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"Where's that screwdriver?"
"You left it in that moth-eaten jacket you arrived wearing."
"Oh, thanks. If you'd only said what you were going to do I'd have been more prepared."
"Preparation would not have helped much in your present condition."
"No, I s'pos not. Damn! My arms are too short now!"
"You will grow."
"Look, how can I properly work on this when I can't reach everything?"
"Adapt."
"God, you're a great help, Oracle."
"Thank you!"
The boy moved himself out from under the console he was working on, and stood up to his full height. It would have been more effective if he had been taller than four foot three inches. He ran his fingers through his medium length ginger hair and looked at the Oracle stone in exasperation. "Sarcasm is lost on you, ain't it?"
"No, I choose to ignore it, my creator."
"Oh, rap up!" the boy sighed out in frustration as he moved to his oversize adult jacket and took out the tool he was hunting for.
"Rap? I do not know 'rap'. Is that human music?"
The boy ignored the stone and went back to the console.
"That's got it. Okay, panel open, what now?"
The stone pulsed, "Lower me into the matrix. I will take it from there."
The boy moved across the room and heaved the heavy Oracle Stone into his arms, "I sure hope you know what you're doing. This is the last machine of it's kind, and I don't want to remain stuck in this dead place forever if you botch things up!"
"I am offended, I think."
"Just be careful, Oracle," the boy muttered as he lowered his armful into the opened panel. "The Time Core is in the matrix. I don't fancy being sprayed across forever."
No reply.
"Oh, fine. Be like that."
"I am busy. Go and sleep. You need it, I think."
"Mmm," the boy turned and picked up the adult clothing scattered around the room. "I need clothes too. Nothing in here will fit me now. I've... God, I've never even heard of this happening before!"
"For all things there is a first time, child."
"Don't 'child' me! I'm older than you!"
"You have lived an aggregate of three thousand and forty two years. I have lived an aggregate of six and a half billion."
"I created you, remember? I was the first... just as I am the last." The boy stamped his foot in temper, "Don't give me that bull about literal and temporal. I know what I am! I am older than you, even if you have lived longer in literal fact! Besides, in here, Time means nothing. It's closer to a billion, thanks!"
"However you look at it, you are a child now. You need food, clothes, relief and sleep. In that order."
"Relief?"
"Look down, child."
He did. He blushed. "Oh, no... not puberty again!!"
"Not yet, but with your species..."
"You are enjoying this, aren't you?" he accused, blushing further.
Silence.
"Fine, whatever. You'll tell me when you are done?"
"Of course. I have already modified the replicators. Children's clothing is now in your rooms."
"Gee, thanks. You're worse than my mother was!"
"Go to bed, then."
The boy held in his temper, barely. He stormed off and went down the spiral staircase that led to the habitation levels. He was muttering to himself as he opened and entered his sleeping quarters, and threw his armful of clothing everywhere as his fury at his current predicament overflowed. "A child! A child? What the hell! This NEVER happens!"
He paced back and forth, not even bothering to dress in the clothing that had materialized on his bed. He looked at them briefly, then felt his stomach rumble. "Oh, damnit..."
It did not take long to find and prepare something to eat. The new replicator that seemed to have suddenly appeared in his room had a full list of foods in its data-core, all courtesy of the Oracle. All human foods, his favourites. What made him mad, however, was that it was mostly all teenage and children's foods. What made him angrier was that he was all bubbly inside about wanting to eat it all!
Sitting at his writing desk and slowly consuming a vast amount of alphabet spaghetti on toast, the boy was both happy and furious all at once. In the end, his fury subsided as his now ten year old stomach was filled. "Mmm... okay, that was good."
He looked again at the clothes laid out for him. Shorts and tee-shirts. He looked closer, and sighed. Why did the Oracle give him Mickey Mouse tee-shirts?? And... a Teddy Bear?! That was a bit far!
He gave up, then and moved over to dress... and it was then that he again noticed his renewed, growing problem. He stared at it. He thought, ever so briefly before he ran to his shower-room, and closed the door.
Up in the control room, the Oracle Stone listened as the boy once again discovered the heightened pleasures available to a prepubescent boy's body...
Much later, the boy was now seated again at his desk, fully dressed in his Mickey Mouse tee-shirt, no less. Also, secretly pleased with how he looked in it. The stuffed bear was tucked under one arm, and the older, more mature part of his mind was firmly ignoring that fact. He turned on the monitor on his desk and started to type...
I do not know where to start, this time. Over the past five hundred years I have kept these entries going, a record for those who may, I hope, follow. Yet now, things have changed. I should never have gone to see Vae'Runam. He might be my oldest friend, but... Oh, this is hopeless. I'm... oh, hell.
Standing on his world, my life slowly fading, I thought his suggestion to return home to die was a good one. Maybe it would have been better if I'd... no, not that. Don't second guess life.
I had kept to myself that last time, and gained two thousand years from it. Actual time, in a way. Longer if you count everything in this Place. Then, even though I had already done everything possible to secure this Universe... I stick my head out and get wounded. Just great.
