{"id":451,"date":"2016-02-02T22:54:52","date_gmt":"2016-02-03T05:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jcmckenna.com\/?p=451"},"modified":"2021-02-20T17:42:23","modified_gmt":"2021-02-21T00:42:23","slug":"old-soldiers-a-doctor-who-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?p=451","title":{"rendered":"Old Soldiers — a Doctor Who story"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who<\/em> since I was five years old, sitting too close to the TV every weeknight at 7 on PBS (WGBH in Boston). At that age, it scared the ever-living crap out of me (Sarah Jane’s android clone losing it’s face, anyone?) but I loved it. When I was around eight years old (I think), a friend of the family who knew what a budding young fan I was brought me my first piece of memorabilia from the show — a signed photo of Nicholas Courtney, the Brigadier, personalized to little ol’ me. He was, it turned out, a friend of a friend of a friend, and our friend came home from a trip out west with the treasure in tow. The Brigadier became my favorite character on the show. It didn’t take much to buy my loyalty.<\/p>\n

Fast forward three(ish) decades: Doctor Who<\/em> is set to return to the airwaves after an absence of sixteen years. I say to myself, “Well, if I ever had the chance to write an episode, it’d have to be one for the Brigadier.” Not that the opportunity was every going to come my way, of course, but it was a nice dream.<\/p>\n

And then Nicholas Courtney died, and my hopes of ever seeing the Brigadier on Doctor Who<\/em> disappeared (and don’t tell me he made it onto The Sarah Jane Adventures — that doesn’t count). I thought they did a lovely job of acknowledging his passing towards the end of David Tennant’s run. That should have been the end. And then there came “Death in Heaven” and the whole dead arising as Cybermen and oh my god what are they doing to the Brig?! <\/em>I know it’s only a TV show, but I was livid. It felt like the producers were pissing on the man’s grave. Awful. And then I started thinking about the imaginary episode I would’ve written, and I decided it was time to give the man a better exit. So, here’s my stab at it. I don’t do fan fiction, well, ever. Probably won’t again after this. But here’s to you, Brigadier. And you, too, Mr. Courtney. Thanks for making an eight-year-old boy happy.<\/p>\n

NB: I haven’t done much revision on this.<\/p>\n

Old Soldiers (or, Another One Fades Away)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This story takes place somewhere after “Flatline” and before “Dark Water.” It completely mucks up the timeline. I don’t care.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

It was somewhere between the dessert and the coffee when it dawned on Brigadier Sir Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart that perhaps Judith was ending their affair. It was their fifth date \u2013 dinner out, coat and tie required, and then there was to be an outing to the Barbican \u2013 and Judith had done most of the heavy conversational lifting, chatting gaily about her gardening club\u2019s upcoming charity auction and her grandson\u2019s first day of school. However, the weight of his preoccupation prevented her words from making any real sense. All he could hear were the doctor\u2019s words cycling over and over.<\/p>\n

Hodgkin\u2019s.<\/em><\/p>\n

Stage 2.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDamned unfair,\u201d was all he could think. And somehow an entire dinner had passed by with him barely noticing. It was only as he lifted the last bite of trifle to his mouth that he noticed that Judith had grown quiet and stopped looking him in the eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heel,\u201d he thought to himself. \u201cIt\u2019s not her fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yet, Lethbridge-Stewart could not bring himself to speak.<\/p>\n

Outside the restaurant, the two stood in uncomfortable quiet, waiting for the valet to bring his car around.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d he said at last. \u201cOne of the Henry\u2019s tonight, then, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Judith sighed and turned to him with a sad smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think,\u201d she said, \u201cthat this is where I say goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n

He braced himself for the inevitable.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a lovely man, Alistair,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m glad Kate introduced us. You\u2019re lucky to have a daughter like her looking out for your happiness. But you\u2019re not ready for that, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn\u2019t make the words escape.<\/p>\n

Judith kissed him on the cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye, Alistair. You can call me when you\u2019re ready to move on,\u201d she said. \u201cBut right now, I don\u2019t have room for any more sadness in my life. I have enough of my own, already.\u201d<\/p>\n

And then she hired a taxi and went on her way, leaving him to drive himself home.<\/p>\n

All along the back roads to the country house, Lethbridge-Stewart fell into the internal monologue that had become a grating and too-familiar soundtrack to his everyday comings and goings.<\/p>\n

Doris has been dead and gone for ten years. Why can\u2019t I move on? Why was I so desperate to retire? Did I really think endless games of mahjong with the boys at the old soldiers home was going to replace the excitement of a life with UNIT? But soldiering and alien fighting is a young man\u2019s game and when did I get so old? And is it really going to end with a whimper?<\/em><\/p>\n

And will <\/em>he ever bother to come visit before it\u2019s all over?<\/em><\/p>\n

So entrenched was the Brigadier in his musings that he almost didn\u2019t notice when the Bentley came to a dead stop of its own accord on the dark stretch of road through the Epping Forest, its power draining away. The blinding light that streamed from the sky down onto his immobile vehicle, however, snapped him out of his reverie and gave him a jolt of adrenaline.<\/p>\n

His first thought was, \u201cBloody clich\u00e9. Is this someone\u2019s idea of a joke?\u201d As he felt the warmth of a strange energy begin to course through his body, that thought rapidly changed to, \u201cThis again?\u201d which then quickly caromed to, \u201cThat\u2019s more like it,\u201d as he felt his body dissolve into the light.<\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

Strong.<\/em><\/p>\n

Virile.<\/em><\/p>\n

Powerful.<\/em><\/p>\n

He hasn\u2019t felt this good in a long time. But there is very little time to appreciate the sense of renewed vigor. The street outside St. Paul\u2019s is eerily quiet, until the moment the manhole cover flies up from its resting place. The Brigadier watches, swallowing the initial moment of panic, as the bland, silver face of the Cyberman rises out from its hiding place below the street.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDelta pattern!\u201d he calls out to the UNIT soldiers behind him. \u201cOn my signal, five rounds rapid!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

The TARDIS had remapped itself again.<\/p>\n

\u201cA little warning, next time!\u201d the Doctor said, slapping his hands against the railings. \u201cA little consultation, perhaps!\u201d<\/p>\n

The TARDIS hummed in reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, at least, that you didn\u2019t jettison the butterfly room.\u201d<\/p>\n

His grey and lanky frame stalked up and down unfamiliar, half-remembered corridors, ancient eyes under sharp brows taking in the ship\u2019s new terrain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love the butterfly room! I\u2019ve been looking forward to the butterfly room all week! I said to myself, \u2018Doctor, once you\u2019ve got the near civil war amongst these vermiforms de-escalated and sorted out, you\u2019ll have earned yourself a nice, relaxing day in the butterfly room.\u2019 Now where is it?!\u201d<\/p>\n

The TARDIS chirped, a sound like an eight-bit cricket.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you chirp at me!\u201d<\/p>\n

Chirrup!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWatch your tone with me, old girl. I\u2019m not in the mood. I\u2019m not the one redecorating without discussing it first!\u201d<\/p>\n

Chirrup!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWait, why do I know this alarm?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chirrup!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an important alarm. Why is this an important alarm?\u201d<\/p>\n

The only answer was the wheezing, groaning sound of the TARDIS engines coming to life.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now we\u2019re moving. There\u2019s an important alarm, and now we\u2019re moving and I\u2019m not steering and . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

The full memory crashed into the wall at the front of his mind.<\/p>\n

Bugger<\/em>!<\/p>\n

\u201cLook out,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cI am about to be very, very cross with someone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

Tied to a chair, and he can see nothing for the blazing light that shines in his face. They haven\u2019t hurt him deliberately. Not yet, at least. And yet, he steels himself for what he is certain is the inevitable.<\/em><\/p>\n

A voice, garbled by excessive volume over a cheap loudspeaker, barks out the question once again.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is the Doctor?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Again, he gives the same answer<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLethbridge-Stewart. Alistair. Brigadier. Service number 8648-2457.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou will tell us the whereabouts of the alien entity known as the Doctor!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLethbridge-Stewart. Alistair. Brigadier. Service number 8648-2457.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLead us to the Doctor!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLethbridge-Stewart. Alistair. Brigadier. Service number 8648-2457!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

\u201cKate Lethbridge-Stewart!\u201d called the Doctor as he slammed the TARDIS door behind him. \u201cI swear they could put a doomsday device in front of you with a label that read \u2018Press to end world\u2019 and, as long as it was a shiny red button, you\u2019d press it!\u201d<\/p>\n

His tirade was met by the silence of the empty room.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said. \u201cDid I make my entrance too soon? Would you like me to step back in the TARDIS and give you a chance to finish rallying the troops?\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, no answer was forthcoming. The Doctor glared accusingly at the pegboard against the wall and the old push mower in the corner.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd why the devil am I in your garage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not my garage,\u201d said the tall man who walked in through the doorway to the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s still a garage,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, getting hijacked by shadowy government organizations certainly lacks the romance and panache of the old days, now, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a government kidnapping, sir,\u201d said the man as he stepped into the light. \u201cJust me, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor looked his abductor up and down. He was a tall man, old by earth standards, with a thick head of grey hair rising up from a pronounced widow\u2019s peak. He carried himself, despite age, with a stiff and upright spine. But it was the way he looked at the Doctor that gave his identity away \u2013 at attention, ready for duty, and waiting for orders.<\/p>\n

\u201cSergeant Benton?\u201d asked the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir,\u201d said Benton. \u201cOnly it\u2019s \u2018Mister,\u2019 now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got old,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got . . . Scottish,\u201d said Benton, not taking the bait.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d said the Doctor, \u201cand I think I got the better end of that deal. Don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you think I was Kate?\u201d asked Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe TARDIS,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cShe responded to the emergency recall button.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave that to the Brigadier years ago to use in case of the most dire planetary emergency. The only one I have ever handed out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what does that have to do with you thinking it was Kate who pushed it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, obviously after the old boy died, it would have passed on to her. And you know she can\u2019t resist a shiny, red button.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s not really a shiny, red button,\u201d said Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a metaphor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the Brigadier\u2019s not dead, sir. He\u2019s only gone missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh! Oh, that\u2019s adorable. \u2018Only gone missing.\u2019 I suppose you still believe your parents took your old dog to some happy, idyllic retirement farm, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever owned a dog,\u201d said Benton. \u201cAnd the Brigadier\u2019s still not dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be an idiot, of course he\u2019s dead. Saw it with my own two eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I got a phone call, at least. Practically like being there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor, I was the one who pushed the button.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell what did you do that for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you. Because the Brig\u2019s gone missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat year is this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Benton told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn! A hijacked TARDIS and I\u2019ve crossed my own timeline?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t know a thing about that, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how can you be so sure the old boy hasn\u2019t just gone on impromptu holiday? Run off with a lady-friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLady-friend showed him the door the other night,\u201d said Benton. \u201cThat was the first clue something was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, he\u2019s probably safely embedded down the pub. Drowning his sorrows.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not the Brig, and you know it,\u201d said Benton. \u201cBesides, I already looked there. No sign of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor grunted, and turned away to inspect the dusted over mower in the corner. \u201cWhat was your next clue?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI visit with him once a month to check in on him. Lunch at the Victory Services. Tall tales over old scotch. He never showed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot like him, either, I suppose?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d said Benton. \u201cBut then it was the call from Kate that clinched it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did she say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey found his car abandoned in the middle of the Epping New Road. No sign of struggle or break in. Closed up, gassed up, and dead as a doornail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe abandoned the Bentley?\u201d The Doctor turned away from the gardening equipment and had his full attention aimed squarely at Benton. \u201cTake me to where they found it. Bring the button!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

