Chapter Eleven
"Doctor, the TARDIS is capable of returning to nearly the same instant it left. Why did you instruct me to give the boys several assignments and have them prepare the ship?"
"I need time. They need time. I want to keep our timestream and theirs concurrent. There's also the possibility we won't get back. The daleks are involved. They've been extremely persistent in their attempts to capture me in this time. Data, we may be walking into a trap. I should probably have taken you back to the Enterprise. One of the reasons I had them stock the ship was because I'm not sure we'll get back."
"Tech did not indicate doubts we would return."
"Didn't he? I'm not sure about that either. He watched me too closely. Stood near when I obviously didn't want him to. As if he couldn't quite help it. I think he saw something he didn't tell me. We've landed in a combat zone. I must know how the telepaths are being used. The viewer shows the immediate area to be clear. Open the doors."
It was horse country. Rolling plains stretched toward the horizon. The Doctor heard weapons in the distance and a telepathic cry of pain. He led Data toward the sound of battle at a run. It was an odd battle. Two groups fought with tenacity and imprecision. Neither group wore headbands, but both appeared controlled.
"Doctor, they do not appear to be acting on their own initiative."
"They're not, Data. They're being given their orders telepathically. Probably just the riders. The horses could be getting theirs from them. Something about this worries me. It's too slow and too expensive. Somehow the tarkaalats have been convinced to wage war this way."
"It is a most strange method of warfare."
"Very. But it makes some sense for the tarkaalats. They have a low population. Even lower than the humans. A tarkaalat could control as many as twenty of the telepaths at once. A human only about two. Evens the odds. This world is large enough for both groups and largely unsettled. From what you've told me, the tarkaalats want to change that. With a captive human population to build nests and raise food, they could spend all their time raising young. They could fill this world in two decades. Time to find the estherna. They've got to be the key. And the daleks have got to be behind them."
"I was able to learn very little about the estherna."
"Nasty little race of traders that LIKE doing business with the daleks."
"I have decided there are a great many races in your universe I would not wish in mine. The daleks are foremost of these. I do not believe even the ferengi would willingly trade with them."
"You haven't met the estherna. They're a strange group. They sell the tools of war because they hate all other races. The more people destroyed in war, the happier they are. The daleks are always happy to provide them with new products. The technology is still too advanced for this time. I smell time traveling daleks behind it. Come on. We can't learn any more here. Back to the TARDIS. We've got some searching to do."
The Doctor hopped through time near the space station until he saw the esthernan ship, then set the TARDIS to track it. When it obtained a stationary position, he landed the TARDIS on the huge family ship. He and Data searched for the telepaths. Humans and horses. They found them.
"No, Data. There's no way to revive them. They were brain dead before they were frozen. Use your phaser. Cremate them. As long as their bodies exist, the estherna have the raw materials for cloning. I'm going to find the cloning lab. You will be able to find me quite easily. I plan on making a great deal of noise."
He found the lab and ripped the locked door off. "I am the Doctor. I am a Time Lord. You have a very short time to leave this place before I destroy it."
He was almost pleased they decided to fight. He disposed of the eight estherna and began destroying the lab. He stopped and stood before one small area, then carefully avoided doing any damage to it. Data arrived in time to destroy the stocks of headbands and the facility for their manufacture. The Doctor picked up the four large trays and nodded to him. He turned the remainder of the equipment into a molten lump. They were ready to leave.
They fought their way back to the TARDIS, or rather, Data did. The Doctor carefully shielded the trays he carried. When they reached the TARDIS, he carried them into the medical lab.
"The space station next, Data. We need to use their facilities. Ask the TARDIS to land us within the lab."
"Yes, Doctor. I will return to assist you in a few moments."
"Good. Most of these are viable. I shall need help to keep them alive."
"I am known as the Doctor. I am a Time Lord. I need the use of this facility. You may inform the minister I will be coming. Leave. Now."
No one wanted to argue. They didn't like what they were doing and they didn't like the fat man.
"Data, stay here and watch over them. I don't like rushing this, but four hours should be all that is needed. Seal the hatch. I'm about to 'bend' the laws of time. I do not wish you with me when I do it."
He landed on the planet and asked the first person he saw where and when. He set the coordinates, watched it happen, dropped back a few minutes, and landed inside the aircraft. "Your Majesty, this craft is about to explode. A bomb has been placed on board. I ask you, your son and your pilot to come with me."
"Do you have proof of this?"
