Imprisoned, the story of a dead Time Lady

Part 1 (The Initiation)

The only thing the Time Child felt was fear.

She was only eight years old and yet already had such a great task set upon her, one that all Time Lords had to face: the Untampered Schism. The window into the Vortex of Time itself. She knew every one of her friends and family and all born on Gallifrey had to endure this test, yet that didn’t stop her from being afraid.

She heard the rumors of all the things that could go wrong from staring into the Vortex. Some found it so terrible they ran away in fear, others looked for too long and were driven insane to the point of being brain dead. But others, so many others, were said to have been inspired by its glory. She so desperately hoped it would be that.

She walked through the starry night while accompanied by two elder Time Lords, both silent the entire time they walked with her. They eventually came to it, the place where the Schism waited for her.
There were others waiting, more Time Lords. Two were men, one a Time Lady, and the other a younger man looking to be in his earlier twenties. Meeting with this group the elders stopped just as the she did, looking at all the faces present for this event.

The younger man walked over with a confident smile on his face towards her. She swallowed a little as he approached before he placed his hand on her shoulder and continued his friendly smile to make her a little more comfortable.

“Are you ready?” he asked. Instead of answering she looked towards the Schism and shuddered, he feeling this before saying “It’s alright. I know you’re afraid. But there’s nothing to worry about.”

She still kept looking at the Vortex as it swirled before saying “I don’t like this. It’s….it’s horrible to look at just from here.”

The young Time Lord sighed as he looked away from here towards the elders who he’d been waiting with. He could tell they were displeased with her reluctance, making him gesture to them that everything was fine. He kneeled down next to the girl in order to be eye-to-eye with her.

“This is your first step towards greatness. Remember that.” He said to her. “Every Time Lord has endured the Schism and look how far they’ve gone. You could be the same. Think about it. So many things you could become that will aid our people, perhaps the entire universe.”

She hadn’t looked towards him the entire time he spoke. She was still looking at the Vortex, still showing her fear. Eventually, after he finished, she shied away from looking anymore and moved her eyesight to the left. The young Time Lord sighed before looking back to the oldest of the elders watching.

He leaned in and whispered to her “Father is watching. You don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”

The Time Girl looked from her brother over to her father still with that unsettling look on his face. It was obvious this was not only a test for her but, in a way, a test for him. A means of proving that his children were strong enough to endure the Schism and become great because of it. From the look and talk of both her brother and father it was clear this girl was descended from some greatness among the Time Lords.

Her brother spoke again, saying “You’ll only have to get close and look for a minute. After that you’ll have everything you need ready for the academy. You remember the talks about the academy we had? There you can learn everything you need to know to become a proper Time Lady.”

Now listening to her brother’s words more carefully the girl began to swallow any and all doubt. He was right. She had to do this. Not just for the sake of her father’s reputation or to prove that her brother was right about her being strong enough, but a means for becoming great herself. She needed to do this. She had to face the fear of the Vortex.

With a deep breath the Time Girl took her first steps towards the Vortex, one of the elders who’d escorted her follow. Her brother watched with a confident smirk while her father kept his usual judgmental expression. As she passed him he only gave a little nod, indicating he approved her doing this.

With all the walking she did, looking away from the Vortex, she didn’t realize she had to stop until the elder put his hand on her shoulder. She looked and realized she was close enough but didn’t look right away.

“How will I know when I can stop looking…?” she asked as she kept her eyes away from the Schism’s view.

The elder only responded with “You will know.”

With only that to go on the child eventually turned her gaze towards the Untampered Schism. And from there she found she couldn’t take her eyes away from it. Her gaze was pulled deeper and deeper in by the Vortex, looking into the raw power that was time itself. She couldn’t remember what she was afraid of at that point, only that she wished she could remember in order to pull away while she still could.

Time passed before the young Time Lord walked to his father and said “It’s been over seven minutes. No one’s ever looked this long.”

“Not many, to be more precise.” His father retorted.

“What if she doesn’t pull through?”

His father turned to him and said “Mind what you say, boy. This is my daughter, my own blood, you’re speaking of. If I could survive, and you could survive, then so will she.”

