An Old Friend

The timelord didn’t even bother to change out of her witch’s robes. She had gotten quite used to them and besides, she felt it would further her case better if she were to be seen as having blended in with the ‘natives’. Mika entered the TARDIS and hit the automatic ‘Home’ button on the console. It had been preprogrammed with the coordinates for Gallifrey. The central rotor began to rise and fall as the familiar wheezing, grinding sound signified the dematerialisation of the time capsule.

It rematerialised in the Panopticon, right outside of the Council chambers. By hitting the automatic recall button, security in the citadel had been alerted to Mika’s arrival. The signal sent informed them of when, where and who would be materialising only moments later. Thus it was that Mika had a welcoming party when she arrived: the usual compliment of armed security and the unexpected, but old familiar face of Cardinal Runcible.

Upon seeing him, Mika rushed forward and embraced him heartily, yet carefully for he was a very old man. Runcible had been the timelord who had ‘rescued’ Mika from her home planet and brought her to Gallifrey to be trained as a timelord. She owed this man her life and he was the closest thing she had ever had to a father, or even family.

“My dearest Mika,” he said, his voice rough and gravelly with age. “What an unexpected pleasure!” he hugged her back and placed a fatherly kiss upon her fair forehead.

“Oh, Runcie, how wonderful it is to see you! You get younger every time I see you,” she teased. He was in fact getting towards the end of his 12th regeneration and his life. She moved to his side and took his arm to support him as they walked slowly down the long corridor towards the Council chamber doors.

“Oh, stop it,” he laughed which soon turned into a coughing fit. Mika held onto him until it passed, then they resumed their stroll. “I am sorry. Comes with being an ancient fossil. Now, to what do we owe this distinct pleasure? You’re not in trouble again are you?” He knew his charge so very well.

“Well,” she began. Then she noticed that Runcible was breathing heavily. She looked around for a nearby bench and helped him to sit down.

“I am sorry my dear, I am not as young as I used to be,” he wheezed, grateful for the rest.

“It is quite all right, you just take it easy.” Mika smiled and took the old man’s hand in hers.

Runcible noticed the ring right away. He may be very old but he was still in full charge of all his faculties.

“My dear, is this why you have come to see us? Are you married again?” he grinned, his wrinkled face shining with a boyish glee.

Mika blushed. “You never miss a thing do you, Runcie?” she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. “Actually, we’re not married yet. But soon. Within the week if all goes well.”

The old man’s eyes glimmered as he looked upon his adopted daughter’s joyous face. It was plain to see that she was very much in love and very very happy. “So who is this lucky fellow?” he asked. “A human, no doubt.”

“Ah, how well you know me,” Mika laughed. “Yes, he is a human, but no ordinary human. He is a wizard, yes, and a werewolf.”

Runcible shook his head. “You do find some strange fellows, my dear,” he chuckled. “But of course I wish you all the best. So, you are here to ask the Council’s blessing?” he guessed.

“Well, sort of. Actually, I want to settle down, at least for a little while. I want to know what it’s like to be ‘normal’ for a change.” Mika sighed. Runcible could hear the weariness in her voice. He knew exactly how she felt. Of course she could have ‘retired’ like he had and live on Gallifrey, but she wasn’t from there so she really wouldn’t feel at home.

“Normal being a relative term, then, considering you are marrying a magical werewolf,” he winked.

Mika laughed. “Oh, Runcie, I feel at home there. For the first time in my life I feel like I belong. Is it so wrong to want a little bit of a life for myself… and some happiness for Remus?”

“No, of course not, my dear.” The old man put his arm around her and hugged her tightly. “It is your life after all. If it was up to me I’d let you go for as long as you liked.”

Just then the Council doors opened and in the usual grand formal timelord way, a guard announced that they were ready to receive Time Lady Mikanostinocolai.

Mika rose and gave her old friend’s hand a squeeze. “Wish me luck.”