DW Fic: The Trial of River Song (7/9)
The Trial of River Song (7/9)
by MuseDePandora (see: Master List of Fanfics)
Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to various persons and corporations that are not me or associated with me. This piece of fanfiction is written with the admiration and respect for the original work. I claim no ownership of Doctor Who's creations. No profit is made from this material, now or in the future.
Rating: PG through R
Explanation of Rating: I have had a terrible time rating this story, because 90% of it is at PG level . Unfortunately, there are themes in here such as human experimentation and character death that crank that up to R for just subject matter. There is one use of the F-word. Really pales in comparison to some of the dark concepts though.
Warnings: human experimentation (kinda), torture (kinda), character death (kinda), extreme timey-wimeyness (definitely). Oh, and maybe a little mass murder?
Summary: We know she's guilty, but of what?
Part One can be read HERE.
A/N: Yes, not only have I finished ch. 8, and thus am posting ch.7, but I have also finished ch.9 and thus the whole story! What a relief! I want to have at least a day to look over and make any final touches to ch.8 and 9. But I will be posting those two together (and thus finishing) either tomorrow night or Thursday morning.
Thanks to r34dinglight for help with fleshing out the extreme timey-wimeyness and reading several version that didn't make it into the final.
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
In River Song's plea bargain, she promised detailed information about what happened on 82-29-5107. We have received melodramatic messages to an enemy of the empire and vague allusions to some imaginary threat. It is very suspect that River Song demanded to be released into Church care and within days has them eating out of her hands while she tells them tales about Weeping Angels. Just because the Church can be so easily distracted and manipulated by their own doctrine doesn't mean the rest of us can be. River Song has invalidated her plea bargain.
_____
From: Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Message Content:
I have been told patience is a virtue, overseer. I have also been told a wise story about stones and glass houses. Please, be kind and remember the constraints put on the Church in transporting this material to three other agencies with their own separate media systems, each with individual translation technological needs, and that is not to mention the difficulties we all must submit to when matters of Empire security demands such guarded transport across galaxies and occasionally in your case, across decades. The Church endeavors, as always, to fulfill its duties with the utmost reverence and alacrity.
_____
From: Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Message Content:
At this point, there is no basis to the suggestion that River Song has invalidated her plea-bargain. Patriarch Thaddeus makes a valid case when he lists the myriad of reasons why the testimonial of River Song as well as the files from the Burnings Way data crystal must be broken up and transmitted in short bursts. There is no reason to believe the Church is not executing its duties sufficiently.
_____
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
This is not the type of information the Time Agency was promised when we agreed to this plea bargain. There is nothing revealed in these files of any use to the Empire. River Song is not telling us anything that we do not already know.
_____
From: Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Message Content:
That is unfortunate for the Time Agency. The only type of information River Song promised to reveal in the plea bargain was all within her possession pertaining to what happened on 82-29-5107 on the Hellades colony. That is being provided. If expecting a different type of information, the Time Agency should have had it in documentation. The Time Agency's complaints are unfounded.
_____
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
I promised Doctor Holaday that River Song would not manipulate the court to her own ends. I am only doing all within my power to keep that promise.
_____
From: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
I appreciate that, overseer. However, unlike you, I do see value in these files. The fact that you do not disturbs me. Now that I have seen them, I want to see more.
Entered into evidence:
Excerpt of:
Testimonial of River Song:
Part Four
Interviewer: Bishop Benedicta
Witness: Servant Kai
Time-Stamp: 30-28-5108/08.05.53
Bishop Benedicta: How did you contact the Doctor?
River Song: I left him a message at the end of the universe.
BB: How?
RS: There is a rock in the darkness called Utopia. I scratched directions in the dirt.
Servant Kai: Verified.
BB: How did you know he'd see it?
RS: The Doctor never revisits his victories. He always remembers his failures.
Entered into Evidence:
Burnings Way Data Crystal:
Visual File 3
The angle of the camera is high in the clearing between several tents, suggesting this file is from the original system of recording devices spread across the camp and archeological site. It had been a bit of a mystery when the investigation first began that these units had been left completely intact. There had been hope that they would have recorded what had happened during the Hellades incident. Unfortunately, all recordings had disappeared. This answers the question of where some of them went.