He seemed ready to protest against his father but backed down, knowing it would only lead to nothing. His father was the type to have the final word, no matter what anyone else would claim or debate. Both turned back to see as the girl was still looking into the Vortex, haven’t not moved the entire time she’d been exposed.

A moment passed before the elder accompanying the girl could see her hand begin to twitch. He looked to the others who all perked up as they watched, waiting to see what would happen next.

It was finally starting to set on the girl, what she was gaining from looking into the Schism. Her hand twitched more until eventually her whole hand moved up to her face. The moment she touched her cheek she let out a horrible scream. One step back and she tumbled, the elder catching her before she could hit the ground.

Her brother ran to her side while her father only watched from his spot, still waiting to see if his daughter was as strong as his bloodline. The young Time Lord reached her and held her in her arms as she seemed unconscious. She shook her, trying to wake her, before her eyes fluttered open.

“Are you alright?” he asked, looking concerned for her.

She took a moment to catch her breath before finally speaking “I….I understand now, Rassilon. I….I understand…everything.”

Taking this as a satisfying answer Rassilon smiled before looking back to his father. Obviously he heard it to as he had a little more prideful look on his face.

While Rassilon went back to comforting his little sister, the Time Lady who stood with their father said “She did it.”

“There was never any doubt that she wouldn’t.” he stated bluntly.

The father turned and started to walk off before the Lady said “And what if she doesn’t proceed down the path you want for her?”

He stopped but didn’t look back as he answered “There is only one path for her. The one I choose. And the one Rassilon will ensure.”

Part 2 (The Meeting)

In one of the Elder chambers of the Prydonian Academy of Gallifrey, an older Rassilon walked in to find one of the Masters of Studies waiting for him.

Over two centuries had passed since Rassilon helped to see his sister complete her right into the Time Academy, and gain the approval of her father, before being transferred to the Prydonian. Her father had insisted upon it given that he claimed despite its reputation there was far more to learn from it than any other place of learning for Time Lords.

Rasslion’s face had changed with age instead of regeneration, obviously showing he was reaching the end of his first cycle. Despite this he still held a strong air of authority, much like his father.

“Ah, Councilor Rassilon.” The Master of Studies said upon seeing him enter.

He gave a small bow before Rassilon merely nodded and said “Master Exenious. Good to see you again. Last time I believe it was….what? Forty-seven years?”

“No, forty-eight.” He corrected with a smile. “And yet you still barley look any different from when I last saw you.” Both shared a chuckle at this before he commented “Actually, looking at you from here, you do seem a lot like your father.” Rassilon reacted with a mix look of pride and shame before Master Exenious asked “How is he by the way?”

“I’m afraid my father reached the end of his regeneration cycles, not three months ago.” He answered as he walked to the nearby chair waiting for him in front of the Master’s desk. “We held a service for him and burned his remains.”

After hearing this Exenious realized he’d made a mistake before saying “Oh yes. I did hear about that. Forgive me, Councilor. This mind is growing older than this regeneration. May be time for another soon I think, huh?” Realizing the joke Rassilon chuckled with him as both sat down, the Master adding “I’m surprised your sister didn’t take some time to herself in order to attend. She didn’t really speak of it in fact.”

Rassilon explained with “I had already contacted her when it happened. However she believed father would want her to continue her studies instead of mourning over his death.” Master Exenious nodded at this before the “young” councilor added “Speaking of which, I understand you wanted me here because of her. Is something wrong with her testing or…?”

“Oh no, no.” Exenious quickly rejected. “Nothing of the sort. You sister is a brilliant minded child, Rassilon. Much like yourself, in fact.” When Rassilon asked what the real reason was the old Master was reluctant to answer before finally saying “I fear it has to do with your sister behavior.”

“Her behavior?” he asked. “I don’t understand. She’s always been so level-headed. Always thinking before acting, no matter how great or small the problem.” Seeing Exenious’ questionable look to that remark he stated “She takes after our mother, is what I mean.”

