Chapter 11

With a groaning, wheezing noise the TARDIS materialised in the Tomb of Rassilon. Oddly Romana thought. While landing the engines were in reverse, producing the noise the TARDIS usually makes when it takes off. Must be something to do with the Dark Tower, she reasoned. Or maybe it was the way the first Doctor tried to guide the TARDIS down. She was sure she'd saw him press a few controls, correcting, or interfering with his future selves settings.

The TARDIS doors opened and Turlough, Susan, Romana and the First Doctor stepped from the Police Box.

"Hello, hello!" the Fourth Doctor was saying into a monitor on the opposite side of the Tomb. He banged his fist down on it trying to get it to work, "Hello, calling the Capital? Hello, this is the Doctor."

There were several other people Romana didn't recognise. Probably other travelling companions. But she spotted which ones were Doctors immediately. She could tell they were Time Lords, but what gave them away was the way they were dressed.

A rather extravagant looking man in a frilled shirt and smoking jacket was standing by the Fourth Doctor. While a small man with an oversized, black coat was examining a stone pillar. She guessed these must've been the Second and Third Doctors respectfully.

Romana had nearly met the second Doctor in a previous adventure so she knew what he looked like.

He looked up at the First Doctor as they approached. "Ah, finally decided to join the party?" The second Doctor giggled.

"Oh, don't give me that attitude, young man." the First Doctor said grumpily. "What's this?" he said pointing at the stone. But the second Doctor was already greeting and shaking hands with Turlough.

"Delighted to meet you." He said and turned to Romana shaking her hand too. This Doctor had a rather charming smile. Then he turned to Susan, and his faced dropped, and then he utterly beamed.

"Oh, SUSAN!" He cheered and wrapped his arms around her in a big hug.

"Nice to see you again, Grandfather." Susan said smiling from ear to ear.

"Its so nice to see you again. Hows young David?" He beamed like a small child.

Romana decided to break away from this touching reunion and went over to the First Doctor who was examining the pillar. It was covered in old High Gallifreyan. She had a smattering of it, but ultimately it was the Doctor who specialised in these kinds of dead languages.

"Fascinating." The First Doctor said, and explained to Romana what it meant. He was almost as giddy as a school boy himself, and why shouldn't he? They've just discovered a hidden layer to their Time Lord lore, lost for over ten million years.

"Now, I wonder what this bit means?" the First Doctor said, pressing his index finger to his lips. "'To Lose is to Win, and he who Wins shall Lose'?"

"I was wondering that myself." The Second Doctor said joining the First. "Sounds rather ominous doesn't it?"

"Yes, quite." the First Doctor said, and walked towards the edges of the Tomb to look at a series of statues of Time Lords that appeared to decorate the walls of the Tomb. They were very good statues, even down to the headdresses and the texture of the robes. But the one thing they all had in common was a ring with what looked like crystals set into it, around their left index finger. The First Doctor had noticed, and he pulled out a monocle that he placed over his left eye to examine them further.

His third self had now peeled away to greet everyone while he, the Fourth Doctor, worked at this ancient communication device. His third self was happiest to see Lethbridge Stewart and Susan.

Suddenly he got a connection!

"AH HA!" the Fourth Doctor exclaimed, having finally gotten through to the Capital. "Hello, Capital. I'm coming to you live from the Tomb of Rassilon!"

An image appeared on the screen. It was of the much younger looking Fifth Doctor.

"I can hear you." He said rather flatly.

"Ah, there you are my, dear fellow." He laughed. That's the trouble with regeneration, he thought, you never know what you're going to get. "Safe and sound I see. Everything is alright, is it? Yes? Good, good," he said not letting his future self get a word in edge wise. "We've all made it into the Tower. The barriers are down, and your TARDIS is here."

"Excellent." The Fifth Doctor said flatly.

"Are you quite alright." the Fourth Doctor said with concern. "The Cybermen didn't get at you did they?" Though he'd hardly admit it if they did.

"I am fine." The Fifth Doctor said. He was staring directly into the monitor, and he wasn't blinking. 'Never trust a man who doesn't blink enough.' His aunt had once told him. "Stay where you are and 'touch nothing'," he was quite insistent about that. "President Borusa will arrive to take full charge." and the screen went blank.

Borusa? President Borusa? He never thought he'd see the day.

"Curiouser and curiouser." He said out loud.

