NLoT: Allies of Convenience (Alec, Fenric)

[The Master]

A Week Before "All Toghether Now"

Six members of the Chancellary Guard escorted him from his cell. They were not brutal, but neither were they kind. They were merely efficient. And they were taking no chances. All of them had been briefed on how potentially dangerous any of these alien Renegades could be, and none of them wanted to take chances.

That is why the man - known to some as the Dark Lord and to others as Alec Harrison - wore manacles and leg irons, with chains between his wrists and between his ankles, and with more chains connecting wrists to ankles. The manacles and irons were molecularly bonded, leaving no lock to pick or hinge to break, and the chains were short enough to prevent him from moving any faster than a shuffling walk.

And yet the Guardsmen watched him cautiously, nervously. Only Rassilon himself knew what these Renegades were fully capable of. It was said that they had twisted history itself to suit them, and that they had destroyed their Gallifrey rather than accept the will of the High Council.

He was led through the halls of the Panopticon. Other Time Lords that approached were warned away, or simply moved on their own to give the cluster of Guardsmen and their dangerous prisoner a wide berth. Finally, they led him into the Council Chambers. His chains were affixed to anchors set deep in the granite floor, and a blinding white light stabbed down from the ceiling.

Silence.

Then, slowly, movement could be heard. Footsteps. The scrape of chair legs on stone. Breathing.

"He doesn't look like much," said a voice, thin and quavering, like that of an old, old man.

"He is one of this timeline's Renegades, my Lord President," said a different voice, this one a rich, cold baritone. "One of the Survivors."

"Is he now, my Lord Castellan?" said the first voice. "Very well, then."

The second voice spoke again, this time addressing the man in the center of the room. "You have been charged with dereliction of your Duty to your House, your Family, and to the Protocols of History, and are held now to submit to Law."

A pause.

"For the record, you will state your name, your House, and your Duty as you understand it to your House and to the Protocols."

[Alec Harrison]

Everyone close to him thought he was dead. Now obviously, that wasn't true. He had plunged into the heart of a bomb. His molecular structure had been scattered across the universe, all the while, piecing... Back... Together... His left eye hadn't been as lucky as the rest of him, and there was an ebony eyepatch to prove it.

But that wasn't all that had changed. His soul had been given to Fenric. If it had been present at his "piecing together" it would have shattered. So he was a soulless wanderer, quite insane at that.

All this brought a creepy sort of grin to his face, and it obviously made the guards nervous.

He was pulled inside a room, quite impressive.
Ooh, he thought, I'm being talked about.

"You have been charged with dereliction of your Duty to your House, your Family, and to the Protocols of History, and are held now to submit to Law." an elderly voice said, accusation on his lips.

"Scared yet?" he grinned, his eye defiant.

"For the record, you will state your name, your House, and your Duty as you understand it to your House and to the Protocols." the voice said.

"My name is Alec Harrison, and my Houses were killed," he lifted two fingers, "Both of them. Therefore, I simply abide by the universal rule of thumb."

His smile turned sadistic.
"Every man for himself."

[The Master]

"My name is Alec Harrison, and my Houses were killed," he lifted two fingers, "Both of them. Therefore, I simply abide by the universal rule of thumb."

His smile turned sadistic.
"Every man for himself."


There was silence for the span of a half-dozen heartbeats.

"How... droll," remarked the cold voice.

"My dear boy," remarked the old man's voice, "we are quite aware of what happened to your Houses, humh? So do stop trying to play games, and answer the questions."

"Your biodata signature correlates strongly with one Ioki, biological son of the late - and, allow me to add, unlamented - Lord Xandavier," the cold voice continued. "That Ioki is a Cousin of House Arpexia, a graduate of the Prydonian Academy, and a Culturesmith of the Grigorium."

Silence for a moment.

"Do these details describe your history as you exist in this universe?"

[Alec Harrison]

There was silence for the span of a half-dozen heartbeats.

"How... droll," remarked the cold voice.

"My dear boy," remarked the old man's voice, "we are quite aware of what happened to your Houses, humh? So do stop trying to play games, and answer the questions."

"Your biodata signature correlates strongly with one Ioki, biological son of the late - and, allow me to add, unlamented - Lord Xandavier," the cold voice continued. "That Ioki is a Cousin of House Arpexia, a graduate of the Prydonian Academy, and a Culturesmith of the Grigorium."

Silence for a moment.

"Do these details describe your history as you exist in this universe?"

Alec half-nodded, signifying partial agreement.
"Īokiyashinohu."

He frowned, remembering Galifrey.
"And I was a Cerulean. I would very much appreciate it if you did not bring up Xandavier, Lord President."

[The Master]

"And I was a Cerulean. I would very much appreciate it if you did not bring up Xandavier, Lord President."

That earned a dry chuckle from one of the speakers. "That certainly shows a great deal of good sense, my Lord Castellan."

"It does," agreed the cold voice. There was a pause. "Īokiyashinohu, graduate of the Cerulean Academy and Cousin of House Arpexia. Describe for us, in your own words, your role in the conflict your people called the... 'Last Great Time War', and in the destruction of Gallifrey."

[Alec Harrison]

That earned a dry chuckle from one of the speakers. "That certainly shows a great deal of good sense, my Lord Castellan."

Alec lowered his eyebrows.
"Shut up." he muttered, unaudible to the council.

"It does," agreed the cold voice. There was a pause. "Īokiyashinohu, graduate of the Cerulean Academy and Cousin of House Arpexia. Describe for us, in your own words, your role in the conflict your people called the... 'Last Great Time War', and in the destruction of Gallifrey."

Alec made an uncomfortable sound with the chains.
"For starters," he began, "It wasn't that great. It was terrifying. People were killed on the streets, in their homes... Even if our enemies gave us a chance to regenerate, we were killed where we stood while trying. I had two dead families behind me and a war type Tardis. What do you think I did? I killed as many as I could. Then I ran. I was scared of losing my planet, but I was more scared of dying. Honestly, what would the universe be like without the last son of Xandavier?"

[The Master]

There was silence in the Council Chambers as the unseen speakers considered his words.

"It seems to me, my Lord Castellan," said the elderly voice, "That this Îokiyashinohu is guilty of nothing more than the desire to live."

"I am inclined to agree with you," the cold voice said. "The veridicator indicates he speaks the truth." A pause. "The court therefore recommends that the charges be dismissed and the hearing adjourned."

"The recommendation is accepted." Another pause. "Guards, bring up the lights and release Îokiyashinohu - ah! I fear I may be inadvertantly rude. Have you, instead, claimed a title?"

The spotlight died away and more subdued lighting filled the chamber. The circular platform Alec was standing on was revealed to be at the center of a ring made by a table and a dozen chairs. Two Guardsmen entered, unlocked the manacles, and offered him a seat.

There were only two men seated at the ring. One was a man with a lean, expressive face and a hawk nose, with silver-streaked black hair and goatee, dressed in formal black robes. The other man appeared ancient, with whispy white hair and piercing blue eyes, dressed in formal robes of white, with the Sash of Rassilon about his neck.

"Comfortable?" the ancient-looking man asked. "Excellent. Things are, no doubt, different where you come from. I am the Lord President, as you may have guessed, and my associate is the Lord Castellan. But this is to be an informal inquiry, now. You may call me the Doctor, and my Lord President may be addressed as the Master."

The Master leaned forward. "We have additional questions for you, purely in the interests of obtaining information. You are not required to answer them, although I would obviously prefer that you do. Our only requirement is that you do not lie to us. Rather than do so, simply refuse to answer."

The Doctor smiled. "Do you know who is responsible for the destruction of Gallifrey? And if you do, will you tell us?"

[Alec Harrison]

"It seems to me, my Lord Castellan," said the elderly voice, "That this Îokiyashinohu is guilty of nothing more than the desire to live."

So, he thought, they see it my way.

"I am inclined to agree with you," the cold voice said. "The veridicator indicates he speaks the truth." A pause. "The court therefore recommends that the charges be dismissed and the hearing adjourned."

Alec's lips curled into a smile. This had been relatively easy. 

