Underneath That Burnt Old Sky (Closed to 10,11,Lord Rassilon and Romana II)

Gallifrey,Somewhere outside the universe:

Lord President Rassilon stood on a balcony jutting out from The Citadel Of The Time-Lords. He surveyed the surrounding area in disgust,Arcadia was damaged almost beyond repair,demolished buildings and rubble lay up and down the streets like pieces of a jigsaw;the bodies of Time-Lords and Gallifreyans alike littered the streets.

Rassilon sighed mournfully 'This is what remains of Gallifrey' he thought as he observed the scarred and ruined landscape. He lingered on the balcony for a few minutes before walking back into the vast Citadel. He marched along the corridors of the huge complex,a thunderous expression playing across his face. Eventually he reached the room he was looking for and walked through the open doorway into the room beyond.

He emerged from the dark,crumbling corridor onto a small platform emerging from the a wall,the rest was a vast and cavernous hall. Small platforms emerged from all sides,on these platforms stood various Time-Lords;some appeared to be talking to each other while others simply clasped their hands together and stared off into the middle-distance. One thing was clear: They were all waiting for something,or someone.


Rassilon stood in the centre of the platform,he looked up and down the hall. After several seconds of silence he spoke: "My people of Gallifrey,we have survived. Through this long war we have survived but we will recover. The man responsible for our survival was....The Doctor...I have disagreed with him in the past,but we owe our lives to him and he owes his to us." said Rassilon,his voice carrying around the large hall with ease. "We have survived and we will
rebuild....Gallifrey Falls......No More!"

It was with silence that the Lord President was greeted. They all knew who had saved them. Romana crossed her arms slowly, the illusion of old age was gone, now that it was no longer needed. In the end, it hadn't fooled the Doctor anyway. The look he had given her... he had known who she was, and what he was sending her back to.

"And who exactly shall rebuild Gallifrey, my dear Lord President?" she asked. It was the first time in a long time she had spoken to the Lord President, or in front of her fellow Time Lords. She had watched in silence as Rassilon had tricked them into going along with his own insanity. But she could stay quiet no longer.

"Most of the people of Gallifrey do not have the faith to rebuild. Do you really think the people will wish to follow you, oh high president, who almost singlehandedly led us to disaster? I find it interesting how quickly you believe we can forgive you." Her voice practically spat with venom. The anger of the once Lady President could be clearly heard throughout the room as she confronted the man who had forced her to cover her eyes in shame.

"How do you expect our people to help when you have done anything but since your resurrection?"

Rassilon directed his attention to Romana,her contempt was clear as she spoke. His expression remained unreadable as Romana spoke. Finally he replied "I hear the hatred in your voice...your contempt for The Final Sanction,but the circumstances were dire and as far as I was aware The Doctor planned to destroy Gallifrey. So I ask what is better: The destruction of Gallifrey and the deaths of every single person in this room and everyone else on Gallifrey,or the sacrifice of Time itself to allow us a possibility of survival albeit in a different;ascended form. Free of The Daleks and free of the constraints and boundaries of Time.

Rassilon spoke again,this time addressing the whole room rather than Romana. " Is this how you all feel,hmm? Does Romana speak the truth? Have you lost faith in me? I,who gave you the power to cheat death itself. I,who gave you all your TARDISes and your two hearts? After one mistake,one wrong choice? A choice made in the interest of your survival,of Gallifrey's survival?"

Rassilon waited several seconds,no reply came from the scores of Time-Lords,no indignant cry of "Yes" or any insult aimed at him. Simply a nervous silence from all of them,except Romana.

Of course the other Time Lords were too afraid to respond. They had always been so passive. So afraid to take sides...

"It is because of you that we have achieved what we have, it is true. But time itself is not an acceptable sacrifice. The Final Sanction, while it may have allowed us continued life, would have destroyed everything else that ever was or could be."

At this point, several Time Lords came up behind Romana - supporters. Although small, she exuded authority, even before the intimidating form of the Lord President.

"You were once great, but you have become twisted and insane: Willing to sacrifice the whole of creation, just so you might live. And if you were so interested in our survival, where were you when the Daleks broke through our barriers? While I and many others were fighting in the battlefields, where were you? Safe in your Presidential Palace, giving orders for your own people to die, whom you claim to care about so much."