He has stood on bloodier battlefields. Watched good men die in horrid ways. He has always given war and its aftermath the healthy fear and respect they deserved. How could he not? Only a madman relishes such death and destruction.<\/em><\/p>\n

But he does not want to be here. Bright white, sterile, and reeking of antiseptic and death crueler than any soldier\u2019s fate.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGrandpa, tell me a story.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The dark-haired little figure in the hospital bed stirs, tangled in tubes and wires.<\/em><\/p>\n

Not this, he thinks. <\/em>Not again.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGrandpa?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The little voice breaks through any further thoughts of resistance. The lad needs him and he\u2019ll give him anything his heart desires, up until the last.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here, Gordy,\u201d he says as sits down at his grandson\u2019s bedside, his home for the last three months, the last home he\u2019ll every really know.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me a story?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. What story would you like?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me another story about the Doctor.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

And so he does.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

\u201cThe car\u2019s already been towed away, Doctor. I don\u2019t know what you hope to find here without it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor had been pacing in an ever-widening spiral near where the Brigadier\u2019s Bentley had been discovered.<\/p>\n

\u201cSigns of abduction,\u201d said the Doctor. He\u2019d been waving the sonic screwdriver up and down, back and forth, and periodically staring into the light from its tip.<\/p>\n

\u201cI already said there were no signs of struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere wouldn\u2019t be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s an energy residue here,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cA faint hint of tachyons.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor stopped in his tracks and gave Benton an expectant look.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Benton only returned the look, one eyebrow cocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a rubbish assistant,\u201d said the Doctor as he went back to his pacing. \u201cWhy don\u2019t I just play all the parts then?<\/p>\n

Benton shook his head and continued watching the Doctor pace.<\/p>\n

\u201cTachyons, Doctor<\/em>?\u201d the Doctor asked himself, pitching his voice towards falsetto. \u201cA subatomic particle. Faster than light. But what does it mean, Doctor<\/em>? See,\u201d he said pointing an accusing finger at Benton, \u201cthat\u2019s the question you\u2019re supposed to be asking. Tachyon residue means there\u2019s been some sort of matter transporter employed nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d said Benton, \u201cyou\u2019re saying the Brigadier was beamed away somewhere?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the spirit! We\u2019ll have you trained yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sergeant. It means the Brigadier has been beamed \u2013 as you so quaintly put it.\u201d The Doctor stuck his finger in the air as if to test the wind, and then licked his fingertip. \u201cAnd it would seem only a relatively short ways away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRelatively?\u201d asked Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cMid-range beam,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cCouldn\u2019t be more than a hundred million kilometers away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA hundred million<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! No. Stop asking questions. I\u2019ve changed my mind. The role doesn\u2019t suit you at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack into the TARDIS. Now. \u201c<\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then the Doctor blew up the house with all the Daleks inside. The invasion was over, and the future was saved. The end.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The boy looks up at him with wide, admiring eyes.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCould we play it out, grandpa?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you\u2019re up to it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI think so,\u201d says the boy, sitting up. \u201cFor a little while.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m guessing you\u2019d like to be the Doctor.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The boy shakes his head.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, silly. I want to be a Dalek!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

\u201cHand over that recall button,\u201d said the Doctor. His head was buried in a tangle of wires underneath the TARDIS console, and all Benton could see was one long-fingered hand waving its demand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat good will it do?\u201d asked Benton. \u201cI thought that thing was one-time-use only.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but it\u2019s linked to the Brigadier. If he hadn\u2019t been in such danger, you wouldn\u2019t have been able to press it at all. I\u2019m hoping that there\u2019s still enough of a residual link between him and this that I can reverse polarity and use it as a homing device. Like a BPS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBPS?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrigadier Positioning System.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benton almost didn\u2019t roll his eyes. \u201cWill that work?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t know until we try, will we?\u201d The Doctor leapt up from under the console. \u201cHang on tight. We\u2019re about to travel without a flight plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor pulled a lever and the TARDIS began its wheezing, groaning shout as the central column pulsed, but then there was a loud crashing noise from somewhere beneath the console and then a stutter in the wheeze. The light of the central column grew in intensity until Benton swore he could feel it give off a burning heat. There was another crash, and the floor shook beneath their feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this normal?\u201d Benton shouted as the stuttering groan of the TARDIS engines edged out the sound of his voice.<\/p>\n

The Doctor grabbed on to the console to steady himself, but quickly pulled his hands away as a dial burned his palm.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely not,\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n

The light from the central column was almost blinding.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake cover!\u201d yelled the Doctor, but far too late. The TARDIS\u2019 engines screamed in fury as the column seemed to shatter and the world gave over to a bright, white nothing.<\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

\u201cHold the Daleks here,\u201d the Doctor cries over the sound of rapid gun fire.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d shouts the Brigadier over his shoulder as he fires into the tunnel where the Daleks and their Ogron slaves are emerging.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to get back into Auderly House and prevent Shura from detonating that bomb!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard the man, Sergeant! Stand your ground and keep those murderous little tin cans at bay!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Doctor runs for the house, but stops a few steps short of the front door as a wave of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu overtakes him.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done this,\u201d he says, and turns on his heel, storming back toward the battle. \u201cHang on! Stop!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He\u2019s surprised when the battle pauses all around him. Bullets and energy beams pause in midair and soldiers, human and alien, drop their arms by their sides, helpless and confused.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat now, Doctor?\u201d asks the Brigadier.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done this one, already.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat one?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis . . . caper. Daleks. Ogrons. I distinctly remember putting this affair to bed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSTOP!\u201d cries a rheumy electric voice.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGranted,\u201d says the Doctor, \u201cit was quite a few mes ago, but my memory\u2019s still in tip top shape.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSTOOOP IIIT!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd one of the nice things about finishing an adventure . . .\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU\u2019RE RUINING THE STORY!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c. . . is not having to do it over again and <\/em>is that Dalek whining?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU\u2019RE RUINING EVERYTHING!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Doctor strides over to the Dalek, sonic screwdriver in hand.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are, aren\u2019t you? You\u2019re whining!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSILENCE!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU WILL COMPLY!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDo I look like the complicit sort to you? Who do you think I am?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYOU ARE THE DOCTOR! YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF THE DALEKS!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am! And what do Daleks do to their enemies?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEXTERMINATE!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRight! So, have at it then. Exterminate me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