"'Touch nothing' indeed?!" the Second Doctor said. He'd suddenly appeared next to him. I need to put a bell on him. The Fourth Doctor thought. "Who does he think he is?!"

"Well, it seems quite obvious to me," the First Doctor began "that he was concer...concerned someone was le...list...listening in." he stumbled.

"Something is quite wrong." the Third Doctor said scratching at the back of his neck.

"Agreed." the First Doctor said.

The Fourth Doctor nodded in agreement. It was quite stimulating to have people of equal intellect to talk to.

"Oh, very well." the Second Doctor said. "I shall go with the majority. Something is quite, quite wrong."

In the far corner, a small alcove started to glow and two people materialised into the Tomb. One a tall man in a cricket garb. The other a man in black Gallifreyan robes. Those were old robes, robes which dated back to the Dark Times of Gallifrey. He was the Time Lord president, Borusa.

The second Doctor waved cheerily.

"Borusa?" the third Doctor questioned.

"Oh dear." The second Doctor said, looking like a school boy who was about to be told off.

Tegan approached the Fifth Doctor and Borusa with the gaggle of companions. "Doctor, I..." she began but she stopped as Borusa held up a staff to her and all of the companions. "Stay where you are!" He commanded, "Do not move nor speak!" Interestingly all the companions froze in place. As Borusa and his Fifth incarnation passed the companions continued to stare straight ahead. Except for the Brigadier who curiously turned his head to watch Borusa go, but his eyes betrayed terror. Why weren't any of them moving?

"Excellent," Borusa said, "I must congratulate you. You have fulfilled the purpose for which I brought you here."

"What?" The Fourth Doctor exclaimed.

"'You' brought us here?!" the Third Doctor asked.

"He's after the Ring of Rassilon. He wants immortality!" the Second Doctor whispered to each of them.

"Borusa. Why?" the Fourth Doctor said, hurt in his voice. Borusa was his old teacher, a bit strict, but he had respected him. Why this scheme? Unless he wanted something underhanded.

"Because Gallifrey needs a strong leader." Borusa said. "Turbulent times are ahead for the Time Lords, Doctor. Gallifrey needs a strong leader to pull us through such a time. But how long before my presidency ends? And some upstart comes and dismantles all I hope to build? With the Ring of Rassilon I shall be immortal, never age, never die, never again need to regenerate. I shall be president for eternity."

"So you want to be a dictator?" The Third Doctor said.

"Better to be led by a benevolent dictator, than a bunch of self interested, greedy despots." Borusa said.

"Spare me the politics." The Fourth Doctor said, his voice now grave, "Do you quite understand what you are asking?"

"Yes, I do," Borusa insisted.

"I don't think you do." the Fourth Doctor said disappointed.

"He's a renegade." the First Doctor said sternly.

"Yes, no better than the Master down there." The Third Doctor said, nodding towards the tied up Master.

"You cannot defeat me, Doctor." Boursa said gesturing to his head. "I wear the coronet of Rassilon."

"Yes, and very fetching it is too." The Fourth Doctor joked.

"I think it clashes with his eyes." The Second Doctor joked.

"It amplifies my will!" Borusa said, he nodded to the Fifth Doctor. "Your successor is already under its spell!" Borusa raised the staff in his hand and focused on the Doctors intently.

They all froze. They couldn't move! They all fought against the mind lock. They all had the same idea and shut their eyes and made telepathic contact with each other.

"Contact" "Contact" "Contact" "Contact!" each Doctor said. Their strength was amplified and they could twist their bodies a little, but it still wasn't enough to overcome Borusa's mind lock. They were close to breaking it, but they just didn't have enough power. It felt like they were trying to move through treacle.

"Join us!" The Second Doctor pleaded to the Fifth.

"Fight it, my boy, fight it!" the First Doctor insisted.

The Fifth Doctors eyes met theirs in turn. The Doctors could sense that telepathically the Fifth Doctor was trying to join in their telepathic contact, but it was a struggle.

"Concentrate, my fellows!" The First Doctor said. "Break down that barrier and free him."

They concentrated, built up a telepathic momentum and forced it towards the Fifth Doctors brain like a bulldozer.

He was moving! The Fifth Doctor was moving, and he slowly walked towards them. He looked at each of them in turn, closed his eyes and muttered "Contact." The five became one.

Together they forced their telepathic potential back at Borusa and nullified the Coronet of Rassilon. Borusa dropped his staff defeated.

"See Borusa," the Fifth Doctor said, "Together we are more than a match for you."