"Gallifrey will rebuild, but your time has ended. Your resurrection was a mistake. Step down, Lord President. Retire, and allow those of us lead who can."

Rassilon felt anger,perhaps even rage at Romana's insolence;when he next spoke he seemed almost amused at Romana's indignant speech against him. "You call me twisted and insane..and yet you would have me step down and take my place yourself? Let us not forget your capture by The Daleks..twenty years and your mind was broken when you were recovered. You act as if you are "better" now,but the mind cannot be fully repaired once broken and you are no exception.

Rassilon looked over at the small grouping of Time-Lords who stood behind Romana,defiant but still fearful of their Lord President. "And what of you sons and daughters of Gallifrey? You stand with The Lady Romana yet you seem nervous,afraid. I suppose you,like many others have heard the stories about me;about my madness and you want change....yet you follow someone who was not so long ago on the brink of madness?"

These new supporters of Romana stayed silent for several seconds,then one of them called out to Rassilon: "Your time is over,you have become a madman and an unfit Lord President!" Rassilon paused for a few moments,his eyes still fixed on the supporters of Romana. Lost in thought he looked back over to Romana,anger rising like bile in his throat. Rassilon finally snapped out of his deep thought and said: "Enough,you have undermined my authority for far too long.....Romanadvoratrelundar Of The House Of Heartshaven,with the power vested in me as Lord President of Gallifrey and former head of The Prydonian Chapter I,Rassilon hereby place you under arrest for high treason and slander directed at the Lord President!"

It would be a lie to say that they had not expected this, to some small degree. They had hoped against it, however. And in Rassilon's current state of madness, who knew what would happen to Romana if she were arrested.

Quickly, Romana and two others bolted for the door, while the others blocked the path of Rassilon's guards, enabling the former president to escape.

((now would be a good time for the Doctors to show up. I think we should wait for them to post before we continue))

The Doctor happily danced around his TARDIS control console, a straw hat and sunglasses hiding his eyes, and for the most part, his hair. "The shinning coral reefs! Allons-y!" He proclaimed cheerfully, yanking down the main lever before getting into position and flying the TARDIS properly, or as best he could by himself. Suddenly there was a slight turbulence, not enough to shoot The Doctor across the room but enough to cause worry and confusion in the mind of The Doctor.

The Doctor arched his eyebrow, "Since when did Ghlata Flo Kor have moons?" he questioned as he pulled over the scanner just as the sound of the TARDIS landing echoed throughout the control room. His eyes widened, his pulse began to race, "That's impossible..." he hissed. Quickly turning, The Doctor bolted down the ramp, tossing his hat off and tucking his glasses away as he opened up the door and peered out. Immediately he was struck by the sight of Romana dashing towards him, two other Time Lords by her side, Rassilon looming in the background. "Romana! Hello!" The Doctor exclaimed happily, extending his arms outwards, "Nice to see you again..well..sort of..well..again. Just left you..bit confusing..you said you wanted ice cream from the galactic seven mooned ice meteorite..i was..getting it for you" he finished with a sniff before his mind processed Rassilon standing there in the back.

Slowly The Doctor walked past Romana and looked out to Rassilon, squinting to make sure it wasn't a hologram, "It's not a hologram.." he concluded in a mumble, "But how..this entire-". The Doctor stopped speaking as he turned and noticed the shinning crack behind his TARDIS, the width growing just enough for a TARDIS to fit through, namely his TARDIS, "Oh..well that's..that's not good".

The Doctor ran swiftly, avoiding the shots of the ice warriors behind him. He quickly found the TARDIS, and opened the door. A large Creeak could be heard as he opened and shut it. "That was...rather close." he said, gasping for his breath. Finally, he fully grasped enough air. He walked to the console, and pulled the space-time throttle, launching him into the time-vortex, and a large-

Whiirr...
Whiirr...
Whiirr...
WhIIRR...
WhIIRR...


and then, after a while of rapid spinning, a-

Thumm....
Thummm...
THUMMM....


The Doctor ran to check the monitor, disbelieving what he saw. Galifrey. Wait a minute... 

