NLoT: Allies of Convenience (Alec, Fenric)

[Alec Harrison]

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. And he did.

------------------

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."

"I know...visited once. No! Just visiting. Never was an inmate."

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."

The Timelord nodded.
"Morb, Emma, and Var are down here?" he asked, "Last I saw them, they payed for drink. Well, one did. Forgot which. Or was it that one that set me up with the waitress?"

There was someone else.

Alec's ears rose, and he felt a headache coming on as he saw the prisoner- finally in a state he deserved.
"The Great Beast, Fenric." the older man said.

Alec slowly approached, a grin encroaching on his pale complexion.

"Great? That's a laugh. He's a foolish old fossil with his head in the clouds."

[Fenric the Beast]

Fenric smirked, they thought had trapped him, well they had the chains were a mere annoyance, those wards they had placed around him though, those would take years thousands.

"Hello, My Lord President." He said mockingly. "Whose the new boy? Wait, Alec? is that you? Let me get a better look. I've been saving this trick for awhile now."

He began to growl, a quiet growl, suddenly he doubled in size, horns coming from his head, his skin becoming a dark red, his voice lower.

The chains shatter, he stands tall.

"I have something that's yours don't I?" He says Smirking,

[The First Doctor]

Fenric reared up, gaining mass and height as the chains of degenerate matter snapped.

"I have something that's yours don't I?" the Great Beast rumbled.

The Doctor stood his ground impassively, waiting for the thing in the prison to stop talking. Then he lifted a control rod from his waist, and depressed a button. The cuffs on Fenric's wrists pulsed, sending pain ripping through the monster's body.

He waited until the creature had sagged to its knees. then removed his finger from the button. "Do behave yourself, Fenric," he said calmly, ignoring the hatred that burned in its eyes. "I did not give you leave to speak."

He turned his attention back to the Dark Lord. "As I understand the terms of the... bargains this entity makes, we cannot simply take back by force what he was given freely. But, my Lord, if you are willing to help us..." He smiled. "Why, I believe we will be able to negotiate terms for him to return it freely."

[Alec Harrison]

Alec eyed Fenric with a disdain. He wanted to slay this beast. Take his soul back by force. 
"What are you waiting for?" he muttered, under his breath.

"Hello, My Lord President." He said mockingly. "Whose the new boy? Wait, Alec? is that you? Let me get a better look. I've been saving this trick for awhile now."

Alec leapt back as shock shot through him. Fenric couldn't leave. Galifrey would be in ruin. His mind raced, searching for a way to stop the monster.

Then he saw that the other Timelord had it covered.
"Oh...You certainly have everything under control." he said, attempting a smile at the Doctor.

"As I understand the terms of the... bargains this entity makes, we cannot simply take back by force what he was given freely. But, my Lord, if you are willing to help us..." He smiled. "Why, I believe we will be able to negotiate terms for him to return it freely."

Alec's smile was gone, not returned. This seemed like blackmail to him. Of course, he'd always been on the side of the highest bidder.

"Tell me, Doctor, what it is you want me to do."

[The First Doctor]

Alec's smile failed at the Lord President's words. "Tell me, Doctor, what it is you want me to do."

A shrug from the old, white-haired man. "Very little. Simply swear an Oath of Duty to Gallifrey."

The Doctor smiled. "Once you have done that, we will have a claim on you - the same claim to Duty in exchange for Duty that your House would have had in your Gallifrey. And once we have a claim on you..."

He turned to eye Fenric. "Well. Then we will have room to negotiate. For it is well understood throughout the Spiral Politic that the Duty and Obligation of a Time Lord to his House and the Protocols of History are embedded in his very biodata. They supercede any other claim, any other bargain, any other contract."

The Doctor turned to face Alec again. "And after that? I hope you will provide us with information. We need to know which Time Lords survived your War, and how best to approach them." A pause, in which he eyed Fenric. "We have sources of information already, but they are not... reliable."

A pause. "And then, based on the history that you have had with my alternate self, perhaps you will consent to hunt down the Doctor?"

(OOC: Continued on NLoT: Allies of Convenience on the new Role Play Whoniverse! site.)