SMOKE AND MIRRORS

CHAPTER SEVEN

At hearing River's testimony that he wasn't himself, the Doctor squirmed in his seat, as if he dearly wanted to say something. But his Judoon guard gave a warning snort, and the Doctor subsided. On the benches, Amy and Rory were also shifting about uncomfortably, more confused than ever.

"And if the prisoner is not the Doctor, who is he then?" The counter-advocate asked.

"A cheap designer knock-off!" Came a shout from the back of the room.

"Silence!" The Shadow Architect yelled, again giving her glass gavel such hard raps, it was a wonder it didn't shatter. "The witness may not speak until instructed to do so! We will have order in this courtroom, is that clear? One more word out of turn here, and I'll have everyone involved arrested, the witnesses included."

Amy and Rory couldn't have spoken anyway. They were staring, jaws agape, at the sight which greeted their eyes. It was the Doctor! Two Doctors in one courtroom! How could that be? Amy shook her head in disbelief, and Rory looked dazed.

The Doctor in his cage also looked bewildered. He started shaking his head, as if a buzzing insect was bothering him. The second Doctor came strolling down the aisle, accompanied by a helmeted Judoon. As he passed Amy and Rory, he grinned at them with genuine affection in his eyes. He then stood before the shiny black desk.

"I respectfully apologize for my unasked for outburst, Shadow Architect." The second Doctor said gravely, giving a small bow. "With your permission, I will go over and sit on the witness bench, and silently wait to testify at your convenience."

"Very well, Doctor. We accept your apology. You may be seated." The Shadow Architect told him.

Walking over to the front row benches, the Doctor quietly sat down next to Amy. Without attracting any undue attention from the Shadow Architect or Judoon, he grasped both their hands,. He gave them a reassuring squeeze. The Doctor never once even so much as looked at the prisoner in the cage, but did manage to let slip a sly wink in River's direction.

"Ms. Song," the counter-advocate continued, "May I ask again, if you see the Time Lord known as the Doctor in this courtroom? And if yes, would you point him out for the court?"

"Yes." River said, "I do see him, counter-advocate Zonta. He is sitting on the witness bench, next to the witness known as Amy Pond."

"And, were you aware that there were two identical Doctors before entering this courtroom?"the Counter-advocated questioned.

"Yes." River responded.

"Then, if you please, tell the court the circumstances which lead to this knowledge." the counter-advocate instructed.

"I was sitting in a kerbside cafe in the Ville Souterraine, which is a suburb on the moon colony of Viridian Fromage." River explained, "I had just paid my cheque, and was about to leave, when I thought I overheard someone near me mutter the word, 'Time Lord'..."

"Objection, Shadow Architect!" Advocate Aditsan called out. "Hearsay is admissible in this court."

"Objection is upheld." The woman seated at the desk said, with yet another bang of her gavel.

Rory was sat there, thinking to himself where he'd like to put that gavel. He looked at Amy. She was both holding his hand, and the Doctor's. Her hand felt damp and clammy. She noticed him staring at her, and smiled wanly. Apparently his wife was every bit as confused and distressed as he was. He was brought back to the events unfolding before him, with the counter-advocate's next words.

"Ms. Song, without mentioning anything about overheard conversations, were there any specific actions by anyone, which you personally witnessed, which led up to your belief that prisoner 4360581 is not the Doctor?"

"Yes, While seated in the cafe, something attracted my attention to two pedestrians whom had paused near my table. I saw an intergalactically known Maladorian terrorist , being greeted another person." River calmly explained. "I couldn't see who the other person was, because he or she had their back to me. However, I did clearly see the photograph, which the unknown individual handed to the terrorist. Shortly thereafter, the Maladorian left the cafe. I followed him to a disused rocket fuel depot. Once inside, I tailed him to a storage pit under the depot. There, I saw him take the photo and show it to a third party."

"Do you know who this third party was, Ms. Song?" the advocate inquired.

"Yes." River nodded, "It was the Nestine Consciousness."

"And, would you please tell the court what or whom was displayed in the photograph the Malodorian terrorist showed the Nestine Consciousness?" The counter-advocate asked.

"It was a photograph of the Doctor, in his present regeneration." River answered steadily.

"And, if you will please tell the court," The counter-advocate said, "exactly how it came to pass, that you are so certain that prisoner 4360581 is not the Doctor, but that the man you indicated as being seated next to witness Amy Pond, is?"

"Because the Nestine Consciousness discovered my presence, kidnapped me, and obtained detailed information about the Doctor from my mind, through the use of a Draconan mind probe." River told her. "However, a few weeks after my imprisonment by the Nestine Consciousness, I'd found that the Doctor too, had just been taken, and was also being held prisoner."

"And then what happened, Ms. Song?" the counter-advocated asked quietly.

"After weeks of captivity, we both managed to escape."River paused briefly, and suddenly looked tired. "Unfortunately, by that time, the Nestine's auton Doctor had already been produced and programmed, and it was too late to stop him from hijacking the TARDIS. Due to the auton Doctor's interference, events unfolded which nearly destroyed the entire fabric of time and space. Fortunately, the Doctor somehow managed to imprint enough of his personality on to the fake, that it was unable to complete its task. After we escaped, we set up a trap for the auton Doctor, with the help of the Shadow Proclamation."

"Why do you think the Nestine Consciousness did this?" The counter-advocated questioned River.

"Objection!" the advocate called, "Opinions of witnesses cannot be construed as factual testimony!"

"Opinions of witnesses are allowable, if the question has relevance in regards to possible motives, Shadow Architect." the counter-advocate said.

"Objection annulled." the Shadow architect pronounced, with a bang of her gavel. "You may answer the question, Ms. Song."

"I believe the Nestine Consciousness may be working for someone else." River stated. " The Doctor, the real Doctor, will testify that they have a strong survival instinct, it's illogical that the the Nestine would want to destroy the fabric of time. They'd only be destroying themselves. I believe that there is someone else at work here, using the Nestine for his own purposes. Someone with immense power. Someone completely evil."

"Thank you Ms. Song, that will be all for now." The counter-advocate told her. She turned to the Shadow Architect. "With the court's permission, at this time, I would like to call prisoner 4360581 to give testimony."

The Shadow Architect nodded to the Judoon guarding the cage. It pressed the button of a device it held in its hand. Two beeps sounded, and the cage door swung open. The Doctor in the cage shuffled out. His face wore a blank expression, as the helmetless Judoon escorted him to stand before the Shadow Architect.

"I would also, with your permission Shadow Architect, ask our main witness to please come forward." The counter-advocate said.

The Doctor—the real one, got up from the bench and came down the aisle, to stand before the judge's dais. The prisoner kept his eyes forward, seemingly staring at nothing. The Doctor stood next to the counter-advocate, but was looking at the prisoner. He had genuine sorrow projecting from his eyes and wrinkling his brow. He wanted to tell the prisoner how sorry he was for what was about to happen. But, not being allowed to speak, under penalty of imprisonment, the Doctor held his tongue.

Another Judoon marched forward from the back of the room. Its enormous black helmet bobbed forward, as it bowed to the Shadow Architect. Its gloved hand held out a small black box with several lights flashing on it, to the counter-advocate. She took it silently, and the helmeted Judoon retraced his steps back up the aisle, to where he and another Judoon stood guard by the door.

"I will now present clear and irrefutable evidence that the man on my left is the real Doctor," the counter-advocate told the Shadow Architect, "and that prisoner 4360581 is an impostor, guilty of numerous violations of dozens of conventions, clauses and articles which are contained within the one-hundred and forty-fifth ratification of the Shadow Proclamation Treaty."

"With your permission, I will now take a tissue sample from your arm." the counter-advocate said to the Doctor.

"Permission granted, counter-advocate." The Doctor solemnly nodded his assent.

"Let the records show that this witness has given his permission for the court to run our tests. The tests include direct genetic sampling of both the witnesses' and the prisoner's DNA and RNA, as well as cytogenetic testing of the chromosomes, to determine beyond any reasonable doubt, whom is the the actual Doctor, and whom is the alleged auton." The counter-advocate faced the other Doctor. "At this time, prisoner 4360581 is instructed to remove his jacket and roll up his sleeve. For the court records, I will remind the prisoner that the testing of prisoners for legal purposes is mandatory, and may not be refused except in cases of proven religious taboos."

"The witness will please remove his jacket and roll up his sleeve." the counter-advocate instructed the Doctor.

The Doctor took off his jacket and tossed it to Rory. This caused a raised eyebrow from the Shadow Advocate, but other than glowering at the Doctor, she remained silent. The counter-advocate fiddled with some buttons on the small black box. She then pressed the box against the Doctor's arm.

"Ow!" The Doctor cried out, as the dual needles in the device plunged into his arm. The Shadow Architect banged the desk with her gavel.

"May I ask permission to speak." The Doctor said, wincing as the device was withdrawn from his arm.

"Granted." The Shadow Architect spoke. "What is it the witness wishes to say?"