"Hold on! I remember this!" he yelled to himself, running out the large white storm doors. He came out to see his former self, Romana in her second incarnation with two other people, and...Rassilon. "Oi!" he yelled to them, as his attention was quickly diverted to the crack behind them. "That's a time-field, isn't it?" he said, putting on his glasses and observing it. "Interesting..." he mumbled.

Rassilon could only watch Romana as she ran for the entrance (or in her case,exit) of the colossal room. She had almost reached the door when the bright white light of the great crack began to appear in the wall just across from the doorway,the crack began to race down the wall vertically like a cracking plate of glass. A few seconds later the familiar form of The Doctor's TARDIS flew from the now widening crack. The familiar wheezing and groaning of the old ship echoed throughout the large room and as The TARDIS landed in front of the entrance to the Great Hall it's own blue doors opened to reveal The Doctor.

Rassilon immediately recognised him,this was the one who had sent him and The Master back into the Time-War;the one who had personally thwarted The Final Sanction. "Romana! Hello! Nice to see you again..well..sort of..well..again. Just left you..bit confusing..you said you wanted ice cream from the galactic seven-mooned ice meteorite..I was..getting it for you" Rassilon began to march over to The immobile forms of Romana and The 10th Doctor as he babbled incessantly. The Doctor looked over at Rassilon and "It's not a hologram..." was all Rassilon heard before The Doctor turned to the large white crack in the wall behind his TARDIS.

Rassilon opened his mouth to speak as another TARDIS,this one a brighter blue with a small logo stamped to the front of one of it's doors charged through the crack and landed in front of the other TARDIS. Another Doctor,this one being the one who had been revived by he and his fellow Time-Lords on Trenzalore came sprinting out of the doors of his TARDIS, shouted "Hold on! I remember this!" Then immediately turned his attention to the now sizeable crack in the wall. "Stand aside Doctor! This woman is under arrest!" Rassilon explained curtly to The Doctor standing in front of Romana.

Of all the things that could have blocked Romana's path, the Doctor's TARDIS would not have been on her list. She skidded to a halt, just as the Doctor opened the doors and stepped out, talking a mile a minute, as usual. And not soon after him, another TARDIS appeared, and out stepped... another Doctor.

"Oh you just have the most impeccable timing!" She said to the pair of them.

"Lady Romana, you need to go!" One of her escorts tugged urgently at her robes as Rassilon quickly approached. And when Rassilon did approach and speak, it sounded more like a death sentence than an arrest warrant.

Romana grabbed the pair of Doctors by the hand, backing up slowly. She tried not to transfer her fear.

I'll explain later. I need out of here. Right now. She said to them telepathically.

The Doctor shot glances from Romana back to Rassilon as they both spoke, Romana both telepathically and verbally, and Rassilon in a thundering tone. As his mind tried to process not only their words, but the arrival of Chinny, his eyebrow arched and eyes widened as he tugged away from Romana's grasp. "Hold on" He started, taking a step back towards Rassilon, "You're going to focus on arresting her when you've got a time fissure ripping through the center of the palace doors? There's a reason why i've waited this long to help bring back Gallifrey after..well..saving it. The cracks are only step one into getting you back into the real reality..something is prying them open and if they open too fast then it could cause dimensional melt down. Destroying not only this pocket universe but the real universe as well!".

Looking back to Romana, The Doctor eyed her and her friend curiously before looking back to Rassilon, "Now i don't know what she's done this time but i think you've got a bigger issue on your hands right now" he tried to reason with the lord president, "Now unless that glove of yours can seal major time fissures then i suggest we start now before that thing gets any bigger...there's no telling what will pop through that thing next". Looking at Rassilon, The Doctor stood firm, making sure his body was positioned in between Rassilon and Romana in case he tried anything.

The crack began to glare brighter, steam rising from the edges as it began to fade back to it's normal glow then begin to grow brighter once more. The width wasn't increasing but the light was and The Doctor feared, the longer the crack was there, the bigger of a threat it posed, not only to them and Gallifrey but for both of the universes.

Rassilon glared at Romana and said "This is not over." before looking back to The Doctor. "In any case,You seem to be correct Doctor,this time-field could have catastrophic effects on Local Quantum Causality if left unchecked. Which of course begs the question: Who or what is prying it open and to what end?" Rassilon moved closer to the crack,joining The 11th Doctor in his inspection of The Time-Field.