He nodded before saying “Well it’s not so much she’s causing trouble with the students, or the other masters. But….it’s more of what she’s been saying and thinking about us. The Time Lords I mean. Our own people.”

Rassilon had the obviously look that matched when he said “I don’t understand.”

Exenious leaned back in his chair, showing his reluctance to explain further, before giving a deep sigh and starting with “There have been a few reports brought to me about her…..suggestions in some of the classes. She’s made some rather….radical choices when it comes to the attitude towards other species in the universe. Master Hugothous claims she stated that the Sontarans would be better suited as soldiers of peace for Gallifrey instead of their own planet.
A few days later Master Gamalaria had found her notes on how to ‘improve’ all TARDIS’s with weaponry to ‘enforce Time Lord influence’ during explorations.”

Rassilon, denying this in his mind, gave a small huff before stating “Surely this is just her being childish or something. Why not have her speak with one of the Master’s about this.”

“I did.” Exenious retorted. “Master Delerian had a private talk with her. He reported that she stating that species like the Martians, the Zygons, the Judoon, even the Daleks should be considered children that lake the proper influence: Time Lord Influence.”

Rassilon obviously still had trouble swallowing this as he said “I don’t understand what you’re saying. MY sister said these things? She….she couldn’t have.”

Exenious, trying to reason with Rassilon, asked “When you took her to the Untampered Schism, what did she say she learned?”

He took a moment to remember before saying “She’d said she’s been inspired by it. Claimed she’d seen the reason for her greatness that our father wanted. Every time we mentioned it she would always say ‘On that day, I’d found the inspiration of the Vortex into time itself. The truth for all to know’.”

After hearing this the Master gave an unsettling groan before saying “I fear, my dear Rassilon, that ‘inspiration’ may have been the wrong word for what your sister found that day.”

Hearing that Rassilon took offense, it showing on his face, before he asked “Are you calling my own sister mad? I’ll warn you right now to watch what you say, Master. She’s still my sister.”

“I do not mean to insult, my boy, only warn.” He quickly said. “I fear what your sister may become after everything she’s learned. And everything’s she’d said. I had to pull her away when I found her spouting these ideals she’s been so keen on enforcing to a group of younger students. They were practically afraid of her after what she said. All of the students are. Even those who were her friends.”

Rassilon found it so hard to take in that he slumped in his chair for a moment from shock. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He wanted to believe it was a joke yet obviously Master Exenious was not one for humor over this subject.

Exenious allowed him a moment of silence before saying “Have you heard of the student at the Time Academy? Some boy named Koschei or the like. Apparently he’s much like your sister; brilliant minded but shows signs of megalomania. The Master’s there fear what he will become and yet they refuse to do anything as of yet. They claim with the right teaching they could still sway the child.”

Rasslion perked up and asked “And you fear it’s too late for my own sister to be swayed? That I should have her sent to Shada to live out her life in prison?”

Master Exenious merely answered with “If I believed that, Councilor, I would not have bothered to call you here.” Rassilon calmed a little after hearing this before he continued with “I believe if there’s any final voice of reason left for her it’s yours, Rassilon. Speak to her. Try to convince her that the Time Lords only watch, not rule. Please, for both your sakes try to sway her down a more noble path.”

Hearing the suggestion about being the voice of reason, Rassilon began to see why Master Exenious was right. His parents were both gone and apparently council from the Masters and teachers didn’t stop her way of thinking. If there was to be any chance it would be from him, her older brother whom she trusted her whole life above anyone else.

Rassilon nodded his agreement before suddenly asking “And if she refuses to change her mind?”

Exenious gave another deep sigh of regret as he answered “Then the choice, and sadly the consequences, are yours to make, my boy. That being said I have one word of advice: make the best argument you can.”

Part 3 (The Talk)

Rassilon’s sister sat in her dorm room, as best a comparison could be made, reading a holo-log for her current history course on Gallifrey’s rise in technology.

She’d aged as much as to be expected for a Time Lady of her first generation period. She wore the garnet robes of the Prydonian Academy while her long red hair hung down over her back and shoulders. Her soft blue eyes scanned over every word in the log as she studied while she sat at a small chair at her desk that faced the window looking out to the surrounding glory of Gallifrey.