Though it is the height of the day and the sun is shining yellow hot on everything it touches, not a single person is visible. It is like the camp is already dead. According to the time stamp in the bottom right hand corner of the recording, it's likely that many of them are.
This is 82-29-5107 on the Hellades colony.
A wheezing sound disturbs the silence, building from a whisper into a whipping of the wind through the tents and settling into the solid shape of a blue box in the center of the clearing. The sound stops. The door to the blue police box opens and a man steps out onto the dirt.
He is tall but not especially so. He is neither young nor old. He has dark hair but light eyes. His clothing is strange, a mixture of garments from old Earth, a purple jacket with a black cotton shirt underneath, tight trousers, shiny dress shoes and a grey fedora.
"River!" he calls out in a deep voice with the same accent as Doctor Song. There is no answer. "Can't ever make it easy on me, can you?" he mutters to himself. He closes the door of the police box behind him.
"I only make it easy for people I hate," River says as she opens one of the tents and steps out.
"River," he greets, opening his arms with a smile.
"Hello, sweetie." She walks into his embrace and wraps her arms around his neck. He lifts her off the ground and she laughs. After a few moments, he sets her back on the ground and pulls back to look at her. His hands linger on her hips and his thumbs caress her waist while his eyes scan over her face.
"You look terrible," the Doctor announces.
"It's nice to see you too, dear."
"No, you're beautiful but, really, you look horrible," he replies. The Doctor turns his head from left to right and seems to realize how quiet the camp is around them. "What's wrong? Where is everyone?"
"I'm so sorry," River says and the Doctor's head whips back to focus on her.
"What did you do?" he demands.
"What you wouldn't."
The Doctor stares at her and the recorder captures how his face loses almost all animation. He doesn't look angry or upset. His eyes look sad and tired. "You wrote my name in the ash of Utopia. You've been studying the Master."
"I have," she admits.
"I told you not to."
"I know," River says, nodding her head. "I did it anyway."
"And?" the Doctor asks. "What did you find?"
River Song smiles into his face and takes his hand. The Doctor studies her eyes and lets her twine their fingers together. "He says he misses you terribly."
The Doctor stumbles back a step but doesn't let go of her hand. He opens his mouth mutely, closes it.
"You found the Master?" he whispers.
"Yes."
The Doctor shakes his head and steps back into her space. "You can't trust him," he urgently tells her.
"Funny," River replies, raising a hand to the Doctor's cheek, "he said the same thing about you."
He doesn't seem to know how to respond to that.
"You said you needed my help," he finally says.
"We do," she replies. "And I'm sorry but you're going to hate us a little bit. I know I do."
The recording ends.
Entered into Evidence:
Burnings Way Data Crystal:
Visual File 4
This is another closed circuit camera, positioned outside of the digging site. According to the time stamp on the bottom corner, five minutes have passed since the Doctor's arrival. There are thick electrical cables running out of the mouth of the underground crypt like lolling tongues. In rows to the right and left of the crypt entrance, bodies lay on the dirt ground. Some are wearing Church camouflage, others are wearing the blue tunics of the medical unit, there are a few wearing the white bodysuits of the catering team, more are wearing the green jackets for the Great Guild interns, then there are those in civilian garments, such as Doctor Tatat and Doctor Melian who are both in frame closest to the entrance.
In the middle of them all, right in the center of the camera's focus, there is a machine that looks to be an amalgamation of 52nd century Empire technology and ancient Hellades technological artifacts. It is built into a semi-circle with the opening away from the crypt entrance. The controls on top of the machine are easily accessible to the Master as he stands inside of it, flicking switches and pressing buttons with zeal.
River Song leads the Doctor into the scene by his hand.
"Welcome to the party, Doctor," the Master greets. "So glad you could make it. River and I have been working very hard on your present. What do you think?" He makes a grand, sweeping gesture with his arm towards everything laid out in the picture. The Doctor's eyes flicker in a second from the Master to the bodies to the machine and the cables leading into the mouth of the crypt. He chooses to focus on the bodies.
The Doctor lets go of River's hand and dashes to the nearest subject.
"How predictable," the Master remarks with disgust and a roll of his eyes.
The Doctor crouches down and pulls out a silver, cylindrical device, identified as a sonic screwdriver by the Torchwood archives. He scans it over the bodies, studies the side of it, and closes his eyes for a long moment. When the Doctor opens his eyes, he fixes his gaze directly on Doctor Song. "Oh, River," he sighs and sounds heartbroken.
She stands in the middle of it all and doesn't shy away from any of it, even the Doctor's disappointment. "I know."
"How does it feel, Doctor?" the Master asks. "One of your precious companions - a favourite- turning to mass murder because of love? Oh, the things we do for you."
"Most of them will survive," River argues. "It had to be done, for the greater good."
"For the greater good." The Master laughs. "Do you hear her? Oh, she's definitely one of yours. A true believer, too. She reminds me a bit of myself when I was younger, on Gallifrey. Do you remember, Doctor? When we were both still at the Academy and dreamed of change, the one great crime of the Time Lords. Weren't we quaint?"
"Master," the Doctor says and sounds resigned. "How did you survive this time?"
"Daleks."
"Oh, are they around?" The Doctor turns in place several times as if to see. He finally focuses back on the Master and the machine. "What's that?" the Doctor asks. He rushes over to the machine and pushes the Master out of his way. He examines the controls with growing panic. "What are you trying to do? This is hooked up to a temporal matrix. What are you using, a vortex manipulator and some gum? What do you hope to do with that? Well, something big if these readings are anything to go by. Where are you getting the power?" He pauses a moment and glances over the bodies. "The Rani," he whispers.
The Master leans over the edge of the Machine, into the Doctor's space. "Do you see yet, my dear Doctor? Soon you'll forget all about those little creatures in the dirt. Turn your eyes heavenward and you'll see the remaking of the world."
River approaches to stand beside the Master. The Doctor looks between them and swallows.
"Hate me if you need to, Doctor," she says. "You've hated me before. But I love you. You've saved my world thousands of times. It's about time I returned the favor."
"What are you trying to do?" His voice is hard and directed at the Master but his eyes keep flicking to River Song.
"Oh no, I shan't take credit," the Master objects with a laugh. He waves a hand toward River. "This is all your darling River's idea. Go on, River, tell the Doctor what we're going to do."
The Doctor turns his attention to River Song. She pauses only a moment. "We're unraveling the Time Lock."
"River," the Doctor says, shaking his head.
"No! Listen to me, Doctor." She reaches across the machine and grabs his hand. "The Daleks survived the Time War."
"They always survive."
"I know, but you sacrificed your people -your family!- to rid the universe of the Daleks," River says. "The Daleks remain without any great civilization to hold them in check."
"I hold them in check!"
"You can't do it on your own, sweetie!" River holds onto his hand when he tries to pull back. "You shouldn't have to and you can't. One terrible day, it'll be too much for even you. You're not immortal. Then what will happen to the universe? I did it for you because you sacrifice too much, but I also did it for everyone else, because we can't rely on you forever. That's why I did this! That's why I've sacrificed all these people! It's to save them."
The Doctor presses his lips into a thin line, but when he speaks, it's not to her. "And you, Master," he says, while absently rubbing his thumb over River's knuckle. "What's your agenda?"
"Who says I don't share her reasons?" the Master asks.
"I do," the Doctor replies. "I know you, Master."
The Master steps back from the machine and tugs at the sleeves of his jacket. "I was made for the Time War." He glances up and the Doctor looks physically struck by the look in the Master's eyes. "It's in my bones and blood. I remember a time before it, but it's like a dream. Those memories aren't mine and don't feel real. Even you, Doctor. I remember you. I remember us. Sometimes, it's all I can think about, but it's always there in the shadows of my mind, waiting. The Time War. The greatest battle of creation. The Time War never ended, my dear Doctor. It's been waiting, for me. It's my destiny and all the stars will cower before my rage."
The Doctor and River Song stare at the Master; he with despair and she with dawning horror. She cannot step away from the Master fast enough. The Doctor rushes around the machine to take the Master by his arms and shake him.
"You can be more than that!" the Doctor tells him. "You can be so much more if you'd only let me help you! Please, listen."
