Doctor Whooves: The Eighth Doctor Chapter 1
“Greetings readers, I must say I’m surprised you decided to read my tale. Surely you could have found something less scientific. But if you do like scientific stuff, then I think you’ll enjoy this story.”
“Oh, where are my manners, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m the Doctor, and why I may look like one, I’m not a pony. I’m actually a Timelord, from the Planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. And while I may look young, I’m actually almost seven hundred years old.”
“I love to travel; the more places to see the better. I get about by traveling in a Timelord ship called the Tardis. It stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. It can go anywhere in Time and Space, and can also disguise itself in any form. But that’s where the problems come in. You see, my Tardis is stuck in the form of a Police Public Call Box, you know the ones that were seen around Canterlot a few years after Luna’s banishment. However I like how it looks, which is why I don’t fix the circuits.”
“But traveling through time and space does have its problems. I’ve faced the toughest monsters you could ever think of. These include the Cyberponies, a race of ponies who are completely robotic except for their brains, but they’ve been rewritten so that all they want to do is turn all living things in Cyberponies.”
“And then there’s the Daleks. Ugh…sorry, I just hate talking about them…but you have the right to know.”
“Daleks are the cruelest beings in the universe. They used to be a race of “ponies” that lived peacefully on their planet. But after their planet became too toxic for them to survive, they adapted. They retreated inside of these metal shells. They look like pepper shakers. They have a single mechanical eyestalk mounted on a rotating dome. Their lower part is slanted at the front, and they have “bumps” over the lower area. But they also have weapons. One is a plunger like device that could be used to suck the life out of someone, or hack computers. The other weapon is a gun. It looks like a whisk that you use to cook with. But this gun can shoot out a laser that will kill you instantly.”
“But the worst thing about the Daleks are there emotions, they don’t have any, except for one: Hate. The Daleks think they are the greatest beings in the universe, and hate anything that isn’t like them. They especially hate the Timelords. Even since I can remember, the Daleks have hated the Timelords. But we’ve always managed to avoid conflict as much as possible.”
“But I’m not here to talk about the Daleks or Cyberponies. I’m here to talk about a fellow Timelord. I’ve met him many times in the past, and each time I do, he’s more dangerous. His name…is the Master.”
“I’ve been dealing with the Master ever since I first began traveling. We were once friends when we were little. We would have all kinds of fun. I can’t tell you how many times I had to cover for him so he wouldn’t get in trouble. But, soon that all changed. He began thinking about power, and what it would take to get it. He once led a revolt to kill Lord President Slann. He even tried to convince me to take his place, which I declined. When the plan didn’t go as he hoped, he stole a Tardis and left Gallifrey.”
“After that he traveled the universe, trying to conquer all the planets he could, and extend his own life. I ran into him on a few occasions, and each time I’ve stopped him. But to be fair, he has killed me once. It was a long time ago, with one of my oldest lives.”
“Wait, I haven’t told you about regeneration have I? Silly Me! Well, regeneration is a special little feature that Timelords have. Whenever we are near death, we will be healed. But while we keep our memories, we get a new face and personality. It does feel weird knowing that there are different versions of you out there in the universe, but it’s what you need to do to survive.”
“And the Master can regenerate to. Every time I run into him, he has a new face. But when I met him in my fourth life, he looked like a burnt corpse, and was on his final life. However, he soon took over the body of a man called Tremas. I faced him a few times after that, but as usual, I was always able to defeat him.”
“Oh, it seems that I’ve been talking for too long. I should get on to the story. What is it about your asking, well, it’s about how I once again had to stop the Master? But strangely, this story begins with a trial.
*******
The Shadow Proclamation is basically a Universal Police Force. Their job is to maintain Law and Order over all known universes. The number of laws they have is too big to name, so let’s just stick with a lot.
They have different courtrooms all over the universe. Some are more high authority than others. The one located near Malcassairo is only for the most extreme trials. The ones that deal with creatures that can destroy half a planet if left to their own devices.
So it was a big thing when a trail was being held right in the Proclamations headquarters.
This was an almost impossible occurrence, one that really seemed like a joke. The Shadow Proclamation never held trials in their headquarters. The main reason being that they’ve never had to deal with a criminal that needed him to be where all the Proclamation members were. But this was one criminal that was more deserving of this right than anyone.
*******
The space around the Proclamation was packed with ships. Large ships, small ships, long ships, short ships, battle ships, cargo ships, and much more. It was a good thing that the headquarters is situated on three asteroids, linked together by bridges, this allowed for more space around it. The buildings are towers that point into space that glow the most gorgeous light blue.
But while the area around the Proclamation was full of ships, it wasn’t the most crowded place at the headquarters. The lobby was packed with an assortment of creatures.
The lobby was a large domed area, with tiles and walls that shimmered like a brand new star. The walls were also adorned with pictures of the presidents of the Proclamation throughout the years. The floor was as clear as water, so you could look down at yourself like you were looking into a mirror.
However, it was hard to see the floor right now with all the creatures around. There were Vinvocci, Silurians, Slitheen, Sontarans, Haths, Zygons, and much more. Some her carrying balls of light, which pulsated whenever they shouted something. Some were wearing helmets that had recorders attached to them.