As she read she didn’t realize someone had entered until they cleared their throat. She turned and gasped with surprise to see Rassilon standing there, a small smile on his face while a larger one grew on hers.

She sprang from her chair and cried “Rassilon! My own brother’s come to visit!” before running to him and embracing him.

When she hugged him Rassilon chuckled a little before noting “How you’ve grown since I last saw you.” He held her at arm’s length and added “So much like mother. But you have father’s eyes.”

“And you have everything else of his.” She joked before giggling. He laughed a little as well before she said “I’m glad you’re here, brother. I have such wonderful news. Come, sit down and I’ll tell you.” She took him by the hand and lead him over to where she was sitting, changing the position of the chair to face where she stood, before she said “I’ve decided to studying into politics, just like you.”

To say Rassilon was surprised by this would be a great understatement. After everything he learned from Master Exenious, to imagine his sister’s beliefs being influenced in the High Council of Gallifrey would be frightening enough. He was doing his best to keep it all inside.

“This is…an odd choice, sister.” He said after she declared it. “What about what father wanted for you? To become a scientist and further develop Time Lord Technology to its fullest?”

She scoffed at this before saying “Better minds can think of ways to advance the technology and yet it won’t matter. I started realizing my mind would be better suited to working with you. Joining the council and helping to lead Gallifrey to greatness.”

Rassilon kept a serious tone when he asked “Is this the same ‘greatness’ I’m told you were council with by the Masters?”

Upon hearing that her face went from joyous to more distained, she asking “So….Exonius sent for you then?”

“He did.” He answered. “I’m sorry. I know I should’ve visited sooner, and on better terms, but…”

He was cut off when she suddenly said “Oh it’s perfectly fine, Rassilon. I don’t blame you. I’m happy you’re here either way.”

Confused by this he asked “You…are?”

“Of course. Now I can discuss a few plans I’ve developed for Gallifrey’s people. Some you can present to the Council when you return to them. And if they turn them down now I can always reinstitute them when I become a Councilor.”

Rassilon reached out and took her hand to quiet her before saying “Councilor? Are you that certain your plans will be accepted?”

She laughed a little and said “Of course not. Not on my own, but with your help.” Rassilon was silent with regret as he heard her continue with “I’ve been keeping up with your progress in the High Council and believe me, with your words helping my causes we could lead Gallifrey down the road to glory. Just as father always wanted.”

“The glory you claim to strive for, sister, involves enslaving the other races.” Rassilon said, pulling her down to her knees so they could speak eye-to-eye. “You know that’s not what the Time Lords do. We only watch, not interfere with what goes on.”

“But don’t you see, Rassilon, that’s my point.” She said, trying to convince him. “Compared to the Sontarans and the Adipose and all the others we are like gods. That’s what I learned that night.” Her voice began to lower into a whisper as she said “When I looked into the Schism I began to see that this thing, this tear into time itself, was by our hand. We have the power to shape worlds as we see fit. We can alter the destiny of anyone or anything we chose. Evolve a species in a matter of days instead of waiting a millennium. We can be the forgers of creation.”

Rasslion, still trying to sway his sister despite what she was saying, retorted with “Are you saying you would deny them freedom to make those choices on their own?”

She scoffed at this before saying “Have you seen what’s come of the choices they made? The Sontarns build clone armies in a fruitless attempt against the Rutan’s when both could be serving under our command as peace keepers. And what about the humans? Take them for example. Right now they’re engaged in a world war and have developed weaponry to decimate an entire region of their lands with one radiation filled missile. Give them another hundred thousand years and they could create weapons that produce black holes. They’ll wind up destroying themselves before any of the other races do.”

“If that is their destiny then so be it.” Rassilon retorted. “It is not our place to alter their course of destiny.”

“But it’s our right to save them from destroying themselves.” She almost shouted. “Don’t you see that yet? We could force them to be united under one rule, our rule. Gallifrey will be the beacon of hope to all in the universe, if we’re only able to take the chances we need to and start enforcing our way of thinking.”