"The recommendation is accepted." Another pause, during which Alec cleared his throat, "Guards, bring up the lights and release Îokiyashinohu - ah! I fear I may be inadvertantly rude. Have you, instead, claimed a title?"

With a nod, Alec let his shackles fall away.
"The Dark Lord, or Alec Harrison. Alternatively, 'noble' can replace 'Lord' as my heritage was taken out of power."

The Timelord scrunched his eyes together. He thought he'd seen something, and so was only mildly surprised at the chairs.

Alec seized the hand of the two men seated at the ring, before taking a seat himself. One was a man with a lean, expressive face and a hawk nose, with silver-streaked black hair and goatee, dressed in formal black robes. The other man appeared ancient, with whispy white hair and piercing blue eyes, dressed in formal robes of white, with the Sash of Rassilon about his neck.

"Comfortable?" the first man asked.

"Very." 

"Excellent. Things are, no doubt, different where you come from. I am the Lord President, as you may have guessed, and my associate is the Lord Castellan. But this is to be an informal inquiry, now. You may call me the Doctor, and my Lord President may be addressed as the Master."

The Doctor was the president? This must be a different incarnation, one who didn't recognize him. Koschei couldn't be the same, or he too would remember him.

The Master leaned forward. "We have additional questions for you, purely in the interests of obtaining information. You are not required to answer them, although I would obviously prefer that you do. Our only requirement is that you do not lie to us. Rather than do so, simply refuse to answer."

"Understandable."

The Doctor smiled. "Do you know who is responsible for the destruction of Gallifrey? And if you do, will you tell us?"

Alec froze. This Doctor was so young that he didn't know he destroyed Galifrey yet. Or was there another explanation?

"Well. That is a good question. It was a man... Who believed in right. In justice. In goodness, to a fault. It is not in my liberty to tell you who, but I can show you."

Alec calmed his nerves. If he didn't do this right, the continuum could be corrupted. Again. He remembered the face, the face all Timelord's hated, and- dare he say it? -feared. He willed the thought into their minds, withholding the name with a strain. The first Doctor unknowingly saw his eighth incarnation.

[The Master]

"Well. That is a good question. It was a man... Who believed in right. In justice. In goodness, to a fault. It is not in my liberty to tell you who, but I can show you."

The Doctor lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Very well, then. If you feel you must, then do so." He glanced at the Master. "Please have a psicanvas ready."

Alec calmed his nerves. If he didn't do this right, the continuum could be corrupted. Again. He remembered the face, the face all Timelord's hated, and- dare he say it? -feared. He willed the thought into their minds, withholding the name with a strain. The first Doctor unknowingly saw his eighth incarnation.

A few minutes later, the Doctor and the Master were looking at the psisculpt of the man Alec had shown them. "Do you know him, Master?"

The Master shook his head. "I feel I should, but the Dark Lord withheld enough identifying features from the impression that all we have is a visual record."

"I don't know him either, but he does look familiar." The Doctor looked at Alec. "Are you certain you will not tell us more? We seek only to bring justice to the man that destroyed your Gallifrey, and to ensure the safety of our own."

"I'll feed this into the APCNet," the Master said, "and run a standard search to see if any Time Lord we know of has worn this body."

"Of course," the Doctor said, waiving his hand casually. "Perhaps it will help." He turned his attention back to Alec. "My next question is - and please remember, you have no requirement to answer - what has your purpose been? With your Gallifrey destroyed and your feeling that your heritage has been lost, what has taken the place of your Duty to your House and to the Protocols of History?"

[Alec Harrison]

The Doctor lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Very well, then. If you feel you must, then do so." He glanced at the Master. "Please have a psicanvas ready."

A few minutes later, the Doctor and the Master were looking at the psisculpt of the man Alec had shown them. "Do you know him, Master?"

The Master shook his head. "I feel I should, but the Dark Lord withheld enough identifying features from the impression that all we have is a visual record."

"I don't know him either, but he does look familiar." The Doctor looked at Alec. "Are you certain you will not tell us more? We seek only to bring justice to the man that destroyed your Gallifrey, and to ensure the safety of our own."

"I apologize Lord President. I fear I must not explain it. You will understand- and I apologize again for my cryptic speech -you will understand in the distant future."