"You will still not succeed!" Borusa insisted. "I am Lord President of Gallifrey, and YOU!" He pointed at them, "Are the only criminals here! We shall see who is believed by Gallifreyan laws."

Oh dear, they all realised. Borusa was right. It was their word against his, and their words didn't carry any weight. He was going to frame them for his crimes and he'd probably get away with it. Stalemate. Or it would have been if a booming voice hadn't echoed throughout the chamber.

"And this, is the Game of Rassilon!"

A mixture of intrigue, fear and respect spread through all five Doctors. They knew who this was. It was... the voice of Rassilon himself. Back from the dead.

Borusa broke away, the Doctor forgotten and approached the Tomb, on which rested the dead and preserved body of Rassilon.

"I am Borusa. Lord President of Gallifrey!" He called, and an image, a hologram appeared above them. A giant head with a large moustache, and a look of a person of finery from an older time, a man 'eternally sad and infinitely wise' to quote the ancient texts. The booming voice said down to him. "Why have you come here?"

"I have come seeking what is promised." Borusa said.

"Ah!" Rassilon smiled "So you seek immortality?!" His face went dark. "Be sure, be very sure. Even now, it is not too late to turn back."

"I am sure!" Borusa said with conviction.

"And what of these, Others?" Rassilon questioned looking down at the five Doctors.

"They are nothing. Just my servants!" Borusa insisted, trying to get the attention back on him.

"Is this true?" Rassilon asked of the Doctors.

"It most certainly is not!" The Third Doctor said.

"Don't listen to him, he's lying!" The Second Doctor accused.

"It's all nonsense" The Fifth Doctor said.

"Utter balderdash!" The Fourth Doctor added.

"NO!" The First Doctor called. "No, do not listen to them, all powerful and wise Rassilon." What was he playing at? The Fourth Doctor thought. But then down the telepathic line he shared his sudden realisation. 'To Lose is to Win, and he who Wins shall Lose.' The Fourth Doctors face dropped in sadness. He knew what this would mean.

"President Borusa deserbs... deserves the immortality he seeks." The First Doctor said.

"Ha" the second Doctor said, clapping his hands together, he understood too. "Yes, I agree. We are not his servants, but he certainly deserves it."

"I shall third that!" The third Doctor said.

The Fourth Doctor sighed sadly. "Oh...Agreed."

"And I make it unanimous!" The Fifth Doctor called.

"Then he shall have his immortality." Rassilon said.

Borusa's face looked concerned as to why all the Doctors were so willing to give him what he wanted. But when he looked back at Rassilon, all doubt seemed to melt away.

"Lord President, take the ring." Rassilon commanded. Borusa reached out and pulled a ring of red crystals from Rassilons index finger. Borusa held it up in triumph.

"You claim immortality." Rassilon said, "and you will not turn back?!"

"Never!" Borusa cried.

"Then, put on the ring." and Borusa did so. The place suddenly felt very cold, and the Doctors could feel a power in the local telepathic field. The smile on Rassilons face was cold and gleeful.

"Many have come to claim my immortality." Rassilon said, "It was given to them. As it shall be given to you."

The statues! The statues of Time Lords that were around the walls of the chamber. Their faces had come to life. Their stone mouths opening. Their eyes looking out in terror. They were moaning and groaning. They wanted release. These were the souls who had claimed immortality before Borusa, and they got it. They were as immortal as stone.

Borusa looked horrified, he looked down at the ring on his finger and tried to pull it off.

A great wind kicked up around him and a force grabbed him and slammed him into the nearest wall, where there was an open space. He looked at his hands as a greyness spread out from his palms. He looked at the Doctor, pleading for his help. But they were powerless to stop it. His eyes, clothes, everything turned to stone. He was forced to stand up straight, cross his arms over his chest, and adopt a neutral expression. His eyes fixed on the Doctors as they too faded to blank stone. Borusa stopped, frozen, forever. As immortal as a stone.

The other statues froze too back in a similar pose to Borusa. The wind and moans stopped and everything was still again.

"And what of you, Others?" Rassilon said, "Do you seek immortality, too?"

The five recoiled in horror. The Fourth and Third Doctor nearly fell over the second Doctor as he cowered away behind them. "No" "NO" "No" they all said, "That's very kind of you, but no." The Third Doctor added. Some of them holding up their hands as if to push the offer away as they retreated from the ring which had reappeared back on Rassilons finger.