They were all crowding around a pair of large wooden doors. They were elegantly carved, with images of Pegasus flying through the stars, and Unicorns using magic to light up the night. But the doors where being blocked by six ponies in armor. The armor covered every part of their body, and they weren’t moving an inch. These were Judoon, who acted as the cops of the universe. They worked strictly for the Shadow Proclamation, and did what was necessary to fulfill the law.
“Any word on exactly WHO is being sentenced her today” asked a Silurians to one of the guards.
“No Comment” said the guard firmly. The Silurians showed a disappointed face, but was soon pushed out of the way.
“Can we at least have the species of the criminal in question” asked a Hath.
“No Comment” said the Judoon. The Hath was about to speak again, but he too was soon pushed out of the way.
“Explain to me why we can’t just use a lightning grenade to blow this maniac up and rid the universe of him” asked a Sontaran. This was a normal question, seeing as the Sontarans were bred for war.
“All beings are in right to a fair trial by Shadow Proclamation laws” said the Judoon.
The Sontaran and the rest of the crowd groaned. “Why is it that a grenade can’t be the solution to this problem” asked the Sontaran.
“Why is it that he got a decent answer” asked the crowd silently to themselves.
But while the crowd of “reporters” bombarded the Judoon with questions, the trial was taking place inside.
*******
The room was a pit shaped one, with rows of chairs all the way up. The area was intended to be a meeting place of the council for large scale assemblies. Each row had a desk for each chair, and there was a podium halfway around the room. The lighting was darker than the rest of the building, and the atmosphere was all very dreary.
The members of the Shadow Proclamation were all seated in their respected seats. Each one had paper and pens in front of them, and were each wearing the normal black clothing of the Proclamation.
Up in the podium, there was a light blue Pegasus with a white mane, and the number 11 as his cutie-mark. He wore red robes with the symbol of Rassilon, the current Lord President of Gallifrey, on it. A desk name plate sat on the podium reading the name “Judge Riper” in large letters. Judge Riper was concentrating on reading a list that was laid out in front of him.
“Stealing from the Timelord Time Vaults. Stealing a Tardis. Threats of destruction to the planets Gallifrey, Earth, Malcassairo, The Ood Sphere, San Helios, Skaro, The Sontaran Breeding Planet, Kastria, Metebelis Three, and Marinus. Allying with the Daleks, Cyberponies, and Rani. Murder of over Nine Hundred citizens of multiple planets, including Gallifrey Lord President Slann.” Judge Riper took that glass that had been lying on his nose off, set them down on the desk, and looked down at the center of the room. “Do you agree that you have done all of the listed crimes, remembering that you are in a truth field, MASTER” he asked.
Down at the bottom of the pit room was another pony. It was a reddish unicorn, with a grey mane and beard. But his age was showing through those, as a few white hairs could be seen clearly through the grey hair. He wore a simple black shirt; however it did look fairly worn out. Holes in a few places, and some tears as well. His cutie-mark was a pocket watch set to 11 o’clock. But the watch was cracked/split right down the middle.
He was being restricted by cuffs around his leg. They were held together by some kind of laser, and they were around his front and back legs. There was also a ring on his horn. It had strange Gallifrey symbols on it, and each one of them was glowing. There was also a piece of metal on his back that fit perfectly around it. Laser strings were attached to part of the metal, and the other was tied to the platform he was standing on.
The pony, who was named the Master, kept his face aimed at the floor. It was scrunched up in anger, like how someone acts when they are really annoyed. “Yes…I…Do” he said through gritted teeth.
“Good. Do you have any witnesses to call forward that can give us any reason to find you innocent” asked Judge Riper.
The Master’s face scrunched up more, and he bit down harder on his teeth. If he kept this up, they would end up breaking. “No…I…Don’t” he said.
“Right, well I think we’ve heard here. I now hand things over to the jury to sentence the accused” said Judge Riper as he straightened some papers. The jury stood up and walked out of the room. “Everyone else, please stay in the room while the verdict is reached” said Judge Riper. A few ponies got up and walked about the room, having a chance to stretch their legs after the two hour trial.
But Judge Riper wasn’t walking around; he was looking down at the Master. It was hard to believe that he was actually here, the criminal the Timelords had been chasing for centuries. When he had been told that the Master had been captured near the Pyramids on Earth and was to be given a trail, he had thought it was a joke. Never once had he thought that the Master could actually be caught. But here he was, right here in the Proclamations headquarters being held trial for his crimes. Now, all he wanted was for the renegade Timelord to be given the maximum punishment for what he had done.
*******
It was another half-hour before the jury returned to the room. As they filed in, the looks on their faces said everything. They were all the same, showing content looks. If they were anything to go by, this was going to be a harsh punishment if he was found guilty.
The jury sat down, expect for one at the far left end. Judge Riper turned at looked at him. “Has the jury reached a verdict” he asked.
“We have your honor…we hereby find the Master GUILTY of all charges” said the pony, saying the word guilty with a little more clarification than necessary.