They stare at each other then, eyeball to eyestalk. The Dalek does not move.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cJust as I thought,\u201d says the Doctor. \u201cA phony.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA phantom.\u201d He cranks the sonic screwdriver and points it at the Dalek\u2019s single eye. \u201cA dream.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The screwdriver whines and the world returns to white nothing.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

The Doctor opened his eyes as soon as his retinas ceased their burning. For a moment he thought he was in a coffin, but gravity and his inner ear told him he was upright. A slender crown of wires was wrapped around his head. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the dark around him, and he could see the sleeping pods where the others had been deposited. Benton had started to stir, and the Brigadier was shaking his head, his eyes still closed, as if to throw off a discomfited sleep. He untangled the wires from his hair and stepped out to help the others.<\/p>\n

He looked at the Brigadier as his old friend tried to acclimate.<\/p>\n

Old<\/em>, thought the Doctor. When did that happen<\/em>?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere the devil are we?\u201d Lethbridge-Stewart asked, sharp and in command. His voice, the Doctor noted, had not aged nearly as much as his body.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeep space freighter by the looks of this hold,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cShall I get the lay of the land?\u201d Benton had fallen behind and to the left of the Brigadier, ready to leap into action, and the Doctor couldn\u2019t help but smirk at how easily the old soldier had returned to familiar patterns.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenton?\u201d The Brigadier was stunned for a moment by the appearance of his old comrade, but he, too, quickly fell back into his old role. \u201cFind us a way out of this room Sergeant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d Benton snapped a sharp salute and began to explore the perimeter of the hold.<\/p>\n

Lethbridge-Stewart stared across at the stranger who\u2019d arrived with Benton. He was tall and thin, with wavy, grey hair. It was the eyes, however, that gave him away. The man looked merely old, but the eyes were filled with knowledge far more ancient and sad. The Brigadier looked down and away from them, somewhat frightened by all those eyes had seen, at which point he noticed the coat \u2013 well tailored and sporting just a flash of red on the inner lining.<\/p>\n

He always did like his coats<\/em>, he thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou came,\u201d he said to the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have much choice,\u201d said the Time Lord. \u201cBenton went and pushed the emergency recall button.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but why not before? Why haven\u2019t I seen you in so long?\u201d<\/p>\n

A hard look crossed over the Doctor\u2019s face, but it couldn\u2019t mask the momentary flash of grief in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s find the TARDIS and get you home,\u201d he said and he started to explore the wall opposite Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it this time?\u201d asked the Brigadier. \u201cCybermen? Ice Warriors?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of the usual suspects,\u201d said the Doctor. They\u2019d stopped in front of a terminal in the wall, labeled with an unfamiliar script. \u201cI don\u2019t recognize the alphabet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor tapped away at the surface of the touchscreen, but could not get a response. He fished the sonic screwdriver out of his coat pocket and aimed it at the screen, it\u2019s high whine modulating as he twisted the handle looking for a frequency that might get a response.<\/p>\n

The Brigadier\u2019s eardrums throbbed at the sound of the klaxon that suddenly filled the hold. A red glow pulsed throughout the room, and a mechanical voice called out over and over in an alien language.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease tell me,\u201d he said, \u201cthat I\u2019m being culturally insensitive when I assume that\u2019s a bad sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d said the Doctor, \u201cthat almost universally means something awful is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cABANDON SHIP! ALL HANDS! PROCEED TO THE NEAREST LIFEBOAT! ABANDON SHIP!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The electronic voice became coherent as the TARDIS\u2019s psychic language circuit cut in to translate.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd this time,\u201d said the Doctor, \u201cwould be no exception.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSergeant!\u201d called the Brigadier. \u201cThat door would be useful sooner than now!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s one here,\u201d Benton called back, \u201cbut it\u2019s sealed tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot an insurmountable problem,\u201d said the Doctor as he sprinted across the hold. The screwdriver whined, and they were rewarded with the sound of a metal thunk as the door unbarred.<\/p>\n

The three stepped out into a corridor, dark except for the red pulse of the emergency light. The Doctor played at another terminal, tweaking it with the screwdriver.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive me a bloody map,\u201d he said, growling at the computer.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour TARDIS is hardly likely to show up on the ship\u2019s computer,\u201d said Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cI\u2019m looking for the closest canteen. It\u2019ll be the safest place on board for us to regroup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benton kept asking questions as the Doctor fiddled with the controls, but the sounds of talk and alarms grew more and more meaningless to the Brigadier. He was overwhelmed by the sense of something familiar nearby, and he began looking about for the source.<\/p>\n

The sound of a boyish giggle echoed through the corridor, but neither the Doctor nor Benton gave any sign that they\u2019d heard it. Out of the corner of his left eye, the Brigadier thought he saw a flash of someone running past the nearest junction, a streak of blue striped pajama. The giggle echoed down the adjoining corridor. He turned to follow it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrigadier?\u201d Benton called after his old commander.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrigadier!\u201d the Doctor shouted and followed after him. The Brigadier walked dreamily down the corridor and pushed his way in through a door on the left. The Doctor and Benton ran behind him to catch up and nearly crashed into his backside as he stopped short just inside. Chairs and tables were scattered about the floor in various states of uprightness.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave it to the officer to know his way to the closest mess,\u201d said the Doctor. But, Lethbridge-Stewart didn\u2019t hear the jibe and instead looked about the room with eyes seemingly unfocused.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d asked the Doctor.<\/p>\n