"It needs to be sealed,preferably with Gallifrey on the other side." Rassilon murmured as he ran his hand down the temporal fault lines that outlined the large glowing crack. "If it is allowed to fester in it's current state it could swallow the entire Presidential Palace...as well as the rest of Gallifrey. That is not an option to consider,this planet and all it's people have survived the greatest Time-War since The Second War In Heaven. By The Warrior Prydonius himself I'll be damned if I allow this wound to destroy us."

((We waiting on Chinny?))

((I think so..))

((How much longer do you guys think we should give him?))

((Another couple hours maybe?))

((Ok))

((Sorry, my creative juices aren't flowing, and im in class right now. I'll reply later.))

((We should all bother him today. lol 24 hours, say?))

((If he does not reply by roughly noon tomorrow then Romana, you can reply and we can begin to reply. Wait too long and the thread will die because people lose interest and ideas))

Romana let out a breath, closed her eyes, and rested her forehead on the Doctor's arm.

"I have never been more thankful for your ability to calm a rage as I am right now," she said. She quickly let go of both Doctors, then turned to the two Time Lords that had followed her. "Go back to your places. I'll be alright."

They nodded, going back to their places. Romana looked back at the crack.

"Well this looks familiar." There wasn't much humor in her voice.

The Doctor smirked slightly as he heard Romana's commented about the crack as he squatted down next to it and felt the edges of it, just as he had done before. Immediately there was a noticible difference, "It's hotter" he said in surprise, glancing back to Romana and cocking his head towards it, "Come feel" he instructed her before looking back to the crack, "There's something prying this thing open with everything it's got....and it's burning the walls of the dimensions to do it".

Quickly standing up, The Doctor turned swiftly and promptly to Rassilon, "I'd give that crack another week at best before it consumes both dimensions. Both yours and mine" he told him, "We need to explore every possibility as to who is behind this and what they are using to do it...including the forbidden weapons. Yes, i know we used practically all of them against the Daleks in the war..but i've got a feeling there's more behind those doors then even the general knows about...am i right?".

Rassilon paused for a few moments at The Doctor's suggestion. He looked over to the huge mass of Time-Lords gathered in their seats,then turned back to the Doctor. "There might have been.....some things best left hidden,even from the highest authorities..." He replied. "Perhaps this conversation would be better held in a less....public environment?"

Rassilon silently gestured to the door,two of his presidential guard made to follow him but he waved them away. "Stay here,monitor the anomaly while I am gone. Oh,and I had almost forgotten one last thing,Doctor do you plan on taking The former Lady President with you or should I even bother to wait for your obvious answer?"

Frowning, Romana went to the crack. It was burning hot to the touch at the edges. From inside the crack, she could feel heat emanating in waves. And... could she see steam?

"It's so much worse than before..." she muttered.


"I won't be left behind," Romana said, turning and crossing her arms over her chest. She glared at Rassilon. Technically he could refuse her working with the Doctor: he had the authority. But he also likely knew it would be less of a hassle if he didn't.

The Doctor glanced back to Romana as she replied to Rassilon's question then looked back to him and gestured back to Romana with the thrust of his thumb over his shoulder. "I would takeher answer if i was you..well...mostly me. There's no telling what kind of trouble i'd get into if i didn't take her with me..she'd probably subject me to a lifetime of listening to everything i did wrong". Nonchalantly placing his hands into his pockets, The Doctor slightly rocked back onto his heels as he smiled, "So! After you Lord President" he said happily.

Already the other Time Lords massing in the throne room were turning their attention to the group and, mostly, the crack. Slowly, The Doctor glanced over to them, arching his eyebrow as some of their eyes landed onto him. Moving in front of the group of Time Lords, stood a middle aged woman; her hair a dark black and cut short. Slowly a smile emerged onto her face, her eyes beginning to water but she held it back as a young boy walked out in front of her and was quickly embraced by the woman's arms. The boy looked up at The Doctor in sync with the woman as she mouthed the words You came back. Then as quickly as the two figures came, they disappeared with a blink of The Doctor's eyes. A single tear managing to escape his eye lid before The Doctor quickly wiped it away and turned back to Rassilon with a nod of the head, "Where were we? Oh yes, you leading the way. Come on then, allons-y".