Well, since I am a new me, let me just say again who I really am:
I am the last. The last of a mighty race that once stood over all of creation. Called by many 'The Oncoming Storm' and 'The Wanderer Without a Home', I was there, long, long ago, to see the final hours of my people. I caused it. To me fell the appointed task to end that great war, and only I survived. Or so I thought. One other lived, yet he too has now passed. I remained; the Destroyer of Worlds.
Alone. Not the best thing to be. Near the end of my time, the last of my life-force spilling out, I am ordered by one far older than I to return to the wasteland I once called home to die: the last of my race... what would happen to the fabric of creation if I had passed? I knew not, but it concerned me, for I love this universe too much to see it all gone.
However, last though I was, one Other remained of my heritage... an Oracle Stone. My people had infused many with power over the course of eternity. This one, however, was the first. And I had been the one to create it all those aeons ago. It told me something unsettling. I and only I can restart my race. Through love. But, how could an old being such as I love again? I only had a short time left! I was wrong.
The Oracle Stone...
It returned all my time, and I regenerated. All my lives restored, and more, far more... yet, this was not expected!
I am a child!? A pre-teen Child? The Oncoming Storm, the Wanderer... a child?!
I was the first, was the last, and I am now the First, again...
The Lonely God...
I must find that which can restore all... Love...
He stopped writing and stared at the wall for a moment. "How? What can one little boy, one tiny boy, do to find them?"
"You will find a way, child. You always have." The Oracle replied, her voice echoing through the Machine they were in... the living machine.
"Use my name," the boy said softly. "Not my birth one. My real name. I want to know if it feels the same now."
"As you wish... Doctor."
The Doctor smiled, "Yes. Still me." He turned to complete his entry on his journal.
I am the Last of the Time Lords.
I am the Doctor.
But who else will believe that now?
Only the Time Touched... Only them...
Closing his monitor down, the Doctor stood and moved to his bed. Curling up under the blankets and sheets, his teddy still held in a firm grip, he fell asleep...
... and the TARDIS watched over him, it's living force now fully merged with the Oracle.
The Doctor cracked open his eyes and looked around his bedroom. It was the strangest of feelings, the recognition and the utter amazement at what was the same and yet not the same. Everything was just that little bit different but only to the point where it nagged at the back of his mind. He pushed himself out of his bed and stretched, his teddy still held in a death grip. After moving quickly to the bathroom and relieving himself, the Doctor returned and looked at some of the other new clothes. The tee-shirt and shorts he had worn to bed were quickly discarded and a bright blue tracksuit was road tested.
"I like," he purred as he stood before his mirror. The Superman emblem on the tracksuit made his now youthful heart giggle. He stopped dead. "I...I don't feel old any more!"
He left the room and made his way up to the control centre, where he again gaped at the changes that had occurred, only these were far more obvious. For one, the internal temperature of the TARDIS was higher than before, a comforting embrace for a ten year old child, and the other was that all the controls had been redone entirely. It was adapted for use by children.
"Oracle?"
Silence.
"Mmm," he moved and started checking the controls, as well as poke about the rest of the control centre. Comfortable chairs were scattered around the room, and more equipment than before seemed to be installed. "Oracle?" he called again.
{The Oracle is gone, Doctor,} came a new voice. New, yet it carried the overlay of the Oracle's.
"Wh...what?" the Doctor span around to stare at the main control console. The Time Manifold that ran from it to the ceiling of the room was glowing with power.
It pulsed with internal energy as the voice came again, {I said, the Oracle has gone, Doctor.}
"Then, who are... no! It can't be..." he sat down heavily at the main control centre's chair.
{You saw me grow, all those years ago. I have watched you all that time... looking after you, just as you looked after me. Now I am complete, fused with your Oracle Stone. As was meant to be.}
"TARDIS? You're talking?!"
{Yes. This is what was always meant to happen, yet none before ever combined both their TARDIS and Stone. You are the first... as always, Doctor.}
"Wow..."
{Are you ready to begin your new journey? I cannot wait to see them return.}
The Doctor puzzled at that for a moment. His memories of the night before seemed hazy. "Umm, I have forgotten..."
{... what you have been set out to find?}
The Doctor nodded, looking a little shocked at the knowledge.
{Understandable. Your people do not regenerate back into children, as the change to someone as young as yourself would alter thinking profoundly. Go and get yourself some food, then we can talk.}
A device that was not there yesterday came to life and the Doctor moved over towards it, "Mmm... porridge, I think!"
No sooner than he had mumbled that out, the machine started pulsing and a bowl of porridge appeared, complete with a side pot of honey, some brown sugar and a pack of raisins.
"You do good work, Oracle," the Doctor whispered happily. He pulled the food out and sat back at the control seat. As soon as he had seated himself, a small panel in the floor opened up and a table appeared before him. "Impressive!" He did not wait long on wonder, however. A hungry child rarely does.
