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The clone looked at his hand in horror. Even though he knew his borrowed DNA was failing he was not prepared for the actual physical reality of it. He wiggled his fingers and bits of skin flew off like drips off a melting ice cream. The Doctor-clone swallowed hard. ‘This is bad... really really bad.’ ‘I’m rather afraid it is,’ the Figure said behind him. ‘I tried to warn the Doctor, but he was not in the listening mood.’ He sighed. ‘The Qux stole his DNA when he visited their station, and I had to appear in this body to try and warn him but he just wouldn’t get it. And when he learned about the cyber implant in his head... well, there was no stopping him. I tried, but my abilities, although enhanced by a Time Lord brain, were still uncertain.’ The clone turned on the Figure in anger. ‘Damn him! Why did he have to be so pig-headed? Why did he have to create me?’ In a peak of anger the clone struck the cave wall with his fist. It hit the rock with a squelch. The Doctor-clone had to put great effort in pulling the fist away from the wall. He looked at the squashed fist and let out a breath of air. ‘Why indeed? Fear mostly. The Doctor knew he had to die, but he wanted his legacy to go on. Someone to carry on fighting for this new universe.’ ‘Then why not me? I’m falling apart anyway. If I had died on Nova Mondas it would have made little difference.’ The clone sat down on a nearby rock, despondent. The Figure walked over to him. ‘We have not got much time left. I can help you, but we need to find the Temple of the Gods now.’ The clone looked up. ‘What’s the point? The Doctor is dead. Let’s just leave it at that.’ The Figure looked at the man before him. A shadow of the man he was supposed to be. As a TARDIS the Figure had always supported the Doctor and protected him. When he had moved into the Doctor’s mind his role had not changed. But when the Figure had been accidentally transferred into the mind of the clone his mission had changed. He became the clone’s unseen guide. Directing him to a place where both of them could be restored. And this was that place. He looked down at the clone, sadly. He was right when he had told the clone that it was his fault. Manifesting himself a proper body had strengthened the failure in the clone’s genetic make-up. But that will soon be immaterial. If I can find the Temple... With a last glance at the clone, the Figure walked away towards the mouth of the tunnel that they were in. He stood at the exit and looked down at the cavern below. A smile played across his lips as he took in the sight before him. In the centre of the cavern stood the Temple of the Gods. It stuck out like a jewel amongst the dark rock that made up the cavern walls. The Temple was made out of onyx, with a single spire reaching to the roof of the cavern. Above the great door leading into the Temple was the Seal of Rassilon. ‘At last,’ he breathed, feeling the artron energy emanating from the Temple. His brow furrowed underneath his skullcap as he took in the many Vogans that walked about the exterior of the Temple. Getting passed them would be difficult. But he had an idea. The Figure returned to the clone, who was still sitting in the same position looking at his squashed hand. ‘I have found the Temple. It is time.’ The clone looked up. ‘What? Time for what?’ ‘Time to be restored.’ The Doctor-clone shrugged. ‘I honestly can not be bothered to try and care right now.’ He sniffed. ‘I am a phoney. I don’t deserve to live.’ The Figure smiled and took the clone’s damaged hand. ‘We shall see about that.’ He closed his eyes and concentrated. The Doctor-clone looked up, and despite himself his eyes filled with awe as a familiar and very welcome sound echoed throughout the tunnel. A low thumping pulsated around them as the rocky tunnel vanished to be replaced by... Alf took a deep breath, deciding it was high time that she and Nick had a long talk. It seemed like finding the Doctor was going to take a while, so it made sense to make good use of the time. Nick had come to a stop before the river. Alf came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned. ‘Any ideas on how we can get across that?’ He pointed at the river. Alf looked. ‘We could swim.’ Nick looked down at his dirty clothes. ‘Yeah, a good way to get these stupid things clean. Which reminds me.’ He turned back to the river and crouched down. Alf watched him take some water in his hands and raise them to his mouth. ‘Listen, Nick, it really is time...’ She did not get a chance to finish her sentence since a voice called out, echoing throughout the cavern. ‘Put down your gun and surrender. You are a prisoner of the Vogan Militia!’ Both Alf and Nick looked up. Several Vogans were standing at the entrances to various tunnels; each of them pointing guns at Nick and Alf. Alf pulled the gun from out her trousers and turned. ‘No, Alf, wait. We’re out numbered.’ Nick stood up and placed a hand on the gun. Alf looked down at it, then up at him. She nodded. ‘You’re right. I’m sick of all this killing anyway.’ She let go of the gun and it fell to the ground. Alf lifted her arms up and shouted out. ‘We surrender.’ It took the Vogans moments to clamber down from the tunnel mouths. Alf and Nick were covered in a circle of guns. One of the Vogans stepped forward. ‘You will now be executed for the murder of two of our people.’ ... A grand hall. The Doctor-clone looked around. Everything about the place seemed familiar, and yet he could not help but feel that he had never seen anything like it before. It was nothing like anything else he had seen on Voga, that was for sure. ‘The Vogans did not construct this place,’ he said. ‘No, they did not. This ‘place’ was constructed by the Time Lords.’ The Figure looked at the clone, then walked away. The Doctor-clone watched him for a moment, then turned his attention to taking in the grand vista that was the inside of the Vogan’s Temple. The place was vast. The walls were made out of some precious shining stone; almost glass-like in appearance. The floor was like a mirror, reflecting everything around it, giving the impression that the temple was larger than it appeared. In the centre of the hall was an altar of some kind. The Doctor-clone walked towards it. As he drew closer he realised it was not an altar, although he was sure the Vogans would consider it such, but a console. The console appeared to have six sides, although it was difficult to be sure since the sides merged into an almost seamless shape. In the centre of the console was a tall column, stretching to the ceiling above. The column was made of a substance very like ice-crystals. There was a soft glow about it, giving off the feeling that it was alive. The Doctor-clone looked at it in awe. ‘This place is incredible.’ The Figure was standing on the other side of the console. His hands were resting on its surface. ‘Yes, the final legacy of the Time Lords.’ He looked up and caught the clone’s eye. ‘This is the place I have been looking for.’ ‘Glad to hear it.’ The Figure shook his head. ‘You really do not have any idea do you?’ He spread his arms wide, attempting to take in everything around him. ‘This is the heart of the Capitol. This planet on which we stand is the remains of Gallifrey itself.’
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