science must come first

I decided to take a small hiatus to try and sort my head out. But now I’m back for the foreseeable future. I will try and get replies sorted over the next week.

The first time Ashildr had been able to freely explore the universe beyond Earth, the excitement had been unmatched by anything she could remember. But that day was centuries and centuries behind her. Now, it was almost as old hat as her time on Earth had been.

Planets were dying left and right. Even those that had been treated well were unsustainable. They were just old. So was Ashildr, but she still saw no actual end to her life. It meant going farther and father beyond where humans had stopped exploring. 

She was left to scavenge for what she could. The live signs on this planet were unexpected, but she was hoping to find an abandoned ship and supplies for keeping her own ship running.

“Not human,” Ashildr looked over the woman in front of her. “At least I don’t think I am anymore,” She frowned. “It’s complicated. I’m not looking for trouble. Just supplies. Do I want to know what you are if not human?”

The woman’s answer sparked her interest. Immediately her first thought was to find out what the woman meant by not human at any cost. Though that would mean putting an end to her first intelligent conversation in months, something that was rare on this backwater planet.

So she would not cut up the not human. Not yet. Not unless she got bored of their little chat. Which was likely to happen. Even if she was not human, it was unlikely their conversation would be stimulating.

“What are you then? If you are not human.” The Rani questioned, hoping it would quench a part of her curiosity. She did not appear to be a member of the other humanoid species she had came across, but then again the universe was a big place.

“I am certainly not human. It is honestly quite offensive that you would even consider that.” The Rani told her, furrowing her eyebrows for a moment. Quickly she curled her lips into a smile and but a hand on her hip, “I am a Time Lord - well Time Lady if you want to get pedantic about it. Either title is fine. Though I doubt your brain can even process about what that means.”

The Rani had assumed that the locals of the local town would know better than to enter the walls that surrounded her settlement, and she had certainly assumed they knew better than to enter the inner sanctum that was her laboratory. Especially after what had happened to the dozen of locals that had decided to investigate her. But humans always had been idiotic.

But the intruder had to possess a special breed of stupid to willingly come this close to her, and to her work. Perhaps she should not warn him. He could easily learn his lesson on the surgical table. But there was something about him that stopped her and forced her to interact with him.

“I do not know whether you are incredibly stupid or incredibly brave.” The Rani told him, entering the room, “Not that it matters. You will be dead soon enough - if you are lucky of course.”

Lips pursed, she turned towards the other Time Lord, full to the brim with curiosity. She didn’t  want too much detail, her life was now ruled by the saying ignorance is bliss, but she did want  to know the measure of this man. “And what’s your interpretation? You don’t seem like the ecstatic type, but I do enjoy a surprise.”

He was a bit boring, but Romana at least still had the tact to keep her mouth shut about it. Her new regeneration didn’t need to care about science or anything that mundane.

He recognised her. Maybe she should start using a fake name. Although from the sounds of  it there wouldn’t be that many people who could recognise her the way he did anymore. “What can  I say, I’m full of surprises! Rani, Rani, Rani… Have we met? Or should I know you? After so many years alive things just get so muddled!”

The Rani let out a sharp intake of breath at that particular question. It was a question that he didn’t have an answer to. It was a question he tried not to think too hard about. Instead he frowned and deflected the situation, “Only a sociopath would be ecstatic about the destruction of their planet.”

“Not officially.” A part of him felt slightly offended that she had no real knowledge of him. There was once a time when he was infamous amongst Time Lords and famed for his contributions to neurochemistry. “I may have had slight reputation on Gallifrey for my scientific contributions.”

“It’s perfectly normal to suffer with memory loss after a long life. Especially if you have experienced some form of trauma.” It was very tempting to pick her brain apart and see what caused the apparent memory block. But he resisted those urges with a short but fake smile. She was the first timelord he had met since the war, and he wasn’t going to waste it.

“Too many!” Admitting this truth did not agree with him; it was plain to see in the set of his narrowed eyes and gritted teeth, huffing; “But I won’t this time… you’ll see. I’ve made arrangements. The Doctor WILL perish this time!”

“Congratulations are in order then.” The Rani dryly told him, aware that he was playing with fire so to speak. But he couldn’t quite help himself. “But please keep your arrangements away from Earth. I have plans that don’t need to be spoilt by your latest spat with The Doctor.”

“But it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to experiment that doesn’t put harm to a living being. You just have to see that. You made me realize this, it’s why I had to leave you. But I didn’t mean to cause you so much pain for doing so. I was so young that I decided to leave instead of reasoning with you. And I should of.” Aurora spoke up, hoping her old teacher would understand that. 

“Sounds familiar… Hmmm, if it’s already destructed then I’m guessing it can’t be that important, probably why I haven’t remembered it.” Her memory wasn’t that bad but it didn’t mean that she had to tell this person that.

“If we’re putting a stop to your work, then that would suggest that your work isn’t exactly ethical. Not that I’m complaining I mean who is to say what’s good and what’s bad?” 

The name. That was something she felt like she should know, but genuinely forgot. “Nice name. Romana, it’s a pleasure I am sure!”

How did she not remember the Time War? Had the destruction of Gallifrey destroyed her that much? It was definitely interesting. “It depends on your interpretation. I assume there are many who are ecstatic that Gallifrey is gone.”

“Exactly! Ethics are entirely subjective and those who think otherwise are fools. The universe is not black and white, especially when it comes to science. ”

"Of course!” Romana.  The Rani let out a small chuckle at how far she had fallen. The war had certainly done a number on the former Lady President and The Rani couldn’t say that he was surprised. "Though I have to say that I wasn’t expecting to run into you.”