“Listen to yourself!” he blared out. “You’re speaking madness. Don’t do this, not now. Think about your future!”

“I’m thinking for everyone’s future!” she said, gripping his hand to prove her point. “I’ve seen the truth, Rassilon. Why can’t you just accept it? Are you that ignorant to our true destiny?”

Rassilon could see it now. Not just in her words but in her eyes. Those soft eyes that now showed the side of her he’d been blind to all these years. That spark of madness that longed for supremacy. It was as clear as the nose of her face.

He sighed before asking “You do not see it, do you?”

“I only see what I know is right. And something you should see as well.” She answered.

With that Rassilon slowly let go of her hands before standing above her and saying “Then….I am truly sorry for this, sister. But there’s nothing else I can do.”

She looked up to him, confused at first, before hearing as more people entered. Armed guards of the academy came in and grabbed her by the arms, hoisting her to her feet.

“What…what is this?” she asked, confusion in her face and tone. “What do you think you’re doing? Let go! Let me go at once!” She then looked to her brother and asked “Rassilon? What is…?”

“This is for your own good.” He stated bluntly. “The actions you claim to take are criminal enough but at the risk of you enacting them you cannot be allowed freedom.” She began to ask what he doing before Rassilon gave the ordered “Take her away. But please…be gentle with her. See to it she’s kept safe and out of harm.” He took one final look into his sister’s eyes before saying “I do not expect forgiveness. But I hope, one day…..you will understand.”

He turned towards the window while the men dragged her away, she shouting “Rassilon? Rassilon, please! Please! Don’t do this! Just listen to me!” She was dragged out in the hall, other students and teachers seeing this, as she screamed “Rassilon! Rassilon stop!” Tears rolled down her eyes as she was dragged further away, her final words a scream for “RASSILON!”

Another guard who’d been waiting outside the room walked in to find the young councilor standing where he as before ordering “Have all documents of her destroyed. Both here and from Gallifrey’s own records. As far as anyone else knows…..my sister died many years ago.”

The guard nodded before walking off to proceed with his orders. Now alone and with his own thoughts, Rassilon could let the tears he’d been holding back finally shed across his cheeks.

Part 4 (The Report)

Several centuries passed before Rassilon was first elected as Lord President of Gallifrey.

By this point the Time Lord had gone through at least two regenerations before receiving the current face he had. This was a more stern and demanding face, one that he would continue to use for a base when planning to self-will his future regenerations’ appearances. Despite the new face the smaller hints of his first could be seen to those who knew well enough.

At this time the Lord President was discussing matters with the Inner Council, the higher authority figures above all other members of the High Council itself. All were sitting at a long table with six available seats. The five others present were four Time Lord Councilors and two Time Ladies, all discussing and debating about the certain issues proceeding.

“So we are agreed then?” Rassilon began. “We’ve set down the order to the Shadow Proclamation to see them carried out. Should the Cybermen arise again and attempt to move within their borders, they’ve been given the rights to destroy any and all possible settlements outside of Mondas.”

“I’m sure, if they do,” one of the councilors began “then the Doctor will surely hear about it and settle the matter himself.”

Rssilon huffed a little before saying “I would not put my faith too much in the Doctor these days. Not after half of his recent actions.”

A Time Lady councilor noted “Some have issued for his exile, given these statements.”

Rassilon hummed a little at this before saying “It does seem fitting but we should wait to see if he redeems himself in any fashion. Otherwise we may have to…”

Before he could finish the doors to the private chamber opened, all looking to see as three military Time Lords entered. They were indicated as such by the robes they wore, though that did not stop Rassilon from rising from his chair with an angered look.

“You dare to enter the Council’s Chamber while we’re in session?” he growled.

The commanding officer, a black Time Lord, spoke up and said “Apologies, Lord President and Council Members, but there’s been a situation at Shada.” This news made all of the lords look to him with concern before he said “There’s been a breakout. Two criminals have escaped.”

Rassilon, fearing the answer to his question, quickly asked “Which two?”

The Commander answered with “One I’m sure you are all familiar with: the renegade who calls himself ‘the Master’.”