The crowd murmured to each other, but was soon silenced when Judge Riper put his hoof up. He looked over at a unicorn that was next to his podium. “Caring, write this down” he said.
“Yes sir” said Caring, and he used her magic to pick up a quill and hover it over some paper.
“Let it be known that on this day the Master was found guilty of his crimes against the universe” said Judge Riper. Caring quickly wrote this down. Riper looked back at the jury. “And have you decided on his fate” he asked.
The pony was silent for a moment before saying “We hereby sentence the Master to the ultimate punishment for a Timelord” a few ponies in the crowd gasped “…Permanent Death” he said.
The crowd instantly started talking, but once again fell silent when Judge Riper put his hoof up. But someone wasn’t so silent.
“THIS IS AN OUTRAGE, THAT JURY HAS OBVEOUSLY BEEN FORCED TO GIVE THAT PUNISHEMENT. I DEMAND A NEW JURY BE PICKED AND A NEW SENTENCE GIVEN” screamed the Master. He still had on an angry face, but it was now directed towards Judge Riper.
“SILENCE” yelled Riper, pointing a hoof at the Master.
“MAKE ME” the Master screamed back, eyes narrowing.
“Caring” said Riper, looking over at the unicorn next to him.
“Yes sir” said Caring. Then a steam of magic flew through the air and hit a gem that was implanted in the metal the Master was wearing. Instantly, electricity began to flow through his body.
“AAAWWW” he screamed as he leaned over in pain.
“Want to stop talking now” asked Judge Riper. The Master slowly looked up, and his face still showed he was angry.
“Ye…yes” he said, once again through gritted teeth. Judge Riper lifted up his right hoof, and Caring’s magic soon dissipated, and the electricity was cut off. “Huff…that…was…terrible” said the Master, trying to catch his breath.
“Good. Now is seems where we are at the part of the trail where you are executed” said Judge Riper.
But then was voice spoke up “Wait sir, you’re forgetting something” it said.
Judge Riper looked over, and saw a dark green unicorn with a dark brown mane and a sun dial as a cutie-mark standing up. Riper narrowed his eyes “Who are you” he asked.
The unicorn cleared his throat “Uh, Time Marker sir. I’ve been in the Proclamation for a little over ten years. And I see that you, um, forgot something important” he said.
Riper’s eyes opened slightly “Then tell me, what is it that I forgot” he asked. He had never been called out on anything before, so this should be interesting.
“Well, uh, sir, Law 553 of the Shadow Proclamation states that all criminals sentenced to death are allowed to state their final request. And if it is doable, then it is to be granted” said Marker.
The crowd began to murmur again, but this time Riper didn’t silence them. He eyes were back to their normal look, and he was looking at Marker. After about a minute of staring, he put up his hoof, and the room was silent once more.
“Marker, I applaud you for remembering this information, really I do. If it was another trail, I would agree with you. But certainly we can make an exception for this one. He was done things that rank equal with the Daleks and Cyberponies” said Riper.
“To be honest sir, if we can’t grant the final request of all criminals, what right do we have to do it at all” asked Marker.
Judge Riper chuckled, and opened his mouth to argue back. “Yeah, I agree” said a voice. Riper froze where he was, and looked towards the sound. A female ‘earth’ pony with a pink mane and a black coat was standing up.
“So do I” said another voice. It was a Pegasus with red coat and a black mane.
Soon ponies left and right were getting up and saying they agreed. And not long after is started; only four ponies hadn’t gotten up and said they agreed.
Judge Riper was in a tight situation, what was he to do when everyone was telling him to grant the Master his last request, and he knew it was wrong?
“Sir, I highly suggest doing what they say, before this turns into a riot” said Caring, who had also stood up with the others. Riper narrowed his eyes at the crowd, and stood up.
“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, I’ll let him have his last request. Now all of you sit down and be SILENT” screamed Riper. The crowd stopped chanting, and slowly sat back down in their seats.
Riper took a deep breath, recomposing himself, and then looked down at the Master. “It seems that a majority of the council want your final request to be fulfilled. So, under Law 553 of the Shadow Proclamation, what is your final request” he asked.
The Master, who had been silent while the council had spoken their minds, looked at the ground. And he continued to look at it for another five minutes, while remaining completely silent.
Soon Riper lost patience. “Are you going to say anything, or are you forfeiting your right to a last request” he asked, his tone higher than usual.
The Master looked up, with a smile now plastered across his face. “I was thinking, but now I have come to a decision” he said.
“Well are you going to wait for the universe to fall apart? SAY IT ALREADY” screamed Riper.
The Master’s smile widened, into a smile that looked more evil than sincere. “I wish for my remains to be returned to my home Planet of Gallifrey” he said.
Judge Riper’s eyes widened in surprise of what he had just heard. It truly was a simple request. It really only seemed logical that the Master would want his final resting place to be his home planet. That’s what most species would want, and to be fair, he was going to suggest that his remains be thrown through a black hole. Riper sat up straighter and cleared his throat. “Well, that seems like a smile enough request. Therefore I approve of it. A ship will be called to bring your remains back” he said.
“Hold it right there judge, I’m not finished yet. You see, I wish for the Doctor to be the one to return my remains to Gallifrey” said the Master, still with that evil smile.
