Doctor Who_ The Gallifrey Chronicles - Lance Parkin [57]
took up one corner of the garage. The glass bottle contraption sat in the middle of the floor. Marnal and Rachel were nowhere to be seen.
With occasional glances towards the TARDIS, the Doctor set about examining the bottle. It was an ingenious piece of work, he couldn’t deny that, ridiculously easy to duplicate. It didn’t even require specialist knowledge. He was sure Fitz and Trix could cobble up one if they just knew –
The TARDIS door opened.
The Doctor tried to duck out of sight, before realising that there was nowhere to duck.
From Marnal’s expression it was clear that the Doctor was the last thing he was expecting to see in here.
The Doctor smiled. ‘Good evening.’
Marnal went for his stun gun, so the Doctor went for Marnal. He grabbed at the gun, pulled it out of Marnal’s hand, then batted it to the far corner of the garage. By the time he had finished that. Rachel had emerged from the TARDIS.
‘Or,’ the Doctor said, ‘we could talk.’
Marnal held back, looking as though he might lash out.
Rachel, though, looked more conciliatory. ‘Talk about what?’ she asked.
‘You’ve seen the back wall?’ the Doctor said.
Rachel nodded.
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‘Do you know what it means, Marnal?’ he asked.
Marnal shook his head. ‘You do?’
‘I don’t. But I know it’s important we ask the right questions. Together, we should be able to answer them.’
‘He’s right.’
‘Be quiet, Rachel. You’re a criminal, Doctor.’
‘I’m not. I’ve been accused of a terrible crime, but I’ve had no chance to offer a defence. So, I propose a truce. If I’ve done wrong, I deserve punishment.’
Rachel smiled encouragingly. ‘That’s good, isn’t it, Marnal?’
Marnal was still suspicious. ‘What are the terms of this truce?’
‘We investigate what happened, together. I agree to stay in your custody –
I don’t leave the grounds of your house, but in return there’s no tying up or waving guns. You will have my undivided attention until we’ve answered the outstanding questions,’ the Doctor promised. ‘With the investigation concluded, if I am found to have done anything wrong, I will submit myself to you for the appropriate punishment under the law of the Time Lords. I picked up a few of your books from the library to help me understand what that might be.’
He turned round, to show the book bag on his shoulder.
‘We’ve established your hand in the destruction of Gallifrey, Doctor. What other questions could possibly be relevant?’
‘Let’s see, shall we?’ The Doctor offered his hand.
‘It makes sense, Marnal,’ Rachel said.
Marnal shook the Doctor’s hand.
The Doctor got down to business. ‘There are all sorts of thing you haven’t asked. For starters, why did I lose my memory? That’s a good one.’
‘If you did lose your memory.’
‘Just for the sake of argument,’ the Doctor said, smiling sweetly. ‘Rachel?’
‘Trauma,’ she suggested.
‘Post-traumatic stress? Something so horrible that I couldn’t face it?’
Rachel nodded.
‘You remember that, then?’ Marnal said. He was still on his guard.
‘Do you think it fits the facts?’
‘Yes,’ Marnal replied. ‘You underwent a traumatic event. What’s more, it’s one that you initiated. Your guilt and cowardice conspired to make you block it from your mind.’
‘You’ve been spying on me, Marnal, seen me on my travels.’
‘Your interventions in history, you mean? Yes, I’ve seen you.’
‘It wasn’t a question. Would you say I’m usually racked with guilt?’
Marnal looked very self-satisfied. ‘Rather the opposite. You have a callous disregard for consequences. You destabilise governments, but never stay to 121
check that the new regime you’ve installed is any better. You instinctively take sides in any conflict. You can kiss a woman one minute, forget about her the next.’
‘So, I’m not the guilty type. Cowardly?’
‘Reckless, if anything.’
‘I’ve seen some traumatic things?’
‘You seem to surround yourself with death and destruction.’
The Doctor nodded, a little sadly.