"Erm—you're not going to arrest me for saying 'ow,' are you?" The Doctor asked. "Because that would be really embarrassing. I mean, I wouldn't want to be in a cell next to some ax murderer or a Slyther, and have him or it ask what I was in for. 'I was arrested for saying 'ow' in court'? That wouldn't make much of an impression, would it?"

"Very well." The Shadow Architect said, frowning. She made it clear by her expression, that she she found the Doctor's request distasteful. "The court acknowledges that your outburst of 'ow,' was not intentional, an therefore it is to be stricken from the record...albeit very reluctantly."

"This device takes approximately ninety centons to give a result." The counter-advocate told the court. "In the meantime, I will now test the prisoner."

The prisoner's jacket was draped over his left shoulder. His Judoon guard had already removed the shackles. The prisoner Doctor had rolled up his right sleeve, and stood woodenly, staring straight ahead, with his bared arm outstretched. As the counter-advocate turned to put the device in his arm, the prisoner Doctor gave a sudden jerk. Without warning he lashed out with his arm, knocking the counter-advocate to the floor. She hit her head on the edge of the raised dais which held the judge's desk, and lay still, apparently unconscious or dead.

The Judoon guard reacted immediately, pulling his gun on the prisoner, but it was too slow. The prisoner Doctor's hand snapped away from the wrist, revealing a built-in gun. It shot the Judoon dead. The other two Judoon who were guarding the door, came charging down the aisle past Amy and Rory.

"Plo toh, moh, fro, kro!" one of them yelled though his helmet speaker, as it pointed its gun at the prisoner.

Rory had had the presence of mind to grab onto Amy and pull her down to the floor with him. The auton Doctor took a hit from a guard's gun. It seemed to have no effect. He shot the two Judoon before they could reach him. He turned and shot down the young advocate, who had leaped up onto the dais which held the judge's desk, trying to protect the Shadow Architect. In the meantime, most of the spectators were crying out in fear, and running for the exit, preventing other Judoon from entering the courtroom.

"Rory!" The Doctor shouted, "My jacket! Throw it here!"

The auton Doctor was just turning to shoot down the Shadow Architect, when the Doctor caught the jacket Rory tossed to him. The Doctor reached into his jacket pocket to pull out his sonic screwdriver. Getting in close, he aimed the sonic device about thirty centimeters from the auton's hand. Pressing down on it, it lit up and gave off its familiar buzzing sound. The auton's hand exploded in a shower of sparks.

Before the Doctor could move away out of reach, the auton Doctor turned, and reached into the pocket of its own jacket. He pulled out the Elvis scarf which Rory had given him, dropping the jacket on the floor. He slipped behind the Doctor, wrapped the Elvis scarf around the Doctor's neck like a garrote, and began to choke him.

The Doctor's eyes began to glaze over, as he had the life slowly choked out of him. Vaguely, he heard Amy call out his name. The Doctor was powerless to stop the His vision began to go dim, he heard a roaring in his ears. Suddenly, the auton let go. The Doctor fell to his knees, gasping for breath. He looked up, only to see the copy of himself, melting away into a puddle on the floor.

"Anti-plastic." River said, standing over the Doctor with a smug smile on her face. She held up an empty vial. "Never leave home without some."

As the auton slowly "died," the Doctor knelt beside it. It looked at the Doctor with a confused expression on its face."

"But...but...I'm you." it whispered.

"You're not. You're living plastic, a creation of the Nestine Consciousness." The Doctor said sympathetically. "And, I'm sorry this had to happen. But I need to know. Who is behind all of this?" Sensing death was near, he spoke more urgently, "Please, it's important, tell me, who paid to have you impersonate me? Who wants to destroy time that badly? Tell me!"

"I'm...not...sure...I think...it was the...tr...the tr..." Then, the auton closed its eyes and completely melted into a pool of goo on the floor.

Hours later, the Doctor, River Song, Amy and Rory were all reunited inside the TARDIS. River was helping the Doctor pilot the ship. Amy and Rory stood nearby, watching.

"Doctor, just how long was that fake Doctor with us in the TARDIS?" Amy asked.

"Too long, Amy." Was all the Doctor would say. He and River shared a meaningful glance."

"Who do you think was behind it? Shouldn't we be looking for him...or it? Amy questioned him. "I think I heard that...thing, start to say a name."

"It's hard to say." The Doctor shrugged. "Whatever he was telling me began with a TR. Could mean anything; Trion's, Triads, Tractators, Trickster, Tritovore...Donald Trump...never trust a rich man with a bad hairpiece."

"But it's all over now, all's well that end's well, ey?" Rory stated cheerfully.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." River told him mysteriously.

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