The crowd began talking again, this time louder than before. Riper held up his hand, but only a few stopped talking. “SILENCE” he screamed, and the room soon fell silent once more. He looked back down at the Master with a scowl “You want the Doctor, your enemy, to bring your remains back to Gallifrey. That seems like a strange thing to ask” he said.
The Master stopped smiling and instead showed a face of disinterest. “Well I don’t see what I can do to him being dead. Plus you can always lock my remains away if necessary. And according to your law, if I heard right, if my last request is doable, then is shall be granted. And I believe this is a doable request” he said.
“He’s right sir; it is doable. Therefore you have to grant it” said Caring, silently enough so only Judge Riper heard.
“Thank…You…Caring” said Riper through gritted teeth. There was nothing he could do; he had to agree with this request. Straightening his suit and clearing his throat, he stood up. “The Master has requested that the Doctor return his remains to Gallifrey. As head of this trial, I hereby…grant the Master his request” he said.
A few ponies in the room stood up and cheered, some clapped their hooves, and others did nothing. The Master smiled, once again looking like one of evil. “I thank you Judge Riper. This truly means a lot to me. I will remember this for the rest of my life” he said.
“Which won’t be much longer. Your final request has been deemed doable, and will be fulfilled”. Now, it was Riper who smiled evilly “Now it is time for your execution. BRING OUT THE EXECUTIONER” he screamed, raising a hoof in the air dramatically.
The whole room was soon filled with the sound of something grinding. It echoed off all of the walls. It was coming from the podium Judge Riper was sitting at, which was directly in front of the Master. Two pairs of doors were opening, slowly, outward towards the Master. When they were fully opened, the only thing on the other side was darkness. Utter and complete darkness…except for a small circular light floating in the empty space.
The Master looked confused “Is the executioner invisible” he asked, peering into the blackness.
Judge Riper’s smiled grew wider “Oh no, he’s visible all right” he looked down “Come on out executioner” he said in a taunting voice. The circular light stayed at the same height, but it began to come closer.
“So how are you going to do it executioner? Stab me, cut my head off, poison me? What exactly are you going to do” asked the Master, his face once again showing disinterest.
“You Will Be EXTERMINATED” said a voice. It was mechanical, like when you type a word into a speak and spell. But this voice sounded evil.
The Master’s eyes widened, and his face fell into one of shock and fear. “It can’t be, impossible” he said.
“But it’s not impossible, MASTER” said Riper, with more evil glee in his voice than a supervillain after destroying his archenemy. And when he finished, the executioner came into the light. It looked like a pepper shaker, with an eye stock on its domed top, and what looked like a plunger and a whisk attached to its middle. It was painted bronze, with the whisk and plunger arm looking silver.
“The Master Will Be EXTERMINATED” said the machine as it rolled closer to the Master.
“NO, PLEASE ANYTHING BUT THIS. WHY ARE YOU HERE, THE DALEKS HATE THE TIMELORDS, AND WE HATE YOU” screamed the Master, who was trying with all his might to back away, but couldn’t with the cuffs on his legs and lasers attached to the metal covering his back. He even tried to use his magic, but the ring on his horn blocked it all.
Judge Riper continued to smile evilly “That’s true Master, we both do hate each other. But just this one time, we found we both have something in common” he said.
“AND WHAT’S THAT” screamed the Master, who was still trying to escape the death machine rolling towards him.
“We both HATE you, and want you DEAD. When the Daleks found out you were being put on trial, they demanded they give you your punishment. And, well, who were we to refuse them joy” asked Riper, and be chuckled evilly, clearing enjoying the Master’s misery.
The Dalek stopped just a foot from the Master, with its eye stock looking directly in-between his eyes. “Any last words Master” asked Riper.
“YES, GET THIS DALEK AWAY FROM ME! PLEASE LET ME DIE ANOTHER WAY” screamed the Master.
“Not exactly what I thought you’d say, but hey; it’s your words” said Riper, then he looked down at the Dalek with that evil smile. “Dalek, take aim” he said. The Dalek’s whisk like weapon moved up slightly, so it was aimed right at the Master.
“NO, PLEASE NO” screamed the Master.
But Judge Riper just smiled as he said that one word. “Fire”.
“EXTERMINATE” screamed the Dalek. The weapon let off a whizzing sound, and a blue laser shot out of the whisk like gun. It made contact with the Master’s body. It lit up like an x-ray, with visible bones outlined by his now blue body.
“AAAWWW” screamed the Master as the Dalek continued to fire. Normally just a quick shot would kill anyone, but to make sure the Master would die, the Dalek had been ordered to keep firing until told to stop.
The continues firing soon caused the Master’s legs to begin to melt. “NO, PLEASE, STOP” screamed the Master, with tears starting to form in his eyes. But the Dalek continued to fire, and his legs continued to melt. Then his stomach and flanks began to melt. “AAAWW-” the Master was cut off as his throat (including his vocal cords) melted. His eyes were wide open while his head and horn melted.
“That’s enough” said Judge Riper, putting his hoof up again. The Dalek turned off his weapon.
The whole room looked down to where the Master had been standing. All that was there were the cuffs, the metal that was covering his back, and a small, smoking, pile of goo. Some ponies in the room had to cover their mouths so they didn’t see their lunch for a second time. And unfortunately some did see their lunch a second time.
Judge Riper looked down at the smoking goo pile with his eyes narrowed. “Finally, the universe is rid of that monster” he said. Right, fun time was over, now he had to get back to work. He looked over at Caring, who was starting to turn green while looking at the smoking goo. “Caring, get the communicator ready, I have a call to make” he said sternly.
Doctor Whooves: The Eighth Doctor
Chapter 2
For a long time the Doctor’s Tardis console room had been a roundish white room with circles on the walls. The console itself had five panels, and a small glass cylinder that moved up and down when the ship was in flight. It was a simple design that the Doctor had enjoyed. Sure he had changed a few things over the years, but overall it stayed the same.
However after a while the Doctor had thought it was time to give the Tardis a homier look. So after fiddling around with the design circuits, he had finally designed a Tardis that felt more like home.
This Tardis was a large open area. It had elegant wooden bookshelves all around it, with books from all across the universe stacked on the shelves. The floor was made of strong everfree wood, with swirling lines and circles etched into each plank. There was also furniture, with comfortable read leather upholstery, and strong wood for the rest. In the far corner were two desks with many books, maps, and papers scattered on the top.
The console itself was a more steampunk like design. It sat on a slightly raised platform, with six large metal bars sticking up around it. Like previous consoles, this one had five panels, with many switches and dials around it. And there was also a glass cylinder that rose up to the ceiling. Inside it were two sets of metal rods attached to plates. One set was facing up, and the other was upside-down. When the ship was in flight, the two would move closer to each other, back away, and repeat again and again.
The whole cylinder let of a gorgeous blue light. Also there was a screen above that console, almost like a television screen. A chain was attached to the bottom so it could be pulled down.
Yes, it does seem a little bit strange, but to the Doctor, it felt like home.
Yet, it was also very quiet. Normally the room would either be filled with the sound of the Doctor talking, or the sound of the Tardis while in flight. But no; it was dead silent.
At least for a few minutes.
For with a great bang, the doors of the Tardis flew open. Shouting and the sound of gunfire filled the quiet void of the Tardis. Laser flew into the room, leaving burns on the areas they hit.
And in a flash something bolted through the doors, stopping just in time to close them with another loud bang. The figure slumped onto the floor, letting out heavy breaths. Sweat glistened from his body, and dropped to the floor like drops of rain.
The figure looked like and earth pony, and was a tan color. His mane was a sort of chestnut brown, and he had light blue eyes.
He wore an orange vest with red question marks on it. Over that he wore an off-white coat. A hat of the same color sat on his head, with a red band going around the bottom of it.
Finally, on his rump sat an image of an hourglass, which was a little more than halfway empty.
Reaching into his pocket with his hoof, the pony pulled out a hanker chief and began wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Terrible, utterly and completely terrible. I try to stop a war between those two planets, and each thinks I was sent as a spy. And what happens as a result; they team up to hunt me down. How can I help people if they just shoot at me” asked the pony, putting the hanker chief back into his coat.
“Note to self, never get involved in a war again” said the pony as he pulled himself off the floor. But the moment his rump left the wood, a voice ran through the Tardis.
“Welcome Back Doctor” said the feminine voice.
The pony, known as the Doctor, sighed. “I thought I disabled that function” he said. This feature was relatively new: when the Doctor was absent from the Tardis for a certain amount of time, the Tardis would welcome him back. However he quickly grew tiresome of it. All it did now was remind him of how alone he was.
Walking up to the console, the Doctor went straight for the one with the Time Dials on it.
“Now, where shall I go next” he asked. It seemed that even with a machine that could take you anywhere in time and space, it was still hard to come up with a location idea.
“We…I mean I, could go to Prance and eat some croissants. I could go to Earth’s moon and get some cocktails. (Sighs) Why do I not feel like those will be exciting” said the Doctor. “…why did Ace have to go” he asked himself.
Ace had been the Doctor’s companion for a while. The two had gone on many trips, and faced many monsters. The Daleks to the Cyberponies, they faced many a foe, but they always came out on top.
However, it there came a time when Ace thought she could be doing more for the world. It was only after giving a lot of thought that she had decided to go back to Equestria. She now runs her own Charity, and is helping ponies all over the world.
But now, the Doctor was all alone. No one to tell him to be careful, no one to tell him what they thought was right…and no one to talk to.
“Well, might as well see where the vortex takes us” said the Doctor. Reaching up, he pushed a large leaver on one of the panels. Strangely, it looked like a bike handle.
“VOOM, VOOM, VOOM, VOOM” went the Tardis as the cylinders began to move up and down. After a few seconds the sound became quieter, meaning the ship was now in flight.
“Alright old girl, try to pick a nice place” said the Doctor. And turning away from the console, walked towards his favorite chair.
“RING, RING, RING”
The Doctor froze where he was standing. “Is that” he said.