The Master stares into the Doctor's eyes and seems to consider. "No," he says, "I can't."
He moves with a sudden violent motion and the Doctor gasps, a simple, soft, "Oh."
The position of the camera is such that the Doctor's back is to the camera, his expression hidden. He still clasps the arms of the Master, who holds him back, almost in an embrace. Behind the Master, River Song stands surrounded by her sacrifices and completely alone. The Master's face looks pained but also exhilarated, his eyes oddly dull and sharp like a madman. River Song looks like she's been stabbed through the heart, one hand grabs her own chest in sympathetic pain, the other falls to the handle of her sonic blaster.
"The key has already started," the Master says. "It was only waiting on the final element."
"Me," the Doctor replies. The Master pushes him away and watches as he falls to the ground. The Doctor stares at the knife in his side. River sees the blood and turns to watch the Master without expression, but he doesn't seem to remember she is even there.
"Of course, we needed a big event to start the final cascade," the Master explains, walking over the cables running from the crypt, and making gesturing around him with open arms. The sound begins with a gentle hum and the skitter of pebbles falling, as the ground begins to shake. The sky in the distance begins streaking with white flashes of lightening. A few seconds later, there is thunder. "What could be a bigger event than the Destroyer of Worlds' violent death and rebirth? After all, Time is always weakest around a regeneration. Even now the Time Lock is failing. Do you feel it, Doctor? That's Gallifrey returning! It feels like dying, doesn't it? Well, in your case, that's because it is. Soon, thousands of others will follow. The Time War will start again! I will lead all creation to destruction. I will end it all, Doctor, and you will see how much better it is that way!"
"Not if I end you first," River says and the Master turns to see her raise her blaster. With one shot, he collapses to the ground and doesn't move. Here then the camera provides evidence, murder in the first degree. On the horizon, the sky begins to bleed and history unwinds.
"Look," the Doctor says, pointing with a stained hand toward the horizon, "there's Gallifrey."
Everything goes black.
Read Part Eight
If you enjoyed the piece, or if you didn't, please take the time to leave me a review. No matter how short, I really appreciate the feedback. Thanks.
by MuseDePandora (see: Master List of Fanfics)
Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to various persons and corporations that are not me or associated with me. This piece of fanfiction is written with the admiration and respect for the original work. I claim no ownership of Doctor Who's creations. No profit is made from this material, now or in the future.
Rating: PG through R
Explanation of Rating: I have had a terrible time rating this story, because 90% of it is at PG level . Unfortunately, there are themes in here such as human experimentation and character death that crank that up to R for just subject matter. There is one use of the F-word. Really pales in comparison to some of the dark concepts though.
Warnings: human experimentation (kinda), torture (kinda), character death (kinda), extreme timey-wimeyness (definitely). Oh, and maybe a little mass murder?
Summary: We know she's guilty, but of what?
Part One can be read HERE.
A/N: Yes, not only have I finished ch. 8, and thus am posting ch.7, but I have also finished ch.9 and thus the whole story! What a relief! I want to have at least a day to look over and make any final touches to ch.8 and 9. But I will be posting those two together (and thus finishing) either tomorrow night or Thursday morning.
Thanks to r34dinglight for help with fleshing out the extreme timey-wimeyness and reading several version that didn't make it into the final.
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
In River Song's plea bargain, she promised detailed information about what happened on 82-29-5107. We have received melodramatic messages to an enemy of the empire and vague allusions to some imaginary threat. It is very suspect that River Song demanded to be released into Church care and within days has them eating out of her hands while she tells them tales about Weeping Angels. Just because the Church can be so easily distracted and manipulated by their own doctrine doesn't mean the rest of us can be. River Song has invalidated her plea bargain.
_____
From: Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Message Content:
I have been told patience is a virtue, overseer. I have also been told a wise story about stones and glass houses. Please, be kind and remember the constraints put on the Church in transporting this material to three other agencies with their own separate media systems, each with individual translation technological needs, and that is not to mention the difficulties we all must submit to when matters of Empire security demands such guarded transport across galaxies and occasionally in your case, across decades. The Church endeavors, as always, to fulfill its duties with the utmost reverence and alacrity.