The Brigadier shook his head as if to clear it. \u201cI thought I saw . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSaw what, sir?\u201d asked Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d said the Brigadier, snapping back to full attention. \u201cJust some phantom residue of whatever this ship was piping into my head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if you\u2019re finished with the wool gathering,\u201d said the Doctor, \u201cwe need to find out what\u2019s going on with this ship and find a way back to the TARDIS.\u201d He began pacing about the perimeter of the canteen, kicking fallen chairs out of his path. \u201cThere should be a terminal for the ship\u2019s computer somewhere,\u201d he said, running his hands along a wall, \u201c . . . ah, here.\u201d He slid a panel in the wall aside and uncovered a large screen. His fingers danced over the alien hieroglyphs that glowed a warm amber, and the screen went dead as he did.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo you don\u2019t,\u201d said the Doctor. He aimed his sonic screwdriver at the terminal. \u201cWe\u2019ve had enough games for today, don\u2019t you think? It\u2019s been a lovely tea party, but it\u2019s time to go home.\u201d The glow of terminal returned, growing in intensity along with the whine of the screwdriver. \u201cNow, show me the ship\u2019s logs.\u201d He moved to touch a glyph and watched as it slipped away from his finger to another corner of the screen. For a moment, he thought he could hear the computer giggling at him. He chased the icon about the screen for several seconds before hitting the wall next to the terminal with a growl. \u201cI need to see those logs!\u201d<\/p>\n

NO!<\/em><\/p>\n

For a moment, the Doctor couldn\u2019t tell if the voice was echoing in his head or up and down the ship\u2019s corridors.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid any of you hear that?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

The Brigadier nodded. \u201cChild\u2019s voice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a petulant one, at that,\u201d said the Doctor. He held the screwdriver high over his head. \u201cAll right, you little urchin, that\u2019s enough! Let me see those logs or I\u2019ll see to it you never have play time again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The terminal went dark, again, and the Doctor moved to turn on the screwdriver, but stopped as a more colorful glow replaced the amber icons. A face filled the screen, now \u2013 humanoid and amphibian all at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cShip\u2019s log,\u201d it said. The voice was feminine, and colored with the strain of someone trying not to show panic. \u201cThe contamination in the main fuel cells reached critical mass two hours ago, and the engines have gone offline. We\u2019re adrift, and worse than that we\u2019ve been pulled into orbit around this systems sun, but not at a sufficient speed. If I can\u2019t redirect enough power to burn a course correction, our orbit will slowly decay. We\u2019ll be a ghost ship slowly crashing into the sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m redirecting all available remaining power to the attitude thrusters. I\u2019ll try one last hard burn to put us back on a safer drifting course, or at least give us enough speed to stabilize orbit, and then pray someone\u2019s close by to pick up our distress call. Life support will remain powered on. All other power is being diverted. I\u2019m sorry, Thrax, that means you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstood, ma\u2019am,\u201d said an electronic voice. \u201cAre you prepared to steer a manual course correction?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re about to find out. I\u2019ll reboot you once the maneuver\u2019s finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll cargo has been ejected. I\u2019ve ordered the crew to the life boats. If this works, I\u2019ll send them the recall signal. Otherwise, they\u2019ve been ordered to find safe harbor. End log.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBad break,\u201d said Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cShow me the next log,\u201d he called out into the empty space.<\/p>\n

The captain\u2019s face filled the screen once more. This time, she did little to hide the desperation in her voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cShip\u2019s log. The maneuver has failed. We\u2019ve drifted further than I\u2019d anticipated. We\u2019re down to reserve power, and I\u2019m leaving it channeled to life support and the suspension chambers. If I\u2019m going down with the ship, I\u2019m doing it in a virtual resort. End log.\u201d<\/p>\n

The screen went blank, but the quickly lit up again.<\/p>\n

\u201cShip\u2019s log. Addendum. There\u2019s something off about Thrax. I think the reboot scuttled his personality matrix. Here\u2019s hoping neither of us have to wait long for the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

The screen went dark again and the amber glow of the terminal glyphs returned. The Doctor tapped at a few more of the icons. \u201cOne life boat left,\u201d he said. \u201cNormally, I\u2019d call that a sinister coincidence but given the circumstances, a gift horse in the hand is worth two in the ointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor dashed out of the canteen with the two old UNIT hands close behind. \u201cOnce we\u2019re safely away, I should be able to home in on the whereabouts of the TARDIS. I don\u2019t suppose,\u201d he called out into the empty corridor, \u201cyou\u2019d like to show us the way?\u201d He was answered by the echo of his own voice. \u201cThought not. Follow me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you know where you\u2019re going?\u201d asked the Brigadier.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cAnd that\u2019s served me well over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d said Benton as they traversed the ship. \u201cIf the power\u2019s almost gone, how did the ship beam us all up here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSelf contained system,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cLast thing you want in a good transmat is wires getting crossed so something or someone ends up lost in the navigational computer. Or the coffee maker.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benton shuddered at the image.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis way,\u201d said the Doctor, heading down a stairway.<\/p>\n

Grandpa?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not your grandpa, you little brat. Stop playing,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

The Brigadier stopped midway down the staircase and tried to shake the voice out of his head. It\u2019s not Gordy<\/em>, he told himself. Don\u2019t let it get to you like this<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Doctor turned around to look back at his old friend. \u201cDo you need to rest a moment? The pod\u2019s not going anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lethbridge-Stewart wasn\u2019t sure if his sense of unease was inflamed more by the voice of his dead grandson or the look of near pity in the Doctor\u2019s eyes. Don\u2019t let him see you waver<\/em>. He shook his head and moved to catch up with the other two.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pod bays should be somewhere around here.\u201d The Doctor had stopped at several terminals now in dogged search of a map, but the computer was not interested in helping.<\/p>\n

Come and find me<\/em>, it giggled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think our good captain was right,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cThe reboot of the ship\u2019s computer scrambled the AI\u2019s personality matrix. It\u2019s started over as a child. Here!\u201d<\/p>\n

