. Switching the scanner to a different screen, he could see that Gallifrey was being surrounded by thousands of Dalek ships that were attacking the planet. He could just imagine all the women and children that were suffering in the streets of Arcadia whilst the Time Lord High Council was making the most horrendous decision to end the Time War itself.
The Doctor wished he had companions like Susan, Ian, Barbara, Jamie, Zoe, Jo, Sarah Jane, Leela, K-9, Nyssa, Billy, Peri, Ace and Jen to tell him what he should do instead of ending the war the way he was going to end it. He wished he had future companions to tell him what to do. He wished he had his former and future selves telling him that this was the wrong way to do things.
But at present, he couldn’t think of another way. Very soon, the Doctor pressed the button that would see him land on Gallifrey, deep down in the Time Vaults underneath the Capitol. The TARDIS shook violently as it went down to the depths of Gallifrey. Eventually, the TARDIS came to land, whooshing and groaning loudly as it did so. Once the TARDIS fully landed with a thump, the Doctor looked to the door that would see him exit into the Time Vaults. To the place where he would steal the Moment.
“Well, here goes nothing,” he said.
Slowly making his way to the TARDIS door, the Doctor wondered whether other iterations of himself like his eighth persona would attempt to end the Time War forever by stealing the Moment in alternative timelines. Whether they found some other way to end it. It probably did happen. It probably didn’t matter either way. But this would matter for the War Doctor. It would matter to him to commit genocide in this present timeline.
As he breathed deep and placed his hand on the TARDIS door to push it open, he eventually said, “Time War…no more!”
The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, as he was ready to do the terrible deed he was about to commit. He would steal the Moment from Gallifrey.
© Tim Bradley, 2020
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