Doctor Who_ The Gallifrey Chronicles - Lance Parkin [47]
‘Two, if you include Faction Paradox,’ the Doctor reminded him, realising, as he said it, that this wasn’t the best defence. He paused, then continued: ‘I don’t have to remember anything. Judging from what we just saw and heard I had to act quickly, it wasn’t an easy decision, it was made under stress and physical danger, and I managed to save the universe, including Gallifrey, from domination by a hostile power.’
‘Churchill didn’t save Britain from the Luftwaffe by ordering it to be razed to the ground.’
‘He hadn’t already lost. It was more like Masada, where –’
‘You murdered the entire population of our planet.’
‘We just saw for ourselves: Faction Paradox was a virus, one that was on the verge of infecting the whole of history, ending cause and effect, destroying 99
everything that means anything, even meaning itself.’
‘And it was led by your future self.’
‘I have no idea what he was. He looked like me. He may well have been what I would have become if I hadn’t made the choice I did. What I did destroyed him, his scheme, his army and every one of his followers, and very probably prevented any of them from ever existing. I won’t become him.’
‘Are you sure about that?’
The Doctor looked stung, and didn’t answer.
‘Yet again, you’re revelling in the death and destruction your intervention caused.’
‘I’m not revelling,’ the Doctor said, so softly Rachel could barely hear him.
‘You heard it spelled out: if I hadn’t acted, the Faction would have won. If I had joined the Faction, it would have won. It had already happened. You can’t alter the past.’
‘You would dare quote the First Law of Time to me as you boast of flouting it? What about the Second Law, Doctor?’
‘It sounds like you’re now the one giving lawyers’ answers.’
‘“Do nothing, and all will be well.”’
‘I’ve no idea about the laws of time. Perhaps I did then, I don’t remember.
I know I did what I thought was right. Now, please listen to me. I’ve got a couple of questions of my own.’
‘No. There are no questions now, Doctor, except what your punishment should be. Your guilt is beyond any doubt.’
‘For one thing,’ the Doctor continued regardless, ‘well, who are you, and how did you get here? But let’s leave that aside for the moment. There’s something very, very important missing. A vital piece of the puzzle. An evidence of absence. Something to do with those footsteps.’
‘What footsteps?’ Marnal sneered.
The Doctor sighed. ‘The least you should be doing is paying attention.’
The pub wasn’t like the ones Fitz would remember, but truth be told it was better. It served snacks and coffee as well as beer. It looked clean and sleek, not as though it was proud the walls were grubby and the floor had never been scrubbed. Trix liked the idea of sitting for a drink somewhere that women were made to feel comfortable.
‘This is more your sort of place?’ Trix asked.
Fitz was smiling, looking relaxed. He’d spent the entire meal at the Indian restaurant unsure of himself. Nervous around the waiters, worried about the menu, really not comfortable with Greg.
‘Oh yeah. Not sure about the music.’
100
The barman was handing over the drinks. ‘Never liked him myself, either.
Into more acoustic stuff.’
‘What like?’
Trix tuned out while the two men had their little conversation. This was going to work. She and Fitz knew each other well and they’d trusted each other with their lives. They liked and respected each other. They could talk about anything and everything.
‘Your husband knows his Sixties music,’ the barman conceded.
‘It’s like he lived there,’ she told him, and only realised afterwards what he’d called Fitz. These days you don’t assume that sort of stuff about couples.
‘Do you play at all?’ the barman asked Fitz.
Fitz shrugged.
‘He plays the guitar and sings. He’s very good at it.’
‘We have a music night on Tuesdays. Would you be interested?’
Fitz hesitated.
‘He’s interested,’ Trix said. ‘You’ve got to be brave,’ she added for Fitz’s benefit.
‘OK.’
‘Tonight?’
‘Tonight? Well, is that enough time to put the word around. . . ?