“RING, RING, RING”
Turning around, the Doctor saw a small light flashing near the phone on the concel. “Who could be calling me? Not many ponies know my number” he said as he walked over to phone.
Next to the phone was a small green button, which was also flashing. Pressing it, the Doctor began to speak. “Hello, you’ve phoned the Tardis. This is the Doctor speaking” he said.
“Why hello there Doctor. It has been a long time hasn’t it” said a voice. It sounded a little evil, but had a hint of grandpa like kindness in it.
The Doctor’s eyes widened and his mouth formed into a smug like smile. “Judge Riper; the most powerful judge on all of Gallifrey. How could forget the Timelord that put my on trial all those years ago” he said.
“Nice to see you haven’t forgotten me Doctor. But I was a different stallion then; I’ve regenerated six times since that day” said Riper.
“So if I’m counting right, you only have one regeneration left” said the Doctor.
“Unfortunately your counting is spot on. But one remaining life isn’t going to deter me from doing my job. I’d rather die sitting on my podium than in a retirement home” said Riper.
“Well that shows you have a dedication to your way of life. However, I have the strangest feeling you didn’t call me for a friendly chat” said the Doctor.
“Oh yes, I was wondering when we’d get to why I called” said Ripper. His voice had turned very serious. "You remember the Master right”.
The Doctor’s face instantly changed to a glare, and he gritted his teeth hard. His voice was harsh and understanding. "Yes, I remember him. I haven’t seen him in a long time, but you don’t easily forget somepony like him”.
“Well you’ll be happy to hear that the Judoon captured him” said Riper.
“That’s impossible; the Master has been evading the Timelords for years. How could some Judoon have done it” asked the Doctor.
“He was found hiding out in the Zebra Lands on Earth. They cornered him, and it was a simple task of chaining him up and bringing him to the Shadow Proclamation. His trial ended just over an hour ago” said Riper.
“I’m not going to bother asking how it went. Just tell me the outcome” said the Doctor. He was eager to find out what had happened to his old enemy.
“The jury found him guilty of all charges” said Riper.
“I couldn't see why they wouldn't find him guilty. He's made quite a stir through the universe, ever since he left Gallifrey" said the Doctor, remembering the day the Master had run away from his large mess like a little foal running away to avoid a punishment. But he shook that thought away and refocused on Ripper. "So what was his sentence; Prison, Gallifrayain lab Ginny pig” he asked.
“He was sentenced to permanent death at the hands of the Daleks” said Riper. The glee slightly shown through his voice.
The Doctor’s mind stopped for a quick millisecond before ramping back into overdrive. “Well it’s what he deserved. And I can tell from the glee in your voice that you enjoyed watching it” he said.
"You know me Doctor; I love a good execution. I’m sure some ponies would say I act like a supervillain” said Ripper happily.
“They wouldn’t be too far off” said the Doctor quietly to himself. Although this recent news put his in a much happier mood, the conversation was getting too long. He was ready to end this call and go take a nap in his chair.
“Well thanks for the call Ripper, but I would like to get back to my travels” he said, and reached out to press the receiver button.
“Hold it Doctor, there’s more I need to discus with you” said Ripper.
The Doctor stopped, but kept his hoof over the button. It wasn't a wise idea to hang up on a Judge, especially if that Judge was Ripper.
“Fine, but make it quick” said the Doctor.
“Well I know you like to enforce laws, but how do you like having one told to you” asked Ripper. But he didn’t wait for a response before he continued.
“Law 553 of the Shadow Proclamation states that if the death penalty is sentenced, the criminal is allowed to speak his final request. And if it is doable, then it is granted” he said.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes, wondering where this was going. “Yes, and what does that have to do with me” he asked.
“The Master’s final request was that you transport his remains back to Gallifrey. Seeing as that is a simple task, it must be carried out. Therefore, you must come to the Shadow Proclamation to collect his remains” said Ripper.
The Doctor’s eyes widened when hearing this news. He and the Master had been enemies for centuries. Everything the Master did that involved the Doctor caused problems. One time he had teamed up with the Master to save Gallifrey, and because of him ended up regenerating into his fifth life.
“Sorry Ripper, but that’s not something I’m going to do. Get somepony else to do it. Now I think I should go to the planet Midnight to celebrate the death of the largest thorn in my flank” said the Doctor, almost smiling.
“I’m afraid that’s going to have to wait Doctor. You see, since you are still under the rule of Gallifrey, and you owe us that one favor for clearing all your past charges, you have to do this. This will show others that the Doctor can forgive his enemy and fulfill his last request. It’ll be good moral for other Timelords” said Ripper.
“I’ll never forgive the Master. He passed that line far too long ago” said the Doctor. His face and attitude were quickly turning angry.
“You don’t have to forgive him; it was just a rouse to get you to agree. Now I’m tired to talking about this Doctor. You are to report to the Shadow Proclamation at once to collect the remains. I’m sending the coordinates now. I expect to see you here in no longer than one minute” said Ripper. Then all that could be heard was a beeping noise; Ripper had ended the call.
Sighing, the Doctor walked over to the main control panel. The pull down screen that was above it flashed a quick series of codes, but they soon disappeared. Naturally, the information had been implanted directly into the Tardis’ mainframe.
