Under Romana's guidance, Julia checked the Doctor out with her scanner while the others looked on.

The Time Lord was laid out in the medical hut, and not even Romana knew what was wrong with him. Seconds after starting to dream with the Terrian, the Doctor had yelled in pain and collapsed.

"Respiration at six breaths per minute," Julia said. "Pulse down to ten per minute, with his two hearts alternating every pulse." She raised her eyes to look at Romana. "Normal or abnormal?"

She sighed. "It sounds like a self-induced coma. Whatever happened with the Terrian on the dream plane, it must have been very traumatic."

Julia looked over at Alonzo. "Any idea what happened?"

"No," he shook his head. "Before he left, the Terrian told me that the Doctor had to forget, that he would forget. He said that was how it happened, and how it would always happen. I don't understand what he was talking about, but I got the feeling that it had something to do with time. He said...he said that a chapter of the planet has come full circle, and the Doctor has made his destiny."

Julia raised her eyebrows at Romana, who just looked thoughtful.

Devon, her arms folded and her head bowed in thought, turned and walked outside.

A moment later, Danziger followed her.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "Do you remember when we first met the Doctor, how I told you that I asked him to take us to New Pacifica, and why he refused?"

"Yeah," he scratched his head. "Something about the network of time, or the web of time, or some such technobabble. Something about how he couldn't bring us here before we were supposed to arrive, because he'd already met us here." He jerked his head at the medical hut. "And I guess the meeting he was talking about was this one."

"Yes. Well, when I asked him to give us a lift, what he actually said was, 'What if I took you to New Pacifica and a tidal wave washed you all out to sea?'"

Danziger stared at her in disbelief. "He said that?"

"Yes. He knew about the tidal wave, John. He remembered that. He knew that if we were standing here on this very spot sometime last year...we might have all died.

"I also remember something that you said to me a couple of years ago, just after we crashed. I remember I was worried about all the trouble we were having, and I was beginning to think we weren't going to make it. And you said something I've never forgotten, something which made me realize that I could trust you, no matter how much we disagreed."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked. "What was that?"

"You told me that you believe things happen for a reason."

Danziger nodded, and scratched his nose with his thumb absently.

"If the Doctor's right," Devon continued, "and the bomb on the colony ship was triggered by gravity...then the ship was saved by the fact that it was off course."

Danziger nodded hesitantly. "Yes, I suppose that's true."

"Not only that, but if our Advance ship hadn't crashed, we...we would have been here at New Pacifica when that tidal wave hit last year."

"Now, don't go jumping to conclusions, Adair-"

"I'm serious! John, that tidal wave might have hit in the middle of the night, when no one would have seen it coming! If the Advance ship had never been sabotaged, we would have set down here, in this spot, as planned, two years ago – and we might have all been washed away. We might all be alive because the Council sabotaged the ship – not in spite of it!"

Danziger sighed. "And if the Council hadn't sabotaged the ship, maybe Wentworth and Firestein would still be alive. Devon, we don't know what would have happened, what wouldn't have happened, if this or that had been different. We'll never know. Yes, I still believe that things happen for a reason, but I think that if you start trying to work out what those reasons are, it'll drive you crazy."

He nodded back towards the medical hut. "Lets leave the time travel theories and cosmic what-iffing to the Time Lords, and just concentrate on doing what we do best, which is living our lives as best we can day to day."

Devon's face softened, as she realized what he said made sense. She just smiled and nodded. Danziger put his arm around her shoulders and they walked back inside.

 

"Grandfather!" Susan shouted. She ran and threw her arms around the old man who had just arrived in the tunnel. He hugged her back.

Ian, Barbara and Clebadee all stood up and approached him.

"What happened?" Susan asked.

"Well, Darlo's plan succeeded, to a certain extent," the Doctor replied. "I take it the Terrian people are at peace now?"

"We are, Doctor," Clebadee answered. "I feel no anger or bitterness inside me, even for Darlo."

"Well, I wouldn't if I were you, even if you could. Darlo, I'm afraid, has paid the price for his rash actions, and it wasn't me the planet sacrificed on your behalf – it was him."

Clebadee bowed his head in respect.

"So what happens now?" Ian asked. "Are the Terrians completely unable to get angry? If someone attacked them, would they not fight back?"

"Yes, we still have anger we can bring to bear on any outsider who tries to harm us," Clebadee answered. "Although," he hesitated, searching inside himself, "I now feel completely repulsed by the thought of ever attempting to harm another of my race, even in self-defense. It is most...fascinating." He looked at the Doctor, copying the word which the Time Lord used so much.

The Doctor smiled.

"Clebadee," Barbara said, "you are now living with a choice you didn't make. Are you comfortable with that?"

"Yes," Clebadee answered. "I believe so. I do not know why, but I feel from the ground beneath my feet that everything is now as it should be. Anyway, I could still break our laws. Darlo's actions today do not mean that I am incapable of free will. I could still break the agreement with the earth, and kill others and steal from them if I really wanted to."

"And what would happen to any Terrian who did that?" Ian asked.

"They would become outcasts, as always," Clebadee answered. "Only now, becoming an outcast would be very painful, as it would mean separating a Terrian from the Dreaming. I imagine it would be torment for any such Terrian – a torment relieved only by death."

They left the cave together and walked down the hill to the stream, where a blue police telephone box sat lazily in the sunshine. Its visage reflected in ripples from the sparkling water as they approached.

"We shall remember you, Doctor," Clebadee said. "The land, my people, shall remember you always, and if ever you visit us again, we will know you. We will know you all."

"Thank you," the Doctor bowed.

Hesitantly, Clebadee raised his hand and asked, "If you will permit me, Doctor?"

The Doctor nodded, intrigued.

Clebadee placed his hand over the Doctor's forehead. "Dream," he said.

They stood like that for several seconds with their eyes closed. Clebadee pulled away, and the Doctor opened his eyes.

"Fortunetelling," the Doctor said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "The Dreaming is somehow linked to the fabric of time. Your planet is simply full of surprises, my young friend!"

"Grandfather, what happened?" Susan asked.

"My earth has looked into the Doctor's future," Clebadee answered. "And into yours. Upon leaving this place, Ian and Barbara, you will indeed return to your home."

Ian and Barbara broke into amazed smiles and looked at each other.

"But I am afraid that you will not find it to your liking," Clebadee added.

Their faces fell. "What do you mean by that?" asked Ian.

"That is all I can tell you," Clebadee said. "And for you, Doctor, I give you a name. This name does not come from us, but we give it to you nonetheless. You are both the bringer of chaos and the bringer of peace. We call you, 'Time's Champion.'"

"'Time's Champion?'" he asked. "My dear fellow, I am no Champion of Time."

"You will be," Clebadee answered.

The Doctor looked at him for a long moment, then shook his head. "Fortunetelling," he said. "Always a dangerous business. Should never muck about with it."

Muttering to himself, he opened the door and stepped inside.

"Good-bye, Clebadee!" Susan said with a smile, and followed him. Ian and Barbara also made their farewells and entered the TARDIS.

The door snapped shut. After a few moments the light on top whirled into life, and the strange box ground its way out of reality and back into the vortex.

 

"Time's Champion," the Doctor paced back and forth, his long scarf trailing behind him. "That's what he called me. Terrians on ice. That sounds like an ice-skating show, doesn't it?" He suddenly stopped and turned to Alonzo. "Doesn't it?"

"Uh..." Alonzo spread his arms wide, "whatever you say, Doctor."

"Yes," the Doctor suddenly looked lost and distant again. "Sounds like one of those touring ice-skating shows..."

"What's going on?" Devon asked Julia. They were standing in the doorway, watching the Time Lord curiously. Julia secretly wondered if he'd gone insane.

"I have no idea," she sighed. "He woke up a few minutes ago, but all he's spoken is nonsense. He seems to be disoriented, almost as if...as if he were in two places at once."

Behind them, Danziger leaned down and whispered, "Either that, or he's not there at all."

Devon shot him a quick glare, then turned her worried gaze back to the Doctor.

Danziger's gear beeped. It was Cameron. "John, we found the Doctor's TA- uh, ship. Whatever it's called. K9 homed in on it. We're bringing it in now."

"All right," he answered. "Take it to the beach, will you?" He looked at Romana. "We found your phone booth. It's on its way."

"Oh, good," she said. "We've got equipment in the TARDIS that's better able to help the Doctor," Romana said. "I think I should take him there."

She grabbed the ends of his scarf and started pulling him out the door. "Come on, Doctor," she said. "This way."

The Doctor followed absently. He was staring at the floor and muttering, completely unaware of where he was going.

"I got those two teachers back, but we were miniaturized when we got there, all of us," he said. "We were only one inch tall. So close, yet so far..."

Once they were outside and he was pointed in the right direction, the Doctor wandered down the beach on his own. One second he would be mumbling, another second he would shout at the sky with his arms wide, laughing like a child. Once he broke into song and did a little dance.

Watching him, Uly and True laughed until they fell over. The Doctor noticed this and broke into a wide grin. It seemed to spur him on to further heights of lunacy.

"Don't worry," Romana told Devon as they followed him. "He's just having one of his funny turns."

"It's odd," Devon said. "Watching him, I can see that he's the same man we met a year ago, but...different. It's difficult to understand."

"Not really," Romana said. "Regeneration is simply how we age. For example, are you the same person you were when you were six years old?"

"Of course not," Devon said.

"How about when you were 16?"

"No."

"And are you the same person now that you'll be when you're 50?"

"I hope not."

Romana leaned in close. "Yes – you – are!" she said. "Of course you're the same person – who else could you be?"

"Well..." Devon said. "Yes, technically, I am me, no matter how old I am at any given time. But in essence, I'm a completely different person at different stages of my life. We all are."

"Exactly!" Romana said with a smile. "It's no different for Time Lords. Let me tell you something – do you know what I would do if I went back in time and met my younger self?"

"What?"

"I'd slap her silly."

Devon burst out laughing. "I understand completely!" she said. "I'd probably do the same. I don't suppose it's allowed, though, is it?"

"Strictly forbidden to meet yourself," Romana replied. "That's our most important law, and the most dangerous to transgress."

"How much time will pass for the Doctor between now and when he met us last year?" Devon asked.

Romana shrugged. "Hard to say. Probably several hundred years."

"He didn't know who we were when we met him. Nor did he recognize the Terrians."

"Goodness, I suspect not!" Romana answered. "Several hundred years is a long time. Also, whatever trauma he experienced on the dream plane seems to have caused a temporary amnesia of recent events."

Devon nodded. "That would make sense. He only remembered who we were after the Terrians jogged his memory." Then she asked. "How long have you been with him?"

"Oh, several years," Romana answered. "Being with the Doctor has completely changed my life. I could never go back to Gallifrey."

"Why not?"

"I'd suffocate," she said. "Time Lord society has been stagnant for hundreds of thousands of years, and refuses almost all contact with the rest of the universe. I'm ashamed to say it, but my race hides behind a superior technology and a superior attitude. They won't get their lily-white gloves dirty for anything. All they care about are endless ceremonies, pomp and circumstance, and internal politics. Meanwhile, other people suffer, and the Time Lords do nothing to help."

"You sound bitter."

"I suppose I am. I was one of them, you see. I was just as arrogant and stagnant as any of them, until I was chosen to assist the Doctor in finding the Key to Time. I was 139 years old when I left Gallifrey for the first time. When I did, well," she shrugged, "I discovered the universe. The real universe, not the one in books. When my assignment was over, I realized I could never go back.

"There's a transduction barrier around Gallifrey which can shield the Time Lords from almost anything the universe cares to throw at it. But it's not just a protective barrier – it's a prison.

"In fact, it's a crime for a Time Lord to intervene in the affairs of others. The Doctor is one of the few who's allowed to do such a thing, and the Time Lords only allow that grudgingly, because he gave them the sharp end of his tongue when they brought him to trial. He was on the run from them in his early days, you see, back when his granddaughter traveled with him. But they finally caught up with him. He's lucky he wasn't sentenced to death." Romana hesitated. "Even so...they didn't let him go unscathed."

They walked in silence for a moment. Up ahead, the Doctor was entertaining Ulysses and True with yo-yo tricks.

"He's not crazy, is he?" Devon asked.

"Not in the slightest," Romana answered. "That's just a foil, I expect, the way he deals with the universe. The way he deals with being a renegade.

"The Doctor has a shaky relationship with our people. They don't like him running around loose out here, because it embarrasses them. He shows them up by doing it, and they know they can't hold him. But they tolerate him, because whenever the Time Lords are forced to get involved – such as when Gallifrey was invaded by the Sontarans – they are so inexperienced at dealing with real trouble that they have no choice but to call upon the Doctor. From time to time, they actually have to rely on his ability to interfere. And they hate him for it."

Devon smiled briefly in sympathy. "It actually sounds similar to life on the stations," she said. "I know what it's like not to be wanted, to have the people in charge wish they could do away with you, just because you're an embarrassment." She was silent for a moment. "And yet, still need you."

Romana nodded.

Devon shook off her momentary depression. "What did you mean when you said you were assigned to find the Key to Time? How could you be assigned to do something if you were forbidden to get involved?"

Romana smiled. "That was the White Guardian. He's the elemental force of good in the cosmos, an immortal being – a life force far beyond even Time Lords. He's the one who whisked me away from Gallifrey to help the Doctor. The entire universe was in danger of becoming unraveled, and the hidden segments of the Key to Time had to be found and restored in order to save it."

Devon stared at her. "The entire...universe? "she asked.

"All of space and time," Romana answered. She spoke softly, but the weight of her words were staggering, and did not pass her lips lightly. She nodded at the Doctor. "You're looking at possibly the only mortal in all of creation who can claim to have saved the entire universe." She leaned closer to Devon. "And he's done it more than once."

Romana walked on. Devon just stood there, stunned that such a thing as the entire universe could ever be put in danger – that all life everywhere could ever hang by such a tiny thread.

And she looked with renewed wonder at the man who had saved the entire universe as he rolled about in the sand, laughing and kicking his feet in the sunshine.

Then the Doctor bounced to his feet and spoke with Cameron, Baines, Walman, Mazatl and Zero, who were easing the TARDIS off the back of the transrover and down onto the sand. Coming up to join them were Danziger, Morgan, Bess, Yale, Julia, Alonzo, Magus, Denner and Dr. Vasquez. Walman hopped to the ground, reached back into the transrover, and picked up K9. He eased the robot down softly onto the ground and brushed some sand off of him.

As Baines unscrewed the top from a thermos, the Doctor suddenly tilted his head back and sniffed the air.

"Callion tea," he said. "You know, I could swear I smell Callion tea."

"What, you mean this?" Baines offered him the thermos.

The Doctor took one sniff. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "Where did you get this?"

"From the central hut."

"Really? How extraordinary!"

"Julia's the one who discovered it, Doctor," Danziger said. "She found the plant we use to make it."

"Ah!" the Doctor shouted, and turned to Julia. "So you're the one who discovered Callion tea, are you?"

"Am I?" Julia asked. "I've never heard of it."

"You will. That stuff," he pointed at Baines's thermos, "will become a major export from this planet over the next hundred years. It's one of the things that will soon power G889's economy." He suddenly stopped and put his hand to his head. "Or am I thinking of Rogue tea, from the planet Callion, which is a different matter altogether? Oh, well!" he shrugged. "Time to go."

Morgan was immediately by Julia's side. "Hello, Dr. Heller!" He smiled brightly. "You and I need to talk marketing strategy!"

Julia just shook her head. "Morgan..."

The Doctor patted himself down. "Key, key, where is the key?" Horrified, he turned to Romana. "I seem to have misplaced the TARDIS key! And I believe I know who has it." He turned a somewhat menacing stare at Ulysses Adair.

Uly turned to look behind him, then looked back at the Doctor. "Me?" he asked.

"You," the Doctor pointed. "Come here."

Uly approached him. The Doctor bent down and retrieved the TARDIS key from behind Uly's right ear. "Ah! Thought so!" He held the key in front of Uly's face. "I couldn't have left without this."

The others all laughed as Uly clawed behind his ear, trying to figure out how the Doctor's key could possibly have gotten back there.

"Well, everyone," the Doctor said, "it's always refreshing to witness colonists starting over in a brand new home. Mind you, they didn't like me very much at Roanoke, but it's not my fault if they mistook me for a witch. Lets hope you turn out better than that lot, eh? These people are a bit more advanced, wouldn't you say, Romana?"

"That's true."

"No." The Doctor pointed at Danziger's daughter. "That's True. And we're leaving. Good-bye, everybody!"

They all smiled and waved good-bye as the Doctor, Romana and K9 entered the TARDIS and shut the door.

Devon stood next to Danziger, looking at the police box wistfully. "And several hundred years from now," she said, "a couple of regenerations down the road, he'll land on this planet again. A ZED will fire on him, and he'll almost blow us up with a worm bullet. And he won't remember who we are."

Danziger put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder. "Well...somethin' tells me he'll be okay."

They smiled at each other.

The light on top blinked and whirled, and with a tremendous effort of wheezing and groaning, the TARDIS faded away.

They all turned to go, then stopped and turned as the wheezing, groaning sound reappeared.

And materializing in exactly the same spot as the TARDIS was another box, a plain white cube. As they watched, a door opened in its side and a strange man stepped out.

He was dressed in a regal gown, gold with a dark blue pattern. He wore an odd-looking head-piece, consisting of a skull cap with a wide arch attached to the back of it, as if he were wearing the headrest of a car.

"Do I have the pleasure of addressing the group of people known collectively as 'Eden Advance?'" he asked politely.

Everyone glanced at each other, and Devon stepped forward. "Yes. What do you want?"

"Allow me to introduce myself." The stranger bowed. "I am Parillon, magistrate of the Castellan's office, High Council of Time Lords, Gallifrey." He stood there expectantly, as if this would make everything clear.

"And?" Devon asked.

He coughed politely. "Forgive me. You are acquainted with the Doctor, is that correct?"

"Look, buddy, what do you want?" Danziger snapped. "You've got everyone spooked by suddenly appearing out of nowhere like that!"

"Oh. So sorry." Parillon smiled. "I have never had contact with humans before, and I wasn't sure how to address you. Let me be succinct." He steepled his fingers for a moment, as if wondering how to phrase what he had to say.

"This is a matter concerning your friend the Doctor, being in his eighth incarnation (er, that's the one you met some time last year, the tall skinny one with the wild hair). He has been apprehended – yet again – by the Castellan's office, and is to be put on trial for a crime he committed while on this planet, and it is a crime most severe. If he is found guilty, he will almost certainly be forfeit his remaining regenerations and sentenced to death."

Everyone was stunned.

"Why?" Julia asked. "What did he do?"

"I shall explain on the way."

"The way to where?" Danziger asked.

"To Gallifrey. I have been appointed as the Doctor's defending solicitor, and I am calling the 15 surviving members of Eden Advance, including the children, plus the robot, to serve as witnesses for the defense. I had to wait until the Doctor's fourth incarnation left before I could make contact with you, you see. But now that he is gone, we can be on our way. If you will follow me." He turned to go.

"W- wait a minute," Devon said. "What are you saying? You want us to go with you to another planet?"

Parillon turned back, blinking in surprise, as if he was re-evaluating the people in front of him. "Yes. I believe that is what I said."

"We have a colony here!" Devon snapped, motioning behind her. "A thousand people have just arrived, and they know nothing about this planet! We are the only ones who can help them and guide them! We can't just take off because you want us to!"

"That has been anticipated," Parillon said. "I have been instructed to tell you that, due to special circumstances, I will be allowed to bring you back to this planet mere moments after you left. You will lose no time here. In the meantime, while on Gallifrey, you will be treated as our guests, and shown our best hospitality." He smiled.

Everyone on the beach was silent.

"And what if we don't go?" Danziger asked.

"Then the Doctor will have no defense, and he will be found guilty," Parillon said.

"So, you're saying," Bess said slowly, "that the Doctor's life is in our hands."

"Yes," Parillon replied. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

They all looked at each other, then back at Parillon.

Devon sighed, and shook her head. "I can't believe this!" she exclaimed, and strode forward. One by one, the members of Eden Advance slowly stepped forward and filed into the strange box.

Danziger was last, holding True's hand. He turned to Dr. Vasquez, standing on the beach, bewildered. "Don't go anywhere, doc. If all goes well, I guess we'll be right back."

They walked inside and the door closed. With a grating noise, the strange white box quickly disappeared, leaving Dr. Vasquez alone on the sand.