"I'll feed this into the APCNet,"  the Master said, "and run a standard search to see if any Time Lord we know of has worn this body."

Alec's hand twitched. The Doctor...searching for the Doctor? He hoped the technology didn't go far enough.

"Of course," the Doctor said, waiving his hand casually. "Perhaps it will help." He turned his attention back to Alec. "My next question is - and please remember, you have no requirement to answer - what has your purpose been? With your Gallifrey destroyed and your feeling that your heritage has been lost, what has taken the place of your Duty to your House and to the Protocols of History?"

The Dark Lord sat back. What a horrible question.
"I have traveled. I have...made friends. Most recently..." I died, "I lost an eye." he pointed at the eyepatch, "The years have not been kind. Eight incarnations..."

His voice trailed off.

"Years worth of failed relationships."

[The First Doctor]

"I apologize Lord President. I fear I must not explain it. You will understand- and I apologize again for my cryptic speech -you will understand in the distant future."

"In the distant future..?" the Doctor said, musingly. He peered at Alec quizically, then opened his eyes wide in surprised realization. "Ah! I see! You are laboring under the impression, Dark Lord, that we are your past!"

He shook his head, kindly. "Nothing of the sort. We are from the present. From a present that could have been, had decisions been made differently." He gave Alec a sad smile. "I dare say, a Gallifrey where better decisions were made."

He spoke to the Master about searching for the face in the psisculpt, then turned his attention back to Alec. "My next question is - and please remember, you have no requirement to answer - what has your purpose been? With your Gallifrey destroyed and your feeling that your heritage has been lost, what has taken the place of your Duty to your House and to the Protocols of History?"

The Dark Lord sat back. What a horrible question.
"I have traveled. I have...made friends. Most recently... I lost an eye." he pointed at the eyepatch, "The years have not been kind. Eight incarnations..."

His voice trailed off.

"Years worth of failed relationships."

The Doctor nodded, sympathetically. "Come," he said, rising. "Walk with me."

He walked slowly, shuffling, leaning on the Rod of Rassilon for support. It became clear as they walked that they were within the Panopticon. Silently, the Doctor led Alec to an elevator, which they rode up. And up. And up.

The Doctor wiped sweat from his forehead as he leaned against the wall. "Almost a thousand years old," he said, smiling. "The Aesculapians tell me I should allow myself to finally regenerate, that my hybrid anatomy is making this incarnation age far more rapidly than I should." He shook his head. "They don't understand - that's too much like giving up." He grinned a lopsided grin. "I plan to wear this body until it wears out. I plan to wring every bit of life out of my life."

The elevator door slid open, and the Doctor shuffeled out. The pair stood in the center of a slim tower at the top of the Panopticon. Beneath them, stretching halfway to the horizon, spread the jewel-like tones of the Shining City - the sparkling white of the Halls of Eileithyia, the jade and gold of the Ascepulum, the ameythist and citrine of the Orrey of Vertumnus, the onyx of the Great Library, and on, and on. Beyond, the red grass of the plains rose to the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, covered by the silver foliage of the Mallomourn trees.

"This is not, I fear, your Gallifrey. There are differences, differences you will notice with time," the Doctor said. "But it is a Gallifrey. A Shining World that would welcome you, that can give you a Duty to discharge once more. A purpose. A reason." He paused. "A home."

[Alec Harrison]

"In the distant future..?" the Doctor said, musingly. He peered at Alec quizically, then opened his eyes wide in surprised realization. "Ah! I see! You are laboring under the impression, Dark Lord, that we are your past!"

Alec gave him a confused blink.
"Aren't you..?"

He shook his head, kindly. "Nothing of the sort. We are from the present. From a present that could have been, had decisions been made differently." He gave Alec a sad smile. "I dare say, a Gallifrey where better decisions were made."

Alec seemed to put two and two together, dropping his gaze from off in space to leveled at the Doctor's eyes.
"Ah! In that case, the man I showed you is the alternate world's eighth incarnation of you. Wonderful to meet you. Tell me, so I can tweet it- did you still date the Archivist, did I still date the Supremacist, and did the Mentalist still get pounded in the Budakai?" his face visibly brightened.

He spoke to the Master about searching for the face in the psisculpt, then turned his attention back to Alec. "My next question is - and please remember, you have no requirement to answer - what has your purpose been? With your Gallifrey destroyed and your feeling that your heritage has been lost, what has taken the place of your Duty to your House and to the Protocols of History?"

The Dark Lord sat back. What a horrible question.
"I have traveled. I have...made friends. Most recently... I lost an eye." he pointed at the eyepatch, "The years have not been kind. Eight incarnations..."

His voice trailed off.

"Years worth of failed relationships."

The Doctor nodded, sympathetically.
"Come," he said, rising. "Walk with me."

Alec saw no reason not to. He rose, falling into step beside the elderly (well, seemingly. Alec, as he know realized, was hundreds of years older at this point. He had peaked at about three thousand when reforming.) Timelord. 

He looked around, waiting for the elevator music to begin. None did.

The Doctor wiped sweat from his forehead as he leaned against the wall. "Almost a thousand years old," he said, smiling. "The Aesculapians tell me I should allow myself to finally regenerate, that my hybrid anatomy is making this incarnation age far more rapidly than I should." He shook his head. "They don't understand - that's too much like giving up." He grinned a lopsided grin. "I plan to wear this body until it wears out. I plan to wring every bit of life out of my life."

"I can understand that."

The elevator door slid open, and the Doctor shuffeled out. The pair stood in the center of a slim tower at the top of the Panopticon. Beneath them, stretching halfway to the horizon, spread the jewel-like tones of the Shining City - the sparkling white of the Halls of Eileithyia, the jade and gold of the Ascepulum, the ameythist and citrine of the Orrey of Vertumnus, the onyx of the Great Library, and on, and on. Beyond, the red grass of the plains rose to the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, covered by the silver foliage of the Mallomourn trees.

Alec's eyes widened. He was...home! He thought he would never see this day, when the Prodigal Lord of Time would return to-

"This is not, I fear, your Gallifrey. There are differences, differences you will notice with time," the Doctor said. "But it is a Gallifrey. A Shining World that would welcome you, that can give you a Duty to discharge once more. A purpose. A reason." He paused. "A home."

He slowly turned his head to look at the Doctor. 
"There is already a Dark Lord here, am I correct? Marie already has an ice cream partner..." he said, not expecting the Doctor to quite understand.

"Who cares about the one-eyed man who misplaced his soul?"

[The First Doctor]

Alec seemed to put two and two together, dropping his gaze from off in space to leveled at the Doctor's eyes.
"Ah! In that case, the man I showed you is the alternate world's eighth incarnation of you. Wonderful to meet you. Tell me, so I can tweet it- did you still date the Archivist, did I still date the Supremacist, and did the Mentalist still get pounded in the Budakai?" his face visibly brightened.

"I did?" The elderly Doctor looked visibly shaken. "I mean, the Doctor of the main trunk of history destroyed Gallifrey?"

He leaned back in his chair. "I simply cannot imagine what would have driven me to such extremes." He leaned forward again. "On the other hand, my Lord the Master, we can halt the search."

"Of course, my Lord President," the Master agreed. "I will also add locating and capturing this universe's Doctor a standing priority of all expeditionary force ships."

The Doctor nodded, then looked at the Dark Lord. "Did I still date the Archivist?" he asked with a smile. "Dark Lord, I was fortunate enough to marry her."

---

He slowly turned his head to look at the Doctor.
"There is already a Dark Lord here, am I correct? Marie already has an ice cream partner..." he said, not expecting the Doctor to quite understand.

"Who cares about the one-eyed man who misplaced his soul?"

The Doctor shook his head, and smiled. "We do, Dark Lord. Our very existence in the main trunk of history is a testament to the idea of a second chance."

He tapped on one of the windows with his cane, the one that looked out towards the Mountain of Solace. "There isn't a Dark Lord here, already. There is an Îokiyashinohu, one that has had a substantially different life from yours. He is a culturesmith - his Duty to the Protocols of History is to understand how changes in history will alter and shape civilizations."