The Doctor put his hoof on the main lever. “Well, here we go again” he said. Then with a quick yank, pulled the lever all the way down.
The whole room shuddered as the Tardis changed course to the Shadow Proclamation, blasting quickly through the time vortex.
*******
“VOOM, VOOM, VOOM, VOOM…bang” went the Tardis as it touched down after the quick flight.
The Doctor walked over to the pair of police doors that sat not too far away from the console.
“Last chance to turn around Doctor” he said to himself. But he knew he couldn’t turn back, not when he had already come this far.
Undoing the lock attached to the door, he pushed it open with a nudge from his hoof. The Doctor quickly walked through the door, leaving the console room empty once again.
*******
It had been many years since the Doctor had last been to the Shadow Proclamation.
When he had last seen it, it had been just one building located near the edge of the Star Swirl galaxy. The building itself wasn’t all that glamorous, but it suited them at the time.
So naturally, he was a little surprised to see the new headquarters.
The Tardis had landed near the edge of the left asteroid. It was only a push away from the dark void of space.
The Doctor studied the new glowing blue builds for a few seconds.
“Too flashy if you ask me” he said. But he didn’t have time to stand around and examine things. So turning in the direction of the bridge, he set off for the main building.
*******
It took him a good ten minutes of walking, but he finally reached the large front doors of the Proclamation.
“Now, where’s the doorbell” he said, looking along the sides of the door frames. For a highly rated security team of ponies, they never did make it simple for someone to announce their presence.
“State your name, rank, and intention” said a voice.
The Doctor was caught off guard by the voice. But as he looked around, he couldn’t find the pony the voice belonged to.
“Who said that” he asked.
“I repeat; State your name, rank, and intention” said the voice again.
The Doctor stood silent for a minute. How was he supposed to answer something he couldn’t see?
“If an answer is not given now, you shall be assimilated” said the voice.
Well that was enough to get the Doctor talking. “The Doctor, Doctor, and…collecting the Master’s remains” he said, still a little unsure if he was saying the right thing.
“One moment” said the voice.
A whole minute went by, and not a word was spoken. Then the voice spoke again.
“Welcome Doctor to the Shadow Proclamation. Please be aware that any crimes committed while here will cause your immediate imprisonment” it said.
“Such a cheery look on things” said the Doctor.
The doors gave a creaking noise as they slowly swung open.
“Please step inside, a Proclamation guard will take you to Judge Ripper” said the voice.
So the Doctor walked through the doors into the main lobby.
He almost had to shut his eyes. The light reflecting off the tiled floors was very bright. But his eyes soon adjusted and he looked around the lobby.
Without the reports crowding the place, it had a much larger feel to it. The floors were now visible, letting them shine like a freshly polished mirror. The Doctor found it amusing to look down and see himself staring at him.
“Starting to get a few grey hairs” he said, noting the one or two grey hairs sticking out against his brown mane.
“Are you the Doctor” said a voice.
Looking up, the Doctor saw a light green stallion with black hair standing in front of him. He was wearing what looked like a Canterlot guard uniform, but it was colored light blue with the Proclamation symbol etched onto the side.
“Yes I am. And are you the guard that’s supposed to take me to Ripper” asked the Doctor.
“That’s correct. Now would you please fallow me” he asked, and then started walking towards a hallway leading away from the lobby. The Doctor quickly fallowed behind him.
The hallway was lined with doors, many of which had names of the ponies who office it was etched into it. It almost felt like one of those weird government buildings usually seen in Manehattan or Trottingham.
As they walked through the hallway, the Doctor was observing the guard more closely.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but that armor doesn’t look like it would do very well at protecting you. Shouldn’t you be wearing high class armor, since that’s what most ponies wear out in the field” said the Doctor.
“I’m not one of the ponies that work out on the field. I’m just a patrol guard here. My job is to make sure no one goes where they’re not supposed to and keep journalist out of the council’s hair. Well, expect this morning. There were so many people here that they had to call in the Judoon to keep them from busting down the chamber doors” said the guard.
“Yes, I can see people wanting to know about something like this. Where they ever told who was put on trial” asked the Doctor.
“Nope, we decided to keep the word hush-hush until the remains are back in the hands of the Timelords” said the guard.
“Well I can see why. Wars have been fought for just one drop of Timelord blood. Who knows what would happen if they heard a whole body was up for grabs” said the Doctor.
The guard rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, actually, there isn’t a body left. The Dalek fired on him for so long that his whole body melted. It’s just a pile of goo now” he said.
The Doctor’s face cringed up a little bit. “That must have been a sight to behold” he said.
“Yeah, glad I wasn’t in the room. The janitors were cleaning up the room for an hour because some ponies couldn’t hold onto their lunch” said the guard.
The Doctor wanted to say something, but then the guard stopped.
Looking around, the Doctor saw that they had left the main hallway and entered a smaller one. It had only one door at the end, and the name carved into it said “Judge Ripper”.
The guard knocked on the door three times, and then waited.
“Who is it” said a voice from the other side.
“Safeguard sir. I’ve brought the Doctor” said armored pony.