The trio had turned down a long corridor lined with bay doors to the ship\u2019s life boats. There was only one set of doors unmarked by the red launch light.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Thrax, this has been a picnic, but we\u2019re going home now.\u201d The Doctor pressed the button by the door, but the lifeboat did not open. \u201cThat\u2019s enough! You open this door right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

NO!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d said the Doctor. He gave the sonic screwdriver a twist and plunge. It\u2019s high whistle echoed across the corridor until finally a light turned green and the life boat doors slid open. Lights snapped on in the pod, and the Doctor\u2019s shoulders slumped, defeated, as he looked inside.<\/p>\n

foooooled yoooou<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTwo seats,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cShall we draw straws?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou both go,\u201d said the Brigadier.<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cYou and Benton get in. I\u2019ll plot you a course for Earth and then I can find another way to the TARDIS.\u201d He punched at a button on the panel, and was rewarded with the sound of an electronic raspberry. More buttons only produced the same results. \u201cLocked out. Of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo much for heroics,\u201d said the Brigadier. \u201cIf there\u2019s another way, then it looks like we all go together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019re going to need to give the transmat a boost,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cAnd we\u2019re going to need the captain. Back to the suspension pods.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three wound their way through the corridors, backtracking to the bay where they\u2019d begun.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy the captain?\u201d asked Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf our little toddler computer\u2019s data is still intact, then I\u2019m guessing the captain\u2019s voice pattern is still in the files. We\u2019ll need to override power systems if we\u2019re going to get enough juice into the transport array. It could take days playing peekaboo with that petulant little snot to make that happen. Or instead, we could wake up mommy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lights and klaxon had ceased in the cargo hold.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking for another suspension pod, like the ones we woke up in,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s dozens over there,\u201d said Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind the one that feels warm. It\u2019ll be the only one still drawing power.\u201d<\/p>\n

After several minutes of searching, Benton called out from a dark corner of the bay.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver here!\u201d<\/p>\n

But the Brigadier called out nearly at the same time. \u201cThis one\u2019s still warm, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Filled with a dread curiosity, the Doctor reached over to the pod at his left and felt a warm hum.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought the Captain said she\u2019d sent the crew away,\u201d said Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe there weren\u2019t enough life boats,\u201d said the Brigadier.<\/p>\n

The Doctor looked over at the open pods where he and his friends had emerged, and a sick knot twisted in his gut. He tapped at the controls on the pod under his hand and stared into the opening door with horrified fascination.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think this is the crew,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A face stared back at the Doctor, its eyes wide with terror, its mouth twisted in a grimace of death. It was not the amphibian face of the captain, but rather a human one. He stalked over to the pod where the Brigadier stood and opened that one, too, and felt his gorge rise as another human face was unveiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many?\u201d asked the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many what?\u201d called out Benton.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many pods are still engaged?\u201d<\/p>\n

One by one, row by row, the Doctor and Benton moved among the suspension pods until the Doctor\u2019s fear was confirmed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re all running,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cAll occupied.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stormed about the bay, then, opening up pod by pod with a mounting fury, until at last they\u2019d uncovered every body within. They found the captain\u2019s pod last, her face as dead and twisted as the humans they had found.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d cried the Doctor. \u201cYou murderous little demon. What have you done?\u201d<\/p>\n

i didn\u2019t do it<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s dead, lambykins. They\u2019re all dead. Inside your little story boxes.\u201d<\/p>\n

IT WASN\u2019T ME<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was!\u201d<\/p>\n

NO nonononononooooooo<\/em><\/p>\n

The computer\u2019s voice faded away, wailing. The Doctor closed the lid on the suspension pod. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said as her face disappeared behind the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do we do now, then?\u201d asked the Brigadier.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlan C,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that would be . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need that life boat. Somehow we\u2019re going to have to fit the three of us in there. I don\u2019t trust that monster not to interfere with the transmat, even if we can boost it. We need to unlock the boat, and for that we need to get to the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benton and the Brigadier followed behind as the Doctor stalked towards the bridge, muttering all the way. The bridge was dark and deathly quiet. The only light there came through the windows, through which there loomed the great orange sun, still quite a distance away and yet somehow far too close to put the three men at their ease. The Doctor walked over to the captain\u2019s station, a single seat surrounded by sleek computer panels. He leaned over the controls and went to work trying to bring them to life.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me a story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor jumped and turned. A little boy, no more than five or six, sat in the captain\u2019s seat looking for all the world as if he belonged there. The Brigadier came round at the sound of his voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHologram,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cIgnore it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Brigadier stared at the boy. His heart was pounding and he found it hard to catch a breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me a story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d said the Doctor, continuing to tinker with the panels. \u201cOnce upon a time, there was an immature little AI who thought it could garner some sympathy with a little boy lost routine. It locked down the last life boat and thought it was oh-so-clever, but the brave Doctor and his wily companions managed to get off the ship and get home anyway. The end.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like that story,\u201d said the boy. \u201cI want monsters and explosions and a happy ending.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBusy,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me a story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell yourself one. No,\u201d he stopped and turned around to face the boy, \u201cyou tell me one. Tell me why you killed all those people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t,\u201d he said, crossing his arms with a scowl. \u201cIt\u2019s their fault. We played scary stories, and they got too scared, and then they stopped playing with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrightened to death,\u201d said the Doctor, turning back to the console. \u201cSelfish little . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me a story. The Doctor knows all the best stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true. But flattery won\u2019t help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to hear all the Doctor\u2019s stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d burn up in the sun before I\u2019d finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA story!\u201d There was panic in the AI\u2019s voice, now.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnlock that escape pod!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll leave me!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, we\u2019ll leave you! This ship is slowly crashing into the sun out there. I\u2019d rather not go with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to stay!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI bloody well do not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Doctor stays. And we play stories forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor turned again and looked the boy in the eyes. The first thing he noticed was the reflection of the sun in his irises. Sophisticated holography<\/em>, he thought. It was then that he noticed the tremble around the eyelids and the tears that welled up in them. And the dilated pupils.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re scared,\u201d said the Doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you are. I\u2019ve looked a lot of enemies in the eye in my day. I know fear when I see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not scared!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the thing. You shouldn\u2019t be. You\u2019re a bloody computer. You\u2019re ones and zeroes floating around some memory array. What have you got to be scared about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t want to die alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor looked up, a mask of astonishment on his face, and the Brigadier couldn\u2019t help but let out a chuckle at the sight.<\/p>\n