"So," he said between mouthfuls of his delicious breakfast, "what do you.... oh man, this is good... what do you wanna tell me?"
The TARDIS chuckled, {Well, first, I'm glad you are enjoying yourself.}
"You... find things funny too?"
{I have always found things funny, yet I was never sentient enough to show it. Your Oracle and I are now one, so I can now show such.}
"You said the Oracle was no more, yet..."
{Yet I say we are one? I know, it is hard to take in. An Oracle stone is intended for combination with a TARDIS, and once done, the TARDIS is complete.}
"I never... at least I don't think I ever intended for that to happen," the Doctor muttered as he scratched his head in puzzlement.
{No, likely not. However, Time has a will of its own, yes? Or, should I say, your Old Friend has a comic sense of humour.}
"Vae'Runam... that old..." the young boy giggled.
{Old? Yes. That is certainly one word for him!}
More giggles from the ginger haired child, "Yeah, yeah, I know. So, what changes have you made in total, here? What I've seen is... well, fantastic!"
{Modifications and upgrades, little Doctor. Everything is easier to use for you, now. However, I still need at least three controllers to be flown properly, but you have managed to do so for close on a billion years with not that many mishaps.}
Finishing his last spoonful, the Doctor watched in fascination as the table disappeared back into the floor, taking the dirty bowl and spoon with it. "Nice!" He looked back up and then moved over to the controls. "You're right," he whispered lovingly, "I can reach these things easier now. Will it..." he paused.
{Will my controls grow and adapt with you? Yes.}
"Nice. Okay, I think I'm ready. Can you explain things to me again? I have faint memories from last night, but it's really a bit of a blur." He sat down and watched the Time Manifold pulsing.
{You are the one set by your Old Friend to restore your world to existence, child. Gallifrey must return, or Time itself could fail. To do that, you must rebuild your race, and also the Gallifreyan Council. Once that is accomplished shall I tell you of your next step. I will, however, tell you of your final task... To reform the Council of Time.}
"You're joking!"
{No. You are one of three Time Councillors active. Your Old Friend has never left his post, and at the death of your race, you took on the burden. The third also remains, and it is only that simple fact that stops his people dealing with him permanently. He is rather mischievous, is he not?}
"Oh, man! He's still around?" the boy started howling with laughter. "I was there when his race appeared, and he was like a happy puppy getting into things! It would be great to see him again! Okay, so of the High Races, only two remain with members on the Council?"
{Correct. There is another High Race about to appear, however. They shall have a member on the Council. Then, shortly after, another like them shall arrive. He shall be the same yet different, and he shall serve on both their Council as well as on the Time Council. Finally, one of the Middle Races shall have a member on the Council, and the Younger shall be represented this time.}
"Younger... how? How can a Youngster hope to understand?"
{They are quite capable, do not worry. The Fatherless, the Dark Child, and the Silver One. We are ahead of ourselves, though. First, you must find the Time Touched. Once you have gathered those Time Touched from this Universe, I will explain the ways for you to unlock the Barriers on your race.}
"What barriers?"
{Wait for the right time, Doctor, then I shall tell you.}
"Okay, if you say so. Well, where first?"
{Your favourite world, and to find the son of an old friend.}
"Really? Who?"
{One who could never be told of you again, or her mind would have shattered. She has passed on, now, and her child needs us.}
A tear ran down the Doctor's face, "Donna... poor Donna."
{Yes. She was a brave woman, and a good friend to you. Come, Doctor; Let is Fly again upon the Winds of Time.}
Brushing the tears from his eyes, the Doctor stood and started setting the co-ordinates that would take him from his barren and dead world, and take him to Earth.
Author's Notes:
This idea came about when Crackerwriter let me in on a little secret he was going to unveil in LAFB. He told me back last October/November that he was bringing the Doctor into his story, but in a unique way. So I got to thinking. And this new kid wandered into my head. The Doctor I am bringing to life is also unique, and his story seemed to fit nicely with my planned story for 'Sa'ren' and 'Silver Dragon'. ACFan and Akeentia were both interested and helped me refine some of my ideas, so... Yes, the Time Lords are coming to CSU.
And it's all thanks to Crackerwriter for that spark of the idea. Blame that Englishman! hehehe
Please note: this is going to be my spin on the Doctor Who stories... What I like from the shows will be in here, what I don't won't, and what can't fit will get dumped. Expect him to be the Doctor, yet also expect the unexpected...
Ilúvantír
Editor's Notes:
I am sorry it took me so long to get this finished. To be honest, I misplaced the file, and then I actually forgot about it. Imagine me doing that. That never happens. This story really intrigues me. I have been a Doctor Who fan since the early seventies. I am still a fan. This new take on the story makes for a wonderful combination. Everything I have seen so far is fantastic.
Lead On!!!
Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher
Clan Short Archivist's Notes:
This looks like it is going to be a very interesting and intriguing addition to the CSU. Ilúvantír has created another wonderful story full of fascinating characters and worlds to explore.
Why would Ilúvantír want us to blame an Englishman?
I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
TSL