For a few, their lives were effectively over. For others, a new life dawned.

It's too good an opportunity, Doctor. I have to go. Don't let's part on bad terms. Please?'

The Doctor stared at his brogues, noticing some Pel roak dust scuffed into the toes of one. He licked his finger and rubbed it away.

'Has this got anything to do with my using you? To get at Reece?'

'No. Yes. Oh, I don't know. I just feel that a break will do me good.' Bernice started pacing around the Federation Representatives' room. Kort, standing by the door, was picking at a scab on his elbow. Apart from him, they were alone. 'Look. I'm not saying goodbye - I'm not throwing in any towels or saying I don't ever want to see you or Ace again. I just want a holiday.'

'Florana is quite nice at this time. Marvellous floating seas and beaches of weaved gold...'

Oh no you don't!' Bernice plopped down in front of him, resting her elbows on his knees. She smiled up. 'You've tried that one before. I want a holiday by myself. Read my lips. Hol-i-day. No Daleks, no mad monks and especially no Time Lords. Just me and my trowel.'

'Where will you go?'

'Phaester Osiris. Savaar's brother, or whatever he calls him, is a professor there. He's leading the expedition to uncover the riddle of the Osirians.'

I did that centuries ago,' said the Doctor sulkily.

Bernice dropped her head into her hands, letting her hair fall on to his knees. Oh G.o.d. Look, I want to discover it. I want to learn something new.

Something I haven't been told tenth-hand or read about in the TARDIS data bank. I want some open air, the smell of diggers, the feel of dirt under my fingernails. . .'

'How gross,' muttered Kort.

'Shut up, Kort.' Bernice and the Doctor said in unison.

The two friