The inside of the strange white cube was much, much bigger than the outside. Even after hearing about the Doctor's TARDIS from Devon, Danziger, Julia, Alonzo and Uly, the others were speechless as they stared around them.

The console room was plush and immaculate, with gleaming walls and a rich carpet. Sofas lined the walls. The outer half of the room was elevated, looking down slightly into the pit where the console hummed away, its central column rising and falling.

"Please, everyone be seated," Parillon said, working away at the console. "The journey will only take a few moments. I have arranged a few refreshments for you, if you'd like." He gestured to the corner of the room, where a cart stood holding several plates of fruit. True and Ulysses descended upon it like bees on honey.

"This is insane!" Morgan stared around him wildly, then pulled Bess off to one side. "Vessels that are bigger on the inside than the outside, can disappear into thin air, and can travel between star systems in minutes. Bess, this is ludicrous!"

"What are you talking about, Morgan?" Bess asked.

Morgan replied in a tightly controlled screaming whisper. (He was the only one Bess had met who had this ability.) "I mean, it's ludicrous! No one has the right to be so powerful. It's creepy. It makes these Time Lord people almost omnipotent. I mean, just the name 'Time Lord.' That's what they call themselves! How audacious can an entire race get, Bess?"

"Morgan, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous."

"I'm not jealous, Bess, I'm just, well...worried."

"Morgan, obviously, anyone who has the kind of advanced technology that the Time Lords have could have wiped out Earth long ago, if they'd wanted to."

"If they're such wonderful people, then, Bess, why don't they share their wonderful secrets with us, huh?"

"You mean give time travel to the human race? Morgan, would you give an atomic bomb to a child?"

"Bess, you know better than that! Think of what we could do with something like this!"

"Think of what Reilly could do with something like this," Bess said simply. "Or a ZED."

"We could go see your father," Morgan said.

Bess froze, then folded her arms and looked away. She seemed terrified.

"Bess, these people have the ability to travel all of space/time like taking a walk in a park! One of the biggest problems you had about coming here was that you'd never get to see your father again! But now we can!"

"Morgan, no," Bess said. She was shaking.

"But, honey...I could ask! It would be for you."

"I said no!" she shot back. "It's wrong! Some things are meant to be, Morgan. I said good-bye. And maybe these people can travel in time, but I don't want to. It...it just wouldn't be right."

Morgan sighed. Sometimes, Bess just really surprised him.

 

Most of the rest of Eden Advance was gathered at the console.

"Well, would you like to fill us in?" Devon asked.

"Fill you in?" Parillon was confused, then his face cleared. "Ah, you must be talking about food. As I said, there are some refreshments in the corner."

They looked at each other, baffled. Denner said patiently, "It's a human expression. It means, 'tell us some answers.'"

"Ah!" Parillon said. He seemed to be a genuinely agreeable man. "I understand. Well, what would you like to know?"

"Tell us why you've arrested the Doctor, for a start," Devon said.

"Well, I didn't arrest him. The Castellan's office did. It seems he has broken the First Law of Time."

"Which is?" Julia prompted.

"The First Law of Time is the mainstay of our entire society," Parillon said. "Section A states that no Time Lord shall ever interfere, or attempt to interfere, with another race or culture in any significant way – although there are a few amendments and stipulations attached. Section B states that no Time Lord shall ever use time travel to meet himself or herself, or significantly change or revisit past events within his or her own personal life."

"Which did the Doctor do?" asked Magus.

"Oh!" Parillon rolled his eyes. "What hasn't he done? That man is a law unto himself. With the Doctor, Section A of the First Law has to be thrown out of the window. The prosecution will try to stick him with that as a show of force, but since the Doctor has been tried twice already for the same offence and released each time, nothing will come of it. No, the real purpose of the Doctor's trial is the fact that while on G889, he used time travel to come face to face with himself."

"He did?" Julia asked. "I'm not aware of it. I don't think any of us are." The others were all shaking their heads.

"Oh, you didn't witness the event, because it took place on a metaphysical level," Parillon said. "But it still happened."

"Metaphysical?" Julia asked. "You mean...the dream plane?"

"Yes," Parillon said. "I've spoken with the Doctor, and that's what he called it."

"But the dream plane isn't something you can use to travel in time!" Julia said, almost laughing at the absurdity of it. She didn't notice Devon grow very quiet and wrap her hands closer together, staring at the floor with worry.

Parillon shrugged. "The Castellan himself told me that it happened. I have no reason to disbelieve him."

"Um, excuse me," Morgan stepped forward, smiling his best. "I've received some training as a trial lawyer, and your culture doesn't look that different from ours, all things considered, so I would like to point out a minor technical flaw, here."

"Yes?"

"If none of us actually witnessed this event, what the hell are we doing here?"

"Morgan!" Bess slapped his shoulder.

"Well, the Doctor is denying any such event took place, but he also admits that his memory may be faulty," Parillon said. "And the Castellan is quite insistent that it happened. So the best I can hope for is to show that it was an accident, and to plead for leniency due to character."

"Ah, so," Morgan continued, "we're character witnesses, is that correct?"

"Absolutely."

"And throughout the entire universe, we're the only character witnesses you could find?"

Parillon smiled. "No, of course not. But according to our law, the only witnesses I'm allowed to call are those directly involved in the case in question. If I had the option, I would collect hundreds – yes, hundreds! – of people from all times and cultures throughout this universe who would swear to the Doctor's good character on a witness stand. But unfortunately, I cannot. I can only call the 16 of you."

"So you're going to ask us to step forward one by one and swear to the Doctor's character?" Alonzo asked.

"Basically. It shouldn't take more than a couple of days, and then you will be returned home."

"Hopefully," Danziger said, folding his arms.

"What do you mean?" Parillon asked him. "It's fairly straightforward."

"There's one more thing to take into account," Danziger said. "Trouble seems to follow the Doctor around like they're conjoined twins."

"Hmm," Parillon mused. "That is true. Every crisis Gallifrey has faced in the past 600 years has involved him in one way or the other. Each time he comes home, it's in the middle of a storm."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have brought him home," Devon said pointedly.

"Young lady, it was not my decision."

"How did you know about the Doctor meeting himself?" Bess asked.

"Oh, honey, isn't it obvious?" Morgan answered her. "They're Time Lords! They know everything! They probably have the ability to watch people brushing their teeth from the other side of the galaxy!" He suddenly faltered. "Y-you don't, do you?"

Parillon regarded him with amusement. "I'm not permitted to say what our technology can accomplish and what it cannot. I can only assure you that we are not omnipotent, but we are as close to it as any mortals can be. And we don't spend our time being voyeurs."

"But I do think you owe us an explanation as to how you knew his activities on G889," Bess persisted. "Were you watching him? Do you have spies on our planet?"

"I don't know," Parillon admitted. "That's one of the things the Castellan is keeping to himself. He won't release that information until the trial. I'm not too worried about it. Obviously, someone using a TARDIS in chameleon mode secretly observed and recorded the meeting."

"On a metaphysical plane?" Julia asked incredulously.

"Well..." Parillon faltered. He didn't have an answer to that.

"Only the Terrians knew that the Doctor met himself," Ulysses spoke up, munching on a pineapple. "It happened on the dream plane. No one can spy on the dream plane, and the Terrians didn't tell, because they don't care about those kinds of things. They're my friends. I know they wouldn't."

Parillon sighed. "You must be mistaken, little one."

"My son has a symbiosis with the Terrians," Devon said. "What they know, he knows. He knows more about the dream plane than anyone here. If he says only the Terrians could have known, then that's the truth."

Parillon was stunned. "But that can't be! Somehow, the Time Lords found out about it! Someone had to know, or witness the event from afar!"

"Uh-uh," Ulysses shook his head. "No one could have known. It's impossible." Pineapple juice dribbled down his chin, and True handed him a napkin.

Everyone looked uncomfortably at each other. "Great," Danziger muttered, rubbing one eye.

"What was it you said about trouble?" Devon asked him quietly.

"Um, is it too late to go back home?" Morgan asked meekly.

"Yes, it is," Parillon replied. "We've arrived."

The central column gave a pleasant ding as it settled to a halt, and Parillon opened the doors.

Gallifrey, the planet of the Time Lords, lay before them.

And waiting to meet them in person, looking a little older but none the worse for wear, was Romana, with K9 beside her.

 

Robes flowing softly around them, a group of distinguished Time Lords walked slowly down one of the many corridors in the heart of the citadel, discussing nothing in particular.

As they were all Cardinals of high rank, none of them noticed the two Citadel Guards stationed outside the Castellan's office as they passed by. For all they cared, the guards could have been furniture, or elaborate wall decorations.

And in a sense they were, for they certainly weren't there to protect the Castellan, necessarily. Gallifrey had hardly known any warfare in millennia. No, the guards were there for the same reason that anything ever happened on Gallifrey: tradition.

Traditions handed down by Rassilon, traditions since the days when the universe was young. The Time Lords followed them unswervingly, as surely as the sunrise. And like the sunrise, only something as cataclysmic as a supernova could stop them.

And although the Time Lords generally looked down on almost every other race in the cosmos, there was one universal fault which they shared with all other races. This fault was another time-honored tradition, but unlike the others, probably not even a supernova could stop it from happening:

Gossip in the ranks.

As soon as the Cardinals had passed out of earshot, the guard on the left side of the door, without moving from attention, whispered, "Yorin."

"Yeah?" the other guard answered.

"Andred's been acting strange of late, you notice?"

"I have," Yorin said. "But I thought it was just me."

"Nah, it's not you. Everyone's noticed it."

The two guards remained silent as a junior clerk walked past. When they were alone again, Yorin said, "Hey, Burrel?"

"Yeah?"

"What d'you reckon's going on?"

"Dunno. Maybe he's having second thoughts about his marriage."

Yorin snorted. "Maybe she threatens him when they're alone!"

Burrel stifled a snicker. "I hate to think what use she puts that knife to!"

"One day, Andred's going to- wait, someone's coming!"

Both guards melded quickly back into perfect attention as a new figure came striding down the hall. Unlike other Time Lords, this one walked with a firm stride and a certain purpose. The brush of a brown robe, the swish of the door, and he was inside the Castellan's office.

It took a few seconds for the two guards to turn and face each other.

"Director Ferain?" Burrel whispered. "Here? What's he want with the Castellan, then?"

Yorin glanced nervously at the door. "No telling. And you know what?" He faced the front again and adjusted his tunic, licking his suddenly dry lips. "I don't want to know."

 

"There's something I want to know," Ferain said amiably.

"How surprising," Andred said. "Whatever you want, it can wait."

Ferain took in Castellan Andred at a glance. The satchel beneath his arm and the helmet on his head made it clear that he was just on his way out.

"I'm only paying a social visit, actually," Ferain said with a smile. "Wherever you're going, I'd be more than happy to accompany you. I'm so behind on what your office is up to these days."

"We both know that's not true, so why even bother mentioning it?" Andred asked. "I had hoped to make it through this day without having to deal with the CIA, but I should have known better."

Ferain smiled politely. He was on the Castellan's turf, so he would play by the Castellan's rules. "I understand you're to put the Doctor on trial," he said amiably. Then, with the slightest of pauses, he added, "Again."

Andred made for the door. "If you wish to talk with me, Ferain, you'll have to keep up."

The door swished open, and suddenly Yorin and Burrel were somehow more at attention than they'd ever been as Castellan Andred walked rapidly out of his office, followed easily by Ferain, the CIA Director of Allegiance.

"Indulge the curiosity of an old man," Ferain said. "I just thought you and the Doctor were friends, that's all."

Andred stopped and turned around, sighing theatrically. "Whatever friendship I may have had with the Doctor was many years ago, and circumstances have changed."

"I understand you're conducting the prosecution yourself, instead of handing it to one of your associates," Ferain persisted.

"As Castellan, that is my right," Andred said stiffly.

"Yes, of course," Ferain said. "But you know, I've often been a supporter of splitting up the duties of the Castellan's office. I never thought it was healthy for one person to be in charge of both security and legal matters at the same time. It must be such a strain. No, I believe we should have one office to conduct security, overseeing the Citadel Guard, and another office to oversee all legal duties, with a liaison between the two."

"Are you suggesting, sir, that I cannot handle both functions adequately?" Andred fumed.

"Not at all, not at all," Ferain assured him. "I only raise the point because your relationship with the Doctor is somewhat, ah, delicate, despite what you may say."

"Whatever do you mean?" Andred asked.

"Well, Castellan, I refer, of course, to your wife. The human."

"Her name is Leela." Andred's voice was like steel.

"Yes," Ferain continued, unabashed. "Wasn't it because of the Doctor that the two of you met?"

"Leela once traveled with the Doctor," Andred said. "During the Sontaran invasion, she helped us fight them off. She and I became quite close, and she chose to stay here with me."

Ferain said, "Well, despite the change in your friendship with the Doctor, surely the fact that she still regards him highly causes undue stress on your position." He paused. "It might even be seen as a clear conflict of interest. That's why I'm so curious as to why you're pressing charges against the Doctor now."

Andred's face was like stone. "The days of the Doctor's heroism are long past," he said. "And I intend to see him brought to justice." Then Andred cocked an eyebrow at him. "Your concern for the Doctor's welfare wouldn't have anything to do with losing your favorite pawn, would it?"

Ferain actually managed to look half-shocked. "Why, Andred," he said. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"No," Andred smirked. "In some ways, I'll wager you don't. Good day, Ferain." With that, he spun on his heel and stalked off.

Ferain stood in the corridor, pondering Andred's words, and slowly smiled. Then he turned and faced the two guards, still standing at attention, each trying to give the impression he hadn't heard a word.

"Lieutenant Burrel," Ferain said. "Lieutenant Yorin. By all means, return to your conversation." Then he turned, his robes swishing around him, and strode briskly away.

Burrel gulped once and turned to Yorin. "How'd he know that? He must have guessed!"

"And how'd he know our names?" Yorin asked in a tight whisper.

They both looked in awe after the departing figure.

"Still sure you don't want to know what's going on?" Burrel asked.

"More than ever," Yorin said.