"You are a very different man. You have led a very different life. But we can still offer you a home, here. We know so very little about the universe we find ourselves in. Your knowledge, your experience, would be invaluable to us."

He chuckled. "And your soul? Perhaps we can do something about that, as well."

[Alec Harrison]

The Doctor nodded, then looked at the Dark Lord. "Did I still date the Archivist?" he asked with a smile. "Dark Lord, I was fortunate enough to marry her."

Alec didn't answer. Marry? Didn't that take the fun out of it?
-------------------------------

The Doctor shook his head, and smiled. "We do, Dark Lord. Our very existence in the main trunk of history is a testament to the idea of a second chance."

Alec nodded. Could this become his home? Would it? Did he honestly miss the people from the other universe?
"That's...a new concept."

He tapped on one of the windows with his cane, the one that looked out towards the Mountain of Solace. "There isn't a Dark Lord here, already. There is an Îokiyashinohu, one that has had a substantially different life from yours. He is a culturesmith - his Duty to the Protocols of History is to understand how changes in history will alter and shape civilizations."

"Sounds boring."

"You are a very different man. You have led a very different life. But we can still offer you a home, here. We know so very little about the universe we find ourselves in. Your knowledge, your experience, would be invaluable to us."

"Knowledge? Knowledge of what?"

He chuckled. "And your soul? Perhaps we can do something about that, as well."

"I have my own way. The way I was trying to accomplish before your men abducted me." he said pointedly.

[The First Doctor]

The Doctor shook his head, and smiled. "We do, Dark Lord. Our very existence in the main trunk of history is a testament to the idea of a second chance."

Alec nodded. "That's...a new concept."

"And one what we hope you will consider, and consider quite seriously." The Doctor gazed out the window. "We are quite aware that there are only a handfull of survivors from your Gallifrey. We hope to make this same offer, the offer of a second chance, to as many of them as we can."

He tapped on one of the windows with his cane, the one that looked out towards the Mountain of Solace. "There isn't a Dark Lord here, already. There is an Îokiyashinohu, one that has had a substantially different life from yours. He is a culturesmith - his Duty to the Protocols of History is to understand how changes in history will alter and shape civilizations."

"Sounds boring."

A shrug. "Perhaps. But, as I observed, he is not you. You are a very different man. You have led a very different life. But we can still offer you a home, here. We know so very little about the universe we find ourselves in. Your knowledge, your experience, would be invaluable to us."

"Knowledge? Knowledge of what?"

"Your universe. The great powers that have arisen in the vacuum created by the destruction of Gallifrey." A shrug. "Your own life experiences, experiences that are - I suspect - vastly different from those of our Îokiyashinohu."

He turned to face the Dark Lord, his ancient face splitting in a broad smile. "Please don't misunderstand me - I am not making our offer of a new home for you contingent upon your agreement. I find, however, that a life of idleness grates on the mind. So I am offering suggestions. A clear and obvious role, where your unique knowledge of this universe will serve best. If you were to choose to become a culturesmith as well, or a research scientist, or a librarian, you would still be welcome."

He chuckled. "And your soul? Perhaps we can do something about that, as well."

"I have my own way. The way I was trying to accomplish before your men abducted me." he said pointedly.

"Then, Dark Lord, allow me to make amends." He shuffled back into the elevator, gesturing for Alec to follow.

---

The elevator descended. And descended. And descended. Finally, it came to a halt.

"We are in the deepest prison vaults of the Panopticon," the Doctor said as the door opened. "Where the worst, the most dangerous, of criminals are kept until judgement can be passed."

He shuffled along the dark granite hall, the Rod of Rassilon clicking on the stone. "Some of the most terrible criminals the Universe has known have been held here. The Great Vampire Rellicalar. The Instructor. Varishcollouial. Morbius. Emmahujidat. Xandavier."

Two members of the Chancellary Guard opened a door before them, and a dim red light shown out. They entered, to see a heavily-tattooed, dark-skinned man standing in the center of the room. Chains of degenerate matter encased his wrists and ankles, anchoring him securly to the floor. Elaborate geometric sigils were carved into each of the walls.

"The Great Beast, Fenric."