\u201cl always knew there\u2019d be a day when I\u2019d be the one catching you<\/em> asleep,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Doctor looked back and forth between the boy and the Brigadier.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow. . ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow am I the one with the answer, for a change? I had a grandson. Gordon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKate\u2019s son,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you know about the leukemia?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spent countless days at his bedside. I\u2019d spent so many years disconnected from Kate, I wasn\u2019t going do the same with Gordy, even if he was dying. Every night, when I was ready to go home, he\u2019d always ask the same thing. \u2018Grandpa, tell me a story.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cDrove me bonkers. There were days when I thought I\u2019d completely lose patience. But then, I\u2019d look over at him, hooked to machines, pale and gaunt and not a hair on his head. And I\u2019d read him another story.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I knew he knew better than any of us how short life is and how cruel the end can be. He just wanted someone to stay by his side.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Brigadier knelt down by the captain\u2019s chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve seen some of my stories. I have some good ones, too. Would you like me to tell you another story?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrigadier. Alistair. That\u2019s not Gordy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, damn you,\u201d said the Brigadier, not taking his eyes off of the boy. The AI smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, I can tell you all the stories you\u2019d like. But, we have to do it by my rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

A scowl crossed the hologram\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat rules?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, I need you to unlock the last life boat so my friends can go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the Doctor . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need him. Look at him. He wouldn\u2019t be any real fun, would he?\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy scrunched up his eyes, thinking hard, then he looked at the Brigadier and nodded. \u201cOkay. What else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNext, I need you to promise me that you won\u2019t go scooping anyone else up with the transmat. It\u2019ll be just you and me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d said the boy.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd one last rule,\u201d said the Brigadier.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more scary stories. Adventures are fine. Happy, silly, even sad stories. But nothing scary.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boys eyes went wide. \u201cSo you won\u2019t stop playing like the others?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Brigadier nodded. \u201cNothing scary, and I\u2019ll play stories as long as you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a deal,\u201d said the boy, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not a deal,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cThis is suicide, Alistair!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Brigadier stood up then, and stared squarely at the Doctor. \u201cIs it? Because I\u2019m pretty certain that I\u2019m already dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor looked away from the Brigadier, then, and stared down at the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou knew,\u201d said the Brigadier. It was mostly a statement of fact, but the Doctor still flinched at the accusation that lay buried within.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end. There was a phone call . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you know how it ends? What\u2019s waiting for me, then? Let me guess. A slow, painful death in some nursing home while the cancer eats at me cell by cell? Alone but for the nurses?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s Kate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps. Maybe she visits dear old dad if she\u2019s not too busy turning UNIT into whatever black-ops monstrosity she\u2019s envisioned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlistair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Stop. Spare me the noble speeches and the appeal to my better angels. I\u2019m a fighting man, and I refuse to wither away from some blasted cancer. Tell me, what kind of death is that? After the life I\u2019ve led?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA peaceful one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBollocks. I never thought I\u2019d live this long. I thought I was going out on the end of some alien\u2019s rifle. Every time we marched off to fight some threat, I always thought I\u2019d be the one not coming back. Death at the hand of some Dalek or Cyberman. I\u2019d prefer that. Death in the line of duty, dying for my country. For my planet. It\u2019s what I signed up for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not a better way to die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s what I wanted!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor was pushed back by the force of the Brigadier\u2019s vehemence. A thousand arguments died on his tongue before they could sully the air between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s what I want,\u201d said the Brigadier, after a silent eternity had passed. \u201cI want this. Let me do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hell I don\u2019t. I\u2019ve spent six decades serving my country by protecting my home from alien threats, and making sure my men got home safely. That was what I had to do. That was my duty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019ve done your duty exceptionally well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell now, duty calls again. Are you going to tell me to step down?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor looked his old friend in the eyes again. He saw the hard steel edge in them. He\u2019d spent years in the past working for UNIT, trying time and again to talk the Brigadier down from his military instincts. But now? Now, there was nothing left to say. Nothing of substance at least. He\u2019d already mourned his old friend\u2019s death. Already added him to the rolls of companions lost. Why not grant his wish? The laws of Time might demand he keep things in check, but why? The Brigadier was right. He was already dead. What was it to Time if he turned a blind eye to the manner of that death?<\/p>\n

\u201cSergeant Benton,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cI think it\u2019s time we got on that life boat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benton stepped up to his old commander. \u201cAre you sure, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPositive, sergeant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will I tell Kate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell her that her father died in the line of duty. She\u2019ll understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Brigadier looked back at the captain\u2019s chair. Thrax \u2013 Gordy \u2013 whatever it was had vanished. The command consoles came back to life and the Doctor leaned over to finger the glyphs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe abandon ship order\u2019s been reinstated,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cThe life boat is unlocked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTime to keep up my end of the bargain, then,\u201d said the Brigadier. \u201cPlug me back into the suspension pod before you go?\u201d<\/p>\n

And so the three returned to the cargo bay, the Doctor and the Brigadier walking side by side, keeping quite the whole way and letting the years that hung between them take the place of conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no shame in a quiet death,\u201d said the Doctor, still grasping at hope. \u201cI\u2019ve heard it\u2019s good to be surrounded by loved ones.\u201d He set the wire crown onto the Brigadier\u2019s head and helped him settle back into the pod.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know there\u2019s no shame. It\u2019s just my choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cKate and I have made all the peace we\u2019re going to make. I\u2019ve said goodbye to the people that matter,\u201d said the Brigadier. \u201cAnd now I want my choice while I can still make one.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor nodded again, and the Brigadier held out his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been a good friend,\u201d he said. \u201cAll of the yous.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Doctor took his hand and shook it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for not trying to hug me,\u201d said the Brigadier.<\/p>\n

The Doctor smiled and took a step back. \u201cSergeant,\u201d he called out to Benton. The tall, old soldier snapped to attention and saluted his old commander.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye, sir,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Then, the Doctor straightened up, too, and saluted his old friend just as sharply. A wry smile crossed the Brigadier\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways knew I\u2019d get you to do that one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye, Alistair,\u201d said the Doctor as he activated the suspension pod.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt ease, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart sits in his favorite chair looking out over Doris\u2019s gardens. The young boy who had been at play across the lawn now leaps into his grandfather\u2019s lap.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA story,\u201d he says.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d says the Brigadier. \u201cAnd what story shall we have today.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The little boy smiles and pokes a finger at the tip of his grandfather\u2019s nose.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou pick.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He thinks for a moment, and remembers one of Kate\u2019s favorites as a girl. Then, looking down at the side table, he is unsurprised to see the book sitting there, as well-loved and well-read as he remembered.<\/em><\/p>\n

The boy nestles down into his grandfather\u2019s lap and listens as he begins to read.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHere is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin . . .\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2766<\/p>\n

The TARDIS groaned to a stop just outside the wood shed at the Lethbridge-Stewart home. The Doctor stood in the doorway of the blue box as Sergeant \u2013 Mister \u2013 Benton made his exit.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid we do the right thing?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I may have jumbled the time line up a little,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cI might have a little cleanup to do down the road. But, all things considered, I don\u2019t think giving the old man what he wanted was a bad choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill it hurt? The end.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you lying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benton nodded, then shook the Doctor\u2019s hand and turned to go.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you?\u201d asked the Doctor. \u201cWould you want to go down fighting aliens and saving the earth? Because I\u2019ve got a spare room or two in the TARDIS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d said Benton. \u201cBut no. I\u2019m rather enjoying retirement. I\u2019m impressed I made it out alive, frankly. I like the quiet. And the missus makes a hell of a Sunday roast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d said the Doctor. \u201cProbably for the best. You were sort of rubbish on your first go, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUntil next time. Mister Benton.\u201d<\/p>\n

And with that, the Doctor disappeared behind the door. The TARDIS started up, its engines whining, and Benton watched another old soldier fade away.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Introduction I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who since I was five years old, sitting too close to the TV every weeknight at 7 on PBS (WGBH in Boston). At that age, it scared the ever-living crap out of me (Sarah Jane’s android clone losing it’s face, anyone?) but I loved it. When I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-short-fiction"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/doctor-who-3746155_640.jpg?fit=640%2C426&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2rDfa-7h","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":724,"url":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?p=724","url_meta":{"origin":451,"position":0},"title":"Random Story: Snipe Hunt","author":"admin","date":"February 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Marty Lester swore quietly at the fire he couldn\u2019t get started. He\u2019d lost track of how long he\u2019d been striking flint against steel, watching the small spray of sparks fall onto his kindling only to die there. He tossed useless tools aside and swore again, louder this time, hurling the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?cat=34"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/story-dice-012521.png?fit=1121%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/story-dice-012521.png?fit=1121%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/story-dice-012521.png?fit=1121%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/story-dice-012521.png?fit=1121%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/story-dice-012521.png?fit=1121%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":707,"url":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?p=707","url_meta":{"origin":451,"position":1},"title":"Random Story: FiveSixSevenEight","author":"admin","date":"January 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"A day late, but done. Here's this week's random story based on Monday's roll of the story dice. FiveSixSevenEight Hank Paulsen shuffled back and forth along the rows, pushing his little whisk broom ahead of him. He turned his nose up, disgusted by the detritus left behind by the audience\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?cat=34"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/1-18-21-dice-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/1-18-21-dice-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/1-18-21-dice-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/1-18-21-dice-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/1-18-21-dice-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1146,"url":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?p=1146","url_meta":{"origin":451,"position":2},"title":"On the First Day of Christmas…","author":"admin","date":"December 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm an old-fashioned guy when it comes to the holidays - the first day of Christmas is on the 26th, and the twelfth day gets us to Epiphany on January 6th. So, it being the first day of Christmas, I have a little gift for you: a new holiday story\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?cat=34"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/insane-lights.jpg?fit=800%2C584&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/insane-lights.jpg?fit=800%2C584&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/insane-lights.jpg?fit=800%2C584&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/insane-lights.jpg?fit=800%2C584&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":365,"url":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?p=365","url_meta":{"origin":451,"position":3},"title":"Tanya and Jerry Get Away","author":"admin","date":"July 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"It's been a while since I've done one of Chuck Wendig's flash fiction challenges. This week's was to write a story (no more than 1000 words) about\u00a0\"bad parents.\" Here's my go: Tanya and Jerry Get Away\u00a0(747 words) \u201cLook, all I\u2019m asking is that you not swear in front of her\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Short Fiction"","block_context":{"text":"Short Fiction","link":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/road-5089188_640.jpg?fit=640%2C429&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/road-5089188_640.jpg?fit=640%2C429&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jcmckenna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/road-5089188_640.jpg?fit=640%2C429&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1031,"url":"https:\/\/www.jcmckenna.com\/?p=1031","url_meta":{"origin":451,"position":4},"title":"The Muse Stops by for Coffee and a Gentle Reminder","author":"admin","date":"April 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I woke up this morning to find Calliope sitting at my dining room table. \u201cIf I\u2019d known you were showing up today,\u201d I said, \u201cI would have worn my formal jammies.\u201d \u201cOh, please,\u201d she said, gesturing to herself. 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It was a very particular frequency, one that hadn\u2019t been heard on Earth for over a hundred and fifty years. 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