The Doctor and the Time War

Chapter 5

The Doctor followed the Commandant along the streets of London, paying attention to the humans around him. Many of the humans ignored him entirely, and the ones who didn't didn't look a second time. A few children smiled at him and he smiled back.

Then they were back at the T.A.R.D.I.S. The Doctor was slightly disappointed that his visit on Earth was too short. But then, now he'd get to see even more planets and species and wonders of the cosmos. So he was once again excited to be off.

The Commandant opened the door for the Doctor, He stepped inside and saw the Silurians and the Sontarans in heated argument. The Commandant moved swiftly to stand between the groups before a fight broke out.

"What is going on here? I see dissension in the ranks. I do hope this is a personal conflict, and will not extend to the rest of my crew. Why are you so close to blows?"

The Sontarans took a step back, ashamed by the way they presented themselves. Not as mighty soldiers, but as snivelling squabblers. The Silurians simply looked at the floor, similarly ashamed.

The Commandant looked back and forth between the groups. "Well? What was this about? Tell me!"

A Sontaran, Grax, stepped forward to report.

"We were telling stories of great battles. When the Silurian Wixta began a tale of the war between Silurians and Sontarans, he got the details of what started the war and those who won incorrect. When Stam and I corrected him, the other Silurians stood and argued."

The Silurian Boron stepped forward

"I was you who was wrong, Sontaran. We were attempting to educate you of the proper details, but that was impossible for such a race of mindless brutes who think with their guns."

At this the groups were at arms again. The Commandant looked to the Doctor and motioned for him to break it up. The Doctor quickly brought up the details of the war to the front of his mind and stepped forward. He took a deep breath.

"Right. Well. From a subjective, unbiased observer, the Sontaran/Silurian war was won by neither side. Both species would have obliterated each other. So both and neither side in this argument is correct. As for what began the war, if I remember correctly, it was a personal disagreement between Sontaran and Silurian, both of whom urged their respective species to go to war. The Sontarans had no qualms with entering battle, so they readily agreed. But the Silurians wouldn't fight, due to them not wishing to aggravate an inter-species war. However, the Sontarans attack on the Silurians provoked them. So, the fault was both sides! Now, do you wish to begin another inter-species war, worse than the last, that the Time Lords will have to intervene and punish?"

The Silurians stood down. The Sontarans, however were bred for war. They pulled their weapons and prepared to fire. The Doctor immediately flipped both sonic screwdrivers out, set them to random settings, pointed them at the Sontarans weapons, and activated them. One Sontarans weapon shot sparks and fell apart. The others simply didn't work.

The Commandant moved swiftly and brought the Sontarans to the ground and bound them. After that was done, he stood and turned to the Doctor. He raised his eyebrows.

"Well done, boy! I've never seen anything lile that. Quick on the draw and you still prevented them from firing. And two sonic screwdrivers! That old one looks rather shoddy. How old is it?"

"Thirty years. Reliable. It's starting to fall apart, though."

The Commandant took it, then slipped it into the console of the T.A.R.D.I.S. The sonic disappeared.

"Now, Doctor, that is the sonic recharger. it'll repair your screwdriver, make it good as new! Ok then, boy, now we have to fly this back to the ship. The craft takes eight to operate, but two of our crew are rebellious and so cannot be trusted to fly any part of this. You and I will have to fill their places."

The Doctor was reasonably worried about that. One section of the console, he could handle. But two? He wasn't entirely sure of his abilities. But he nodded, deciding if he ever wanted to go back to the skies he'd have to try it.

The Commandant motioned him to two sections of the console. The Doctor already knew how to use every section, but not at the same time. But he stepped into his place and prepared to fly the T.A.R.D.I.S.

"Here we go!" The Commandant shouted as he flipped the switch. The T.A.R.D.I.S. engines ground to life. The doctor manipulated the controls and found himself navigating the console with ease. Then they landed and the engines stopped.

They exited the T.A.R.D.I.S., carrying the Sontarans. The doctor looked at the T.A.R.D.I.S. and slipped one of the keys off of the rack and pocketed it. He felt he would need it at some point. Then he took one last look before turning and hurrying back after the others.