Author's note: please read the first part of my story and watch "The Night of the Doctor" before reading this. I suppose you don't have to, but things will make a lot more sense if you do.
The Warrior who was once the Doctor strode through the still smoldering wreckage of the gunship, and opened the doors of his TARDIS.
"No, no, this won't do at all," he said as he saw the console room. If he was going to fight a war, he'd need something more utilitarian.
"I suppose we'd better get started then," he said, and typed the order into the console to overhaul the interior. He could feel the TARDIS protesting. She didn't like weapons.
"I know, I know," he sighed. "But we can't win this War with a battering ram."
He stepped back outside to let the architectural reconfiguration circuits do their work. A change this big would take a while.
As he waited, he went back and built a funeral pyre for Cass. As her body was consumed by the raging bonfire, he knew that it was not just her funeral. It was the Doctor's funeral as well.
Looking back, the Warrior could see clearly how foolish the Doctor had been. He had claimed to be doing the right thing by helping people instead of fighting, but what he was really doing was running away from responsibility. He said he wanted no part of the War, but the truth was that he'd been fighting in it longer than anyone else. Since the very beginning, in fact. Not at Tartarus but on Skaro, all those centuries ago, when he had the chance to destroy the Daleks before they were ever a threat. He knew what they were, and yet he was still too soft to do it. For the sake of the universe, he would have no such qualms this time.
"What will you do now," asked Ohila.
"Whatever I have to," said the Warrior. "Take back the Cruciform, destroy the Daleks, and knock some sense into Gallifrey."
"Rassilon will not be easily swayed. I fear his mind is too far gone."
"I have to try. I don't want to fight the Time Lords if I don't have to."
"The Doctor would never have been able to persuade him. Nor could we. It is up to you. Choose your path wisely, Warrior. You are our last hope."
The Warrior nodded. "The Doctor is dead, but his courage and resolve live on. I promise that I will put an end to this War, whatever it takes." As the last of the fire went out and darkness settled, he walked away and did not look back.
He had a war to fight.
YOU ARE READING
The Last Great Time War: part II
FanfictionRealizing that he cannot run from the War any longer, the Doctor has rejected his name to become a warrior. He must take a stand and fight to save the universe from the conflict and horrors engulfing it. Fighting Daleks is now in his nature. But see...