"No, all we... all we want is just to be returned to our proper place in Time and Space." The Fifth Doctor said, becoming the spokes person for the group.

"That will be done." Rassilon said. "So shall the one who is bound" he said referring to the Master, "His sins will find punishment in due time." and the Masters body slowly faded out. Presumably dumped back into his own TARDIS. The Fourth Doctor was amused that they had effectively just saved the Master from becoming a decoration in Rassilons Tomb, though it'd probably be better if he had fallen into the trap.

"It is time for you all to depart. Make your farewells and depart back to your places in the Web of Time. You have chosen wisely, Doctor. Farewell." The giant head of Rassilon faded and the Tomb fell silent once again.

"Someone plan on telling me what just happened?" Tegan asked. Their companions were free again.

"Presumably some form of molecular reorganisation. Turning carbon based atoms into silicone based structures." Romana said looking at the Statue that was Borusa.

"The Game of Rassilon was a trap" the Fifth Doctor said.

"Indeed" the Fourth Doctor said trying to steal the show, "'To Lose is to Win, and he who Wins shall Lose.' like it says on the plinth there." The Fourth Doctor pointed grinning madly.

"Quite right," the First Doctor said, stealing the spotlight from the Fourth. "It was all part of Rassilons game to remove potential rivals to his power. He knew immortality was a curse, not a blessing. Hence why Time Lords may only regenerate 12 times."

"There are also the genetic anomalies that come from the body changing more than 12 times." The Third Doctor interjected.

"Yes, yes, yes." the First Doctor waved him away, "The point is, the prize wasn't all that it was cracked up to be." He giggled and looked ecstatic at their victory over the odds.

The Fifth Doctor sighed, somehow catching everyone's attention. "And, now it seems we must part, and just as I was getting to know 'me'."

The Five Doctors gathered around themselves. "So, you're the latest 'model', hmm?" the second said to the Fifth.

"Yes, and the most agreeable." the Fifth Doctor said.

"Well, certainly the most impudent, and tidier than teeth and curls there." the Second looked at the Fourth Doctor.

"Oh, you can talk." The Fourth Doctor said, looking at his scruffy second incarnation up and down.

"Either way." the Third Doctor interjected "Between the two of them, our dress sense doesn't improve much does it?"

"Yes, neither my manners, it seems." the First Doctor giggled.

The companions said their farewells as the Doctors said their own farewells to each other. They addressed both the Fourth and Fifth incarnations together, since they were newer.

"Goodbye, my boys." the First said, shaking their hands gentlemanly. "You both did quite well, quite well." Meaning adequate to him. "It is reassuring to know that my future is in safe hands." He giggled again and moved off. He snapped his fingers to get Susans attention.

"Come along, my dear." and he put his arm around her shoulders. "It's time we were off." Cheerily they both walked away from the group, and as the Doctors watched they both slowly faded away, back to their own time streams. Back into the past.

"Ah well, goodbye." The second Doctor said, shaking the Fourth and Fifth Doctors hands in both of his.

He then turned to his third incarnation and the reception became a little more frosty, but still in a friendly way.

"Well, goodbye fancy pants." They shook hands. "Goodbye, scarecrow." the third Doctor shot back. A moment of mutual respect passed between them and the second Doctor walked towards the Brigadier, who now held the second Doctors woolly coat.

"Come along, Brigadier." The Second Doctor said. But the Brigadier hesitated, looking at the Third, Fourth and Fifth Doctors in turn. "Doctors," he nodded smiling, "Splendid fellows, all of you." and he joined the Second Doctor, walking away, and like the First Doctor and Susan they both faded out back to where they came from.

Now it was the third Doctors turn.

"Well, goodbye, my dear chaps." He said smiling as he shook the Fourth and Fifth Doctors hands each in a very regal manner. "I must say, I've had the time of my lives. Haven't we Sarah Jane?" He asked as Sarah joined him.

"Have we?" she asked "Well, I've only got one life and I think we've had too much already."

Ah, the Fourth Doctor thought. There's that Sarah Jane attitude I've been missing for all these years.

Sarah then shook both the Fourth and Fifth Doctors hands.

"Goodbye," she said, "It was ever so nice to meet you." She added. "Again." As she looked at the Fourth Doctor.

"Why, thank you Sarah Jane" the Third Doctor said, "It was nice meeting you again too."

Sarah looked confused. "What?" She asked. The Third Doctor smiled.