“By all of time itself.” One of the councilors blurted out. “He’s free?”

“And we believe he may be heading to Earth, of all places. But we’re not sure why.”

While the others muttered amongst each other Rassilon asked “What about the other one? The other inmate to have escaped?”

“Oddly enough there’s not much information about this one, sir.” The Commander began. “The guards at the prison had come to call her simple ‘the Prisoner’. And from what I understand, she’s just as dangerous as the Master.”

Rassilon’s eye twitched with fear while one of the Time Ladies said “I’ve never heard of any ‘Prisoner’. And it’s a Time Lady you say?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He answered. “But another odd thing is that, as it turns out, they both planned their escape together.” Seeing the curious look from everyone the Commander explained “We’ve pulled footage from Shada’s security.”

He pointed as a visual screen appeared above the table for all to see from both sides. They could see the clear blue covered cells of Shada, and the two in particular where the Master and the woman called the Prisoner were. They were next to each other, indicating how they were close enough to speak with one another, though Rassilon immediately looked towards the Prisoner’s cell to see her face.

It was a younger woman that he expected, looking to be in her late twenties. She had short brown hair in a bowl cut and deep green eyes that looked almost like a serpents given how dark they were. When the footage was shown of her speaking with the Master it was clear both of them were laughing with one another.

“It looks like they became friends.” One councilor pointed out.

Another retorted with “The Master make friends? After the Doctor I’m surprised anyone would tolerate him.”

Rassilon whispered to himself “Idiots.” It was loud enough that everyone heard it, the Commander asking what he meant before Rassilon instead asked “How could they put those two next to each other? Don’t they realize how…dangerous they both are?”

The Commander tried to explain with “From what I understand, sir, the Prisoner had seemed pacified ever since she was brought it. She never spoke a word to anyone, even after she went through two regenerations.”

“Two?” the Lord President asked.

“She outlived her first life, as expected, but then she only waited three centuries before force willing her next regeneration. We….don’t know why.”

Rassilon ignored this and looked back to the screen before ordering “Show the footage from the breakout.”

The screen fast-forwarded to the breakout, the first few hours showing both the Master and the Prisoner acting normally. Both sat in their cells while the guards past by at the proceeded times. Suddenly the footage cut out and everything was static. The Commander informed the councilors to wait before the imagery was restored, showing two broken cells without their occupants and alarms blaring in the background.

“How very clever of them.” One councilor stated before receiving a cross look from Rassilon.

The Commander then said “We do have footage of the hanger where they escaped.”

Everyone looked to see as both the Prisoner and the Master had run to the hanger where ships were empty ships were just waiting for them. The two began talking with each other, too low for anyone to hear, before the Master handed something to the Prisoner. When asked, the Commander stated they had no idea what it was. From there both said final words before running off to different ships, the imagery cutting out and the Commander stating that was the last of it.

“Where is she?” Rassilon asked.

“We don’t know, sir.” The Commander said. “We’ve tried tracking her but, someone, we’ve lost her.”

As Rassilon took this information in one of the other Councilors stated “I think whoever this Prisoner is we shouldn’t worry about them. Right now the Master is the real threat.”

“Agreed.” One of the Time Ladies said. She and the others looked to Rassilon before she asked “Lord President? Do you agree?”

Seeing the choice came down to him Rassilon was silent for a few moments. He knew if he divulged the secret of the Prisoner it would mean a dark secret of his past that could be used against him. And because of his past actions none knew the relationship between to the two. To direct all efforts to find her would mean sooner or later they would know, and they couldn’t. Not yet.

With no choice Rassilon stated “We will concentrate our efforts on the Master. Do whatever we can to bring him in.” While everyone nodded Rassilon turned to the Commander and ordered “I want your best men hunting down the Prisoner. We will find the master with numbers. She will be found by skill. And if she escapes too far then you had best pray my punishment for you is as painless as possible. Understood?”

With a bead of sweat running down his cheek from that threat the Commander gulped before stating “Yes, sir.” Before walking out of the chamber.