"Look in the rear storage compartment. I believe that is where it is located. Hurry, we have very little time." He was pleased with the king. He'd wasted no time in foolish questions, just looked for the bomb, found it and ordered his son and the pilot into the TARDIS. He knew who was responsible for it.
The Doctor landed in the fat man's command center. He stepped out of the TARDIS and walked toward him.
"YOU! How did you get here?! What is that thing?! Say away from me! GUARDS! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!!"
"I command you to stop!" The king and his son walked into the center of the room. Every person in the room knelt. Except the Doctor and the fat man. The Doctor didn't and the fat man couldn't.
"You disgust me. Almost as much as your sister."
"Captain Knight, you don't understand. It was her idea! All of it! I didn't have any choice! She's the one! It was her, not me! Don't kill me!"
"I am the Doctor. I am a Time Lord. You have sat in your web like a fat spider and trapped something too large for it. I won't kill you. I kill only when necessary. I do not find you worthy of death at my hands."
"Nephew, you and your sister attempted to assassinate me and my son. I have learned what you have been doing. The Doctor is most merciful. An excellent example, but one I find I am unable to follow." The king raised a weapon and executed his nephew. The people in the room cheered.
"Hello, Jess."
"You knew! Everything! All along! You were there!"
"Yes, I was there. I still have to stop the war, but I think I'm well on the way to getting you 'out of this mess'."
"Damn."
"Doctor. I believe my son and I are ready. I think we can leave things here to Marshal Tult."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I believe you're right. Marshal, I suggest you organize some work crews. I will be taking your laborers with me. Take all control bands and units to the lab, then leave the area quickly. This station is about to develop a very large hole."
The king, his son, and the pilot helped the Doctor free the laborers. No more had died. Jess had been put in charge of them and they were actually in better condition. He had disobeyed the fat man's orders and begun feeding them several times a day. The marshal had assigned him the post and ignored the reports of pilfered supplies. The station had been in a state of near rebellion before the king arrived.
The laborers helped carry the results of Data's work into the TARDIS. The Doctor watched the crew of the station as they brought control devices in and piled them on the floor. They seemed quite happy to be getting rid of them. Especially Jess. The Doctor smiled as h
e listened to his cheerful whistling. When he was informed all had been delivered, he finished his work, dashed through the TARDIS doors and set course for Liberty. The lab blew up as the TARDIS disappeared.
The president and Neaht both arrived within a few minutes of the Doctor's landing. The freed men helped unload the TARDIS. Myrna shook her head and smiled. She called for assistance. So did Neaht. Neither was capable of caring for nearly fifty hungry infants alone. Data was pleased with the noisy babies and wobbly colts. He had succeeded in bringing all of the viable embryos to birth weight. He had not lost one.
The freed men were released in the city. They would spread the word the king was alive. The king and prince accompanied the Doctor to visit the tarkaalats.
"I am the Doctor. I am a Time Lord. You have involved me in your war. I have come to stop it. I believe you know this gentleman."
"Logiss, I believed we could share this world. It is large and capable of supporting both our peoples. You have chosen otherwise. I give you twelve hours to remove yourselves. At that time, I shall order the detonation of the explosives buried beneath your city. You see, your offers of friendship and aid were a bit too good to be true. I had them planted before I gave you this place. Any attack on my people will negate your twelve hour grace period. You will also deliver to this room any cloned telepaths who are now in your growth chambers."
There were no children or colts in the chambers, so the king walked back into the TARDIS. The Doctor followed.
"Your Majesty, do you really have the city mined?"
"No, Doctor, but they don't know that. Now, I believe we have one more stop to make. I'm looking forward to it. By the way, I'd appreciate it if you'd call me Dern. My son is Gerd. I'm only Your Majesty on formal occasions and then only because the people seem to want me to be."
"Dern, I wish I could say I wasn't looking forward to our next stop."
They landed in the throne room. Tish seldom used it. She was too obese to descend and climb the stairs often. The king took his throne and called for the general.
"I understand you have devised a method to rehabilitate the poor souls created for, and ruthlessly violated in, this obscene form of warfare. The war is over, Jisl. Order it into action."
The general's face lit up. "Immediately, Your Majesty!"
"Dern, Jisl. We've known each other since we were boys. Bring my niece here. And her fat friend Posch too."
"I would be delighted."
"Doctor, I'm afraid I lost my temper on the space station. I cannot do that here. I have no proof my niece was responsible for the device on the aircraft. I must ask you to do something. I would avoid it if possible. I ask you testify."
The women were escorted before the throne. The king sent everyone except the general, the prince and the two from the room, then turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, your testimony."