"I'll explain later." Putting his arm around her shoulders they too walked off and slowly faded out like a pair of ghosts.

"Ah, well," the Fourth Doctor said. "I suppose it's my turn to leave the party."

He looked at his fifth self up and down. "I say, a tad ostentatious aren't you?"

"Says the man in the impractical scarf." the Fifth Doctor shot back, and the Fourth Doctor laughed.

"I see regeneration hasn't dulled my wit." He grinned.

"Nor your sense of getting into trouble, it seems." Romana shot at them both, glancing back at Turlough and Tegan, waving goodbye.

"Oh." The Fourth Doctor looked over his Fifth selves shoulder and waved at his future companions. "Goodbye. Look after the old gentleman will you?" He grinned, "He's not 'me' anymore now you know. HAHA!" He turned to Romana and motioned for her to follow. "Come along, Romana."

"Goodbye." she said to the Fifth Doctor. "All the best for the future."

"All my love to long ago." the Fifth Doctor said.

Romana caught up to the Fourth Doctor and as they walked away they too began to fade out.

As they faded away the Fourth Doctor was sure he heard his Fifth self say, "I am definitely not the man I was, thank goodness."

Epilogue

The interior doors of the TARDIS opened and the Doctor and Romana stepped into the console room.

"Master, mistress" said a robotic, tinny voice as a metallic, dog shaped robot rolled up towards them.

"K9!" the Doctor said in greeting as he walked over to the console. But he came to a stop, a look of concern on his face.

"Weren't we just on the river?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes, in a punt. You lost the pole." Romana reminded him.

"I never lost the pole, it got stuck and it jumped from my hands." The Doctor insisted.

"How did we get back to the TARDIS?" Romana asked.

"Oh, don't you remember?" The Doctor said not looking at her. "You must be getting old, your memory is going." Romana gave him a scowl as he pulled on the big red lever that closed the TARDIS interior doors. Though the Doctor admitted to himself that he didn't know what had just happened either.

"Cambridge." The Doctor said looking at the TARDIS controls. "Why were we in Cambridge, I wonder?"

"You were visiting professor Chronotis, Master." K9 said.

"Were we?" he asked "Yes, of course we were, I mean did. Nothing serious. Just a visit. We've gotten nowhere in the last four hours." and the Doctor activated the TARDIS and the Time Rotor began to rise and fall as the TARDIS took off again.

"I'm sure we're forgetting something." Romana said.

"That's just your paranoia about the Black Guardian. You know, I feel we should get our bathing suits on." The Fourth Doctor said, "For some reason I want to go to Brighton."

"But the Black Guardian!" Romana complained.

"Oh, hang the Black Guardian!" the Doctor cut across her. "If it's not the Black Guardian I'm running from it's some other powerful creature, or the Time Lords. Me and the TARDIS have been running for centuries trying to stay one step ahead of everyone and we've always managed it."

"One of these days something will catch up to you." Romana said.

"Never has, never will!" The Doctor activated a few switches on the TARDIS. He grinned his almost trademark, toothy grin. "Running was how it all started, and I don't intend to stop now."

The End

Authors notes: I've altered how Borusa got trapped in stone because though I do like how it was done, I think it would've looked better if we saw Borusa turn to stone and could see the horror on his face.

I realised that in the previous chapter, I completely forgot to mention about the proverb. 'To Lose is to Win and he who Wins shall Lose' luckily I was able to work it in here.

The ending is somewhat based off a few lines K9 said in the Eighth Doctor Big Finish audio adaption of Shada, which dealt with the adventure the Fourth Doctor was plucked from, requiring the adventure to be re-lived later by the Eighth Doctor and Romana. Specifically it was as line where K9 said something about about what happened when they returned to the TARDIS, not remembering anything about what happened and said about going to Briton.

Interestingly, in the special edition of the Five Doctors when the TARDIS lands in the tower it lands with the takeoff sound effect, not the landing sound. Probably as a reference to how they used the takeoff sound as the landing sound in the First and Second Doctors eras before they eventually created the landing noise we all recognise in the Third Doctor era. In this story I've explained it's because the First Doctor interfered with the way the Fifth Doctor programmed the computer and reprogrammed it the way he knew how to fly the TARDIS, as if he knew best.

Thanks for sticking with this story readers. I know it's taken me years to finish, and even longer to get back to it. But I really enjoyed writing it and I intend to get back to finishing some of my other incomplete stories soon.

Cheers, see you in the next one.

-TimeLordParadox