_____
From: Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Message Content:
At this point, there is no basis to the suggestion that River Song has invalidated her plea-bargain. Patriarch Thaddeus makes a valid case when he lists the myriad of reasons why the testimonial of River Song as well as the files from the Burnings Way data crystal must be broken up and transmitted in short bursts. There is no reason to believe the Church is not executing its duties sufficiently.
_____
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
This is not the type of information the Time Agency was promised when we agreed to this plea bargain. There is nothing revealed in these files of any use to the Empire. River Song is not telling us anything that we do not already know.
_____
From: Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Message Content:
That is unfortunate for the Time Agency. The only type of information River Song promised to reveal in the plea bargain was all within her possession pertaining to what happened on 82-29-5107 on the Hellades colony. That is being provided. If expecting a different type of information, the Time Agency should have had it in documentation. The Time Agency's complaints are unfounded.
_____
From: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
To: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
I promised Doctor Holaday that River Song would not manipulate the court to her own ends. I am only doing all within my power to keep that promise.
_____
From: Doctor Holaday, The Great Guild
To: Overseer Gamma, The Time Agency
Servant Dmer Kotte-Ta, The Shadow Proclamation
Patriarch Thaddeus, Our Church of Supreme Authority
Message Content:
I appreciate that, overseer. However, unlike you, I do see value in these files. The fact that you do not disturbs me. Now that I have seen them, I want to see more.
Entered into evidence:
Excerpt of:
Testimonial of River Song:
Part Four
Interviewer: Bishop Benedicta
Witness: Servant Kai
Time-Stamp: 30-28-5108/08.05.53
Bishop Benedicta: How did you contact the Doctor?
River Song: I left him a message at the end of the universe.
BB: How?
RS: There is a rock in the darkness called Utopia. I scratched directions in the dirt.
Servant Kai: Verified.
BB: How did you know he'd see it?
RS: The Doctor never revisits his victories. He always remembers his failures.
Entered into Evidence:
Burnings Way Data Crystal:
Visual File 3
The angle of the camera is high in the clearing between several tents, suggesting this file is from the original system of recording devices spread across the camp and archeological site. It had been a bit of a mystery when the investigation first began that these units had been left completely intact. There had been hope that they would have recorded what had happened during the Hellades incident. Unfortunately, all recordings had disappeared. This answers the question of where some of them went.
Though it is the height of the day and the sun is shining yellow hot on everything it touches, not a single person is visible. It is like the camp is already dead. According to the time stamp in the bottom right hand corner of the recording, it's likely that many of them are.
This is 82-29-5107 on the Hellades colony.
A wheezing sound disturbs the silence, building from a whisper into a whipping of the wind through the tents and settling into the solid shape of a blue box in the center of the clearing. The sound stops. The door to the blue police box opens and a man steps out onto the dirt.
He is tall but not especially so. He is neither young nor old. He has dark hair but light eyes. His clothing is strange, a mixture of garments from old Earth, a purple jacket with a black cotton shirt underneath, tight trousers, shiny dress shoes and a grey fedora.
"River!" he calls out in a deep voice with the same accent as Doctor Song. There is no answer. "Can't ever make it easy on me, can you?" he mutters to himself. He closes the door of the police box behind him.
"I only make it easy for people I hate," River says as she opens one of the tents and steps out.
"River," he greets, opening his arms with a smile.
"Hello, sweetie." She walks into his embrace and wraps her arms around his neck. He lifts her off the ground and she laughs. After a few moments, he sets her back on the ground and pulls back to look at her. His hands linger on her hips and his thumbs caress her waist while his eyes scan over her face.
"You look terrible," the Doctor announces.
"It's nice to see you too, dear."
"No, you're beautiful but, really, you look horrible," he replies. The Doctor turns his head from left to right and seems to realize how quiet the camp is around them. "What's wrong? Where is everyone?"
"I'm so sorry," River says and the Doctor's head whips back to focus on her.
"What did you do?" he demands.
"What you wouldn't."
The Doctor stares at her and the recorder captures how his face loses almost all animation. He doesn't look angry or upset. His eyes look sad and tired. "You wrote my name in the ash of Utopia. You've been studying the Master."
"I have," she admits.
"I told you not to."
"I know," River says, nodding her head. "I did it anyway."
"And?" the Doctor asks. "What did you find?"
River Song smiles into his face and takes his hand. The Doctor studies her eyes and lets her twine their fingers together. "He says he misses you terribly."
The Doctor stumbles back a step but doesn't let go of her hand. He opens his mouth mutely, closes it.
"You found the Master?" he whispers.
"Yes."
The Doctor shakes his head and steps back into her space. "You can't trust him," he urgently tells her.
"Funny," River replies, raising a hand to the Doctor's cheek, "he said the same thing about you."
He doesn't seem to know how to respond to that.
"You said you needed my help," he finally says.
"We do," she replies. "And I'm sorry but you're going to hate us a little bit. I know I do."
The recording ends.
Entered into Evidence:
Burnings Way Data Crystal:
Visual File 4
This is another closed circuit camera, positioned outside of the digging site. According to the time stamp on the bottom corner, five minutes have passed since the Doctor's arrival. There are thick electrical cables running out of the mouth of the underground crypt like lolling tongues. In rows to the right and left of the crypt entrance, bodies lay on the dirt ground. Some are wearing Church camouflage, others are wearing the blue tunics of the medical unit, there are a few wearing the white bodysuits of the catering team, more are wearing the green jackets for the Great Guild interns, then there are those in civilian garments, such as Doctor Tatat and Doctor Melian who are both in frame closest to the entrance.
In the middle of them all, right in the center of the camera's focus, there is a machine that looks to be an amalgamation of 52nd century Empire technology and ancient Hellades technological artifacts. It is built into a semi-circle with the opening away from the crypt entrance. The controls on top of the machine are easily accessible to the Master as he stands inside of it, flicking switches and pressing buttons with zeal.
River Song leads the Doctor into the scene by his hand.
"Welcome to the party, Doctor," the Master greets. "So glad you could make it. River and I have been working very hard on your present. What do you think?" He makes a grand, sweeping gesture with his arm towards everything laid out in the picture. The Doctor's eyes flicker in a second from the Master to the bodies to the machine and the cables leading into the mouth of the crypt. He chooses to focus on the bodies.
The Doctor lets go of River's hand and dashes to the nearest subject.
"How predictable," the Master remarks with disgust and a roll of his eyes.
The Doctor crouches down and pulls out a silver, cylindrical device, identified as a sonic screwdriver by the Torchwood archives. He scans it over the bodies, studies the side of it, and closes his eyes for a long moment. When the Doctor opens his eyes, he fixes his gaze directly on Doctor Song. "Oh, River," he sighs and sounds heartbroken.
She stands in the middle of it all and doesn't shy away from any of it, even the Doctor's disappointment. "I know."
"How does it feel, Doctor?" the Master asks. "One of your precious companions - a favourite- turning to mass murder because of love? Oh, the things we do for you."
"Most of them will survive," River argues. "It had to be done, for the greater good."
"For the greater good." The Master laughs. "Do you hear her? Oh, she's definitely one of yours. A true believer, too. She reminds me a bit of myself when I was younger, on Gallifrey. Do you remember, Doctor? When we were both still at the Academy and dreamed of change, the one great crime of the Time Lords. Weren't we quaint?"
"Master," the Doctor says and sounds resigned. "How did you survive this time?"
"Daleks."
"Oh, are they around?" The Doctor turns in place several times as if to see. He finally focuses back on the Master and the machine. "What's that?" the Doctor asks. He rushes over to the machine and pushes the Master out of his way. He examines the controls with growing panic. "What are you trying to do? This is hooked up to a temporal matrix. What are you using, a vortex manipulator and some gum? What do you hope to do with that? Well, something big if these readings are anything to go by. Where are you getting the power?" He pauses a moment and glances over the bodies. "The Rani," he whispers.
The Master leans over the edge of the Machine, into the Doctor's space. "Do you see yet, my dear Doctor? Soon you'll forget all about those little creatures in the dirt. Turn your eyes heavenward and you'll see the remaking of the world."
River approaches to stand beside the Master. The Doctor looks between them and swallows.
"Hate me if you need to, Doctor," she says. "You've hated me before. But I love you. You've saved my world thousands of times. It's about time I returned the favor."