His rage returned as he spoke. The king's face hardened and the prince shook with anger. The general gasped when the Doctor told of the last command sequence he had received through the control band.
The king stood. "I believe you were responsible for the bomb on my aircraft. If you were, you are guilty of treason. It is a crime punishable by death, but I have called you here to answer for a greater crime. I condemn you to death for the abuse of the Doctor's children. Execute them." The general shot them both.
The Doctor turned and entered the TARDIS. Data was waiting. He closed the doors and engaged the drive. They landed on the ship and the Doctor went to the bridge.
Doc stopped Diz from following him. "No. He doesn't want to talk. He's not past whatever happened. Leave him. He's moved out of the TARDIS so we can get into it. He'll come to us when he's ready. Let's give our lessons to Data."
They left him alone for two days. He walked into the galley where they were all seated around the table and joined them. He smiled and said, "We've a few small chores, then we're going fishing. I know a place where the gumblejack... " They laughed. They'd all heard this fish story before.
The Doctor pulled stacks of currency from the air and paid the man in cash. He was a bit short, so he called Albert. Albert was delighted with the idea and called friends. A very large endowment was made. The boys scrambled to unmodify and the Doctor complained about tripping over things in the TARDIS corridors. Loudly.
"Dr. Glace, you're wanted at the spaceport! They want to know when you want them to begin work on the ship!"
"Ship! Oh my, what has he done now? I'll get my coat. Have our accountant meet me there. We'd better take some of the senior staff with us. We'll probably need them."
The last thing she had done was the installation of the plaque and the small change on the exterior logo. The plaque read, "White Knight Foundation, Hospital Ship One. Dedicated to the saving of lives in the spirit of mercy and the one who showed the way." The question mark on the white chess piece was replaced with a pink rose.
Epilogue
They spent three months wandering. An extended fishing vacation. They shared the joy of just being together. Diz told the Doctor he was right. Nothing compared with the taste of bass cooked over an open fire, but gumblejack was a close second.
"It's time. I remember it. Reality hurts."
"Yes, Tech, it's time. I shall miss you. All of you. Data, I have a request. Let's sit in the cloisters. The boys have a small celebration to prepare."
"Come on. We've got packing to do and a farewell party to organize."
"Hang on a minute, Tech. It hurts. He hurts."
"I know, Doc. It's why he seldom says good-by. Diz and I will be in the wardrobe."
Worf looked at the three young men with Data. His instincts had been right. Something had been on the holodeck. "At ease, Lieutenant. These are my godsons. I am taking them to the captain."
"Yes, Commander."
Riker turned to Deanna and raised his eyebrows. She just shook her head.
"Captain, these are my godsons, Adric, Peral and Restin."
"Good day, Captain Picard. Please, call me Tech. My brothers are Doc and Diz. We've been looking forward to this meeting. Our father holds you in high esteem."
The captain shook hands with them, then turned to Data for an explanation. "Sir, if you look closely, you will know who their father is."
Captain Picard was surprised. It was unlike Data to withhold information. He did as he was asked and realized he did indeed know whose sons they were. "Are you triplets?"
Diz grinned. "No, Captain, we're half-brothers, but all our mothers were named Guinevere and; give or take a universe, several thousand years, and a dimension or two, we're all the same age. We call ourselves the Knight boys."
Data made the request and Captain Picard made the arrangements. He set up transport before the results were in. He had no doubt they would succeed. He noticed Data's smile looked much more natural. He had evidently been practicing.
Gwen sprinkled the powder over the sleeping child and smiled. It would give him a terrible cough, but it wouldn't last long. Just long enough to make him miss a shuttle. It was the last thing her mother had asked her to do. She hurried out of the room and down the corridor. She didn't want to be out of the TARDIS long. She was very happy. It was a wonderful day. Her dad was waiting for her. They were on their way to her sister's wedding reception. And the future was beautiful.
"A reception committee of one. Enter, enter. I'm Diz, he's Doc, that's Tech."
"Hello, I got a message from my mom to look you up. I'm Wesley Crusher.
Welcome to Starfleet Academy."
TOO SHORT A SPAN
Alone
Take Mel back to where the future waits.
Miss Peri
Is she happy?
Alone
Short span in the life of a Time Lord.
Forty years
Not that much
What did happen?
Alone
Just a little bump on Lakertya.
Then you've gone
I miss you
Just forty years?
I'll dream your adventures and fill them
And you'll no longer be
Alone
Thank you, Colin, for creating the sixth Doctor.
Sharon L Reddy
'Midst the first snow
Douglas, Alaska USA
October 29, 1991
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