After that Rassilon only sat back in his chair before saying “I believe that concludes all business for today.”

Part 5 (The Message)

In the many centuries to pass Rassilon had died only to be resurrected to become Lord President of Gallifrey yet again on the eve of what many were calling the Last Great Time War.

With his resurrection came a new face (the one from End of Time) and with it, a whole mountain of new responsibilities and duties. Times had grown dark now because of this growing threat of the Daleks and Rassilon realized that with war would come the hard choices that he would have to make in order to preserve Gallifrey.

He sat alone in the council chamber at the head of the table. Silent and with his own thoughts, Rassilon was deep in his mind and replaying events of his life in order to tread the steps that lead to this day.

A part of him began to regret not being alive earlier in order to hopefully avoid this from happening, another part blaming the fools left in charge that caused everything to come to this. More and more he thought back to everything he’d done during his first term as Lord President and wondered if there was anything he could’ve done to have changed the way things were.

Among everything else he began to wonder about….

His thought were interrupted when a messaging signal beeped in the chamber, making him look up as a visual screen appeared. A young Time Lord, who was the equivalent to the President’s secretary, appeared on the screen.

“This had better be important, Corventicus.” Rassilon said as he rubbed his eyes.

“Sorry, Lord President.” The young man began. “But there’s a message coming from an unknown source. They wish to speak with you about important matters.”

“Is it the Doctor come to beg for forgiveness for not joining the war?” Rassilon asked.

“No, sir. Apparently they say it’s….family matters.”

Rassilon’s hearts dropped as he perked up from his seat. He stood, looking shocked, as he heard the word family involved. If it was who he thought it was, he didn’t know if he was ready to face her. But then again, this was the first time he’d heard from her in so very long.

“I will take it, Corventicus.” He said. “And I want you to make sure no one hears any of it. Not even you. Block any attempt to hack into this conversation or I’ll see you burn for it, understood?”

“Yes, sir! Of course, sir!” he pleaded before patching through the source of the call.

After that Rassilon watched as the imagery went static for a moment before slowly clearing. As it did Rassilon could see the last face he’s seen of who it was, the same face she had when she escaped from Shada. It was a little aged, grey hair and wrinkles growing around the sides of her face but it was her just as he remembered.

“Hello, big brother.” The Prisoner smiled. “My, my. Look at you. How you’ve aged. But then I suppose after dying and being brought back to life can do that do you.”

Rassilon had an angered look and tone when he asked “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I believe its expression is ‘family meeting’.” She stated before giggling. “I see your attitude hasn’t improved with your regenerations.”

“Over eight centuries of hiding and now, all of a sudden, you finally contact me.” Rassilon stated. “Why?”

The Prisoner went quite for a moment, leaning back in her chair, before saying “I’ve heard about the war coming, Rassilon. I’ve heard the rumors spreading all over the universe. The Time Lords about to fight with the Dalek’s that could lead to the destruction of everything in existence. It almost sounded too grand to be true. But given the look in your eyes, that look you always have whenever dangerous present…..oh dear. So it is true.”

Rassilon tried to have his own questions answered first by asking “Where have you been? We searched for you. We…”

“You hunted for me, you mean.” She stopped him. “Don’t try to act as if you were doing me any favors after I escaped Shada.” She chuckled a little before saying “But there was no way you or anyone else was able to find me. Not when I had this.”

She held up a watch with Gallifreian writing on it. She swung it between her fingers a little but Rassilon was able to see it. When he did his eyes narrowed when he knew what it was.

“A Chameleon Arch.” He stated before saying “So what the Master gave you. You’ve rewritten your own biology!”

Several times in fact.” She stated with a smile. “Funny thing, actually. During all that time I spent in Shada I began to wonder if I may have been wrong. Hell after my first regeneration the form I had was a little too lax with the idea. After a while I was tired of it and, well, now I have this face. A little bit more to my liking. In any case, after I escaped I hid among the Vogans for a time. Then the Displosians. The Catkind. I was even a Zocci for a few years. In all that time I thought, perhaps, I would see if I was wrong about my convictions.”

“And?” Rassilon asked. “Did you?”