"What are you trying to do?" His voice is hard and directed at the Master but his eyes keep flicking to River Song.
"Oh no, I shan't take credit," the Master objects with a laugh. He waves a hand toward River. "This is all your darling River's idea. Go on, River, tell the Doctor what we're going to do."
The Doctor turns his attention to River Song. She pauses only a moment. "We're unraveling the Time Lock."
"River," the Doctor says, shaking his head.
"No! Listen to me, Doctor." She reaches across the machine and grabs his hand. "The Daleks survived the Time War."
"They always survive."
"I know, but you sacrificed your people -your family!- to rid the universe of the Daleks," River says. "The Daleks remain without any great civilization to hold them in check."
"I hold them in check!"
"You can't do it on your own, sweetie!" River holds onto his hand when he tries to pull back. "You shouldn't have to and you can't. One terrible day, it'll be too much for even you. You're not immortal. Then what will happen to the universe? I did it for you because you sacrifice too much, but I also did it for everyone else, because we can't rely on you forever. That's why I did this! That's why I've sacrificed all these people! It's to save them."
The Doctor presses his lips into a thin line, but when he speaks, it's not to her. "And you, Master," he says, while absently rubbing his thumb over River's knuckle. "What's your agenda?"
"Who says I don't share her reasons?" the Master asks.
"I do," the Doctor replies. "I know you, Master."
The Master steps back from the machine and tugs at the sleeves of his jacket. "I was made for the Time War." He glances up and the Doctor looks physically struck by the look in the Master's eyes. "It's in my bones and blood. I remember a time before it, but it's like a dream. Those memories aren't mine and don't feel real. Even you, Doctor. I remember you. I remember us. Sometimes, it's all I can think about, but it's always there in the shadows of my mind, waiting. The Time War. The greatest battle of creation. The Time War never ended, my dear Doctor. It's been waiting, for me. It's my destiny and all the stars will cower before my rage."
The Doctor and River Song stare at the Master; he with despair and she with dawning horror. She cannot step away from the Master fast enough. The Doctor rushes around the machine to take the Master by his arms and shake him.
"You can be more than that!" the Doctor tells him. "You can be so much more if you'd only let me help you! Please, listen."
The Master stares into the Doctor's eyes and seems to consider. "No," he says, "I can't."
He moves with a sudden violent motion and the Doctor gasps, a simple, soft, "Oh."
The position of the camera is such that the Doctor's back is to the camera, his expression hidden. He still clasps the arms of the Master, who holds him back, almost in an embrace. Behind the Master, River Song stands surrounded by her sacrifices and completely alone. The Master's face looks pained but also exhilarated, his eyes oddly dull and sharp like a madman. River Song looks like she's been stabbed through the heart, one hand grabs her own chest in sympathetic pain, the other falls to the handle of her sonic blaster.
"The key has already started," the Master says. "It was only waiting on the final element."
"Me," the Doctor replies. The Master pushes him away and watches as he falls to the ground. The Doctor stares at the knife in his side. River sees the blood and turns to watch the Master without expression, but he doesn't seem to remember she is even there.
"Of course, we needed a big event to start the final cascade," the Master explains, walking over the cables running from the crypt, and making gesturing around him with open arms. The sound begins with a gentle hum and the skitter of pebbles falling, as the ground begins to shake. The sky in the distance begins streaking with white flashes of lightening. A few seconds later, there is thunder. "What could be a bigger event than the Destroyer of Worlds' violent death and rebirth? After all, Time is always weakest around a regeneration. Even now the Time Lock is failing. Do you feel it, Doctor? That's Gallifrey returning! It feels like dying, doesn't it? Well, in your case, that's because it is. Soon, thousands of others will follow. The Time War will start again! I will lead all creation to destruction. I will end it all, Doctor, and you will see how much better it is that way!"
"Not if I end you first," River says and the Master turns to see her raise her blaster. With one shot, he collapses to the ground and doesn't move. Here then the camera provides evidence, murder in the first degree. On the horizon, the sky begins to bleed and history unwinds.
"Look," the Doctor says, pointing with a stained hand toward the horizon, "there's Gallifrey."
Everything goes black.
Read Part Eight
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