“Excellent, send him in” said the voice.
The guard pulled down the handle and pushed the door open. He and the Doctor walked in, and the door immediately shut behind them.
The room was fairly large; big enough to hold at least thirty or more ponies at one time. The walls were made of elegant wood, with framed pictures hanging on each of the four.
The floor was tiled, which looked like granite, but colored light blue. And at the farther side of the room sat a large wooden desk. It looked to be made of red oak, and had the Shadow Proclamation insignia carved on the front.
Judge Ripper was sitting at the desk, looking through a few papers. But when the door closed, he looked up at us.
He took the glasses he was wearing off his nose. “Thank you Safeguard, you can go back to your patrol now” he said.
“Yes sir” said Safeguard, and turning around, he opened the door and left the room.
Ripper pushed his papers to the side, and then turned to the Doctor. “Please, take a seat” he said, waving a hoof over at a pair of chairs in front of the desk.
“Thank You” said the Doctor. He walked over to the chair and took a seat.
Ripper looked at a clock that was at the edge of his desk. “I called you four minutes ago. For someone with a time machine that can go anywhere and anywhen, you do like to keep people waiting” he said.
The Doctor huffed “sorry if I didn’t arrive the moment you put the receiver down” he said. He had never really like Ripper. Part of it was because he had caused the Doctor to regenerate into his third life. The other part was his personality. Ripper always considered himself to be above others. Plus, he always had a slightly evil part to him. But then, most Timelords have the same.
“Now now Doctor, we’re not here to get mad at each other. If you want that, call me after hours” said Ripper, giving a humorous smile.
“Har Har, that was so funny I forgot to laugh. Now can we actually get to why I’m here” said the Doctor. He wanted to get this whole thing done as fast as he could.
“Right. Now as stated Doctor; you agreed to bring the Master’s remains back to Gallifrey, as to fulfill his final request” said Ripper.
“I didn’t agree; you forced me to do this” said the Doctor.
“Not important, what is important is that you do this. Now as to what you are supposed to do. The remains will be given to you, and you are to seal them in a safe area while on the way to Gallifrey. In order to keep attention away from your Tardis, no Gallifrey or Proclamation ships will be fallowing you. Finally, you are to report directly to the Capital when you arrive. The guards will take his remains from there” said Ripper “Do you understand”?
The Doctor took in what he had to do. Yes, he was doing this, even though he really didn’t want to. But, if it really was this simple. Maybe…maybe it was time to let things in the past go, and give the Master his final wish to celebrate the now more peaceful universe that was to come.
“Yes, I understand” said the Doctor. He was no longer angry; now he was serious.
“Good. And I do believe I should now give you what you came for” said Ripper. Reaching over, he pushed a button that was on the side of the desk. There was a whooshing noise, and what sounded like a clunk.
Suddenly, an open appeared on the desk, and a small round container rose out of it.
The Container was very elegant. It looked like solid gold, and was split in two halves. The two halves were held together by large bolts, and a small ring was attached to the top.
“These are the Master’s remains. I now hand them over to you, and hope that you can safely return them to Gallifrey” said Ripper. He stared at the Doctor like he was staring at a criminal.
The Doctor eyed the container questionably. “Are you sure this container is strong enough to stop the Master if he tries to get out” he asked.
Ripper looked at him questionably now. “Doctor, he is dead. There is nothing left of him but what is in here. You don’t have to worry about him anymore” he said, but in a voice that sounded like he was trying to convince the Doctor rather than tell him.
The Doctor leaned back slightly in his chair “I always like to take precautions” he said, narrowing his eyes.
“Yes…I agree with you on that. But I have many things to do today Doctor, so I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our conversation short” said Ripper. Leaning over, he pushed another button on his desk.
“Safeguard, escort the Doctor back to his Tardis. Make sure no one fallows him, and no one talks to him” said Ripper.
“Yes sir” said Safeguard.
Ripper took his hoof off the button and looked back at the Doctor.
“Let me warn you of this Doctor. If any species, especially the Daleks and Cyberponies, get their hoofs on the Master’s remains, I shall personally make sure you go through three more lives by the time the High Council is done with you” said Ripper, now fully glaring at the Doctor.
“Whoa, Whoa, No need to get hostile Ripper. You can count on me. Nothing’s going to get these remains. Not as long as I have two hearts” said the Doctor, giving his chest a pound just to emphasize what he was saying.
“For you sake I hope so” said Ripper.
Before the two could say another word, there was three knocks at the door. Ripper pressed the same button as before. “Come in” he said.
The doors opened, and Safeguard walked in.
Ripper turned back to the Doctor. “Well it seems our time is over Doctor” he said. Then, he pushed the container over towards the Doctor. “Take Great Care”.
The Doctor took the container in his teeth, turned his head around, and very carefully placed in on his back. Since he didn’t have a horn, or wings so he could hold it in his hooves, his back was the best option.
“Have a nice day Ripper” said the Doctor as he turned to the door.
“Thank You, and have a good trip Doctor” said Ripper.
But the Doctor didn’t reply. He simply walked out the door, with Safeguard leading him to the exit.