She let out a cackling laugh, one that irritated Rassilon for a moment, before she finally said “Hardly. If anything it only strengthened my reasoning. With each different life I became a number of things. I was a teacher. A thief. A healer. A priestess. A pilot. Everything for every race, and you know what I saw? Chaos. Every small action or decision the prelude to eventual conflict. Lacking any real influence to push them towards a means of peace.”

“Your ideals of peace are a disgrace to the thought.” Rassilon retorted. “Tell me where you are.”

She shrugged and said “I guess I can tell you, especially since you won’t be able to find me anyways. I’m calling from a TARDIS I…..borrowed, so to speak. It was easily actually, especially when the systems had trouble identifying a dead woman. It’s a nice one too. Had large guns strapped to it.”

Rassilon was shocked and appalled before saying “You’ve stolen a battle TARDIS? You dared to steal our weapon of war?”

“Oh clam down now.” She waved him off. “Surely you won’t mind one gone missing. Besides, it was collecting dust where I found it.”

Rassilon, holding back his anger, merley asked “What do you want, La-”

“Ah-ah.” She stopped him. “Use my proper name. The one they gave me after you basically made me into a ghost. Go on. Say it!”

“…..what do you want, Prisoner?”

She smiled before saying “I came to tell you my plans, brother dear. To tell you that while you’ll be waging your war, I’ll be as far away as possible. I don’t know how long the war will last, but I have faith that you, or whoever else takes charge, will be able to lead our strong people to victory. And when that day comes I will come back, to take my rightful place as Gallifrey’s leader. And from the ashes I will lead the survivors to our true destiny. The universal dominance of all Time Lords throughout all of time and space!”

“You’re as deluded as you are mad.” Rassilon scoffed. “They will not follow you. You have no right.”

“I have EVERY RIGHT!” she suddenly shouted. “I deserve it after everything you did to me. Everything you denied me when you had me dragged away to Shada to die! The only one who has no right is you, Rassilon. The so-called Lord President of Gallifrey who can’t even face his own dark secrets and cowers behind his council for protection. Well soon enough you’ll see, brother. When the blood of all who die in this war is on your hands you’ll look back and see I was right. Do you hear me? You will see I was right!”

Both of them started so intensely at each other after that outburst. Two siblings who once loved and trusted each other turned into the most bitter or rivals. Their eyes burned with contempt for one another until, finally the Prisoner broke it with laughter.

“But, hey, it’s not all that bad.” She said. “If you don’t survive this war I promise to give you a proper service. But if you do survive, all the better. Because then I’ll get to kill you myself.”

Rassilon didn’t falter from this and only pointed out “You’ve just told me your plans of hiding while showing me your face. Dear sister, you’ve over stepped yourself. What makes you think I won’t go looking for you now that I know what you look like?”

She gave a fake gasp and said “You know, you’re right. Even with the Chameleon Arch I guess I couldn’t hide my face.” She suddenly held up a bottle of what was revealed to be poison and said “Guess I’ll have to fix that.”

Rasslion began to protest in vain as the Prisoner guzzled down the entire bottle right in front of him. Once she finished she tossed it away, the sound of it crashing, before she started coughing badly.

“I guess *cough* *cough* this is where we parts ways.” She said with a smile while still coughing. “I’ll see you later *cough* my dear brother *cough* Rassilon.”

“Stop!” he said. “Stop right now! Don’t go!”

“Oh *cough* and Rassilon…” she added “You *cough* were *cough* *cough* *cough* you were right. I did understand. *cough* From the moment you had me locked up *cough*…I did finally understand.”

His eyes went wide with shock at this while she merely kept smiling despite the coughing. By the time the transmission ended, Rassilon could see the Prisoner fall back in her chair on the stolen TARDIS.

With her gone from sigh Rasslion collapsed back in his chair. He realized how now a dangerous Time Lady was running around in the universe and there was no way to find her, especially with the war with the Dalek’s on the horizon. There was nothing he could do to bring his sister, the monster he was ashamed to say he had created, back into custody.

The Prisoner was free and she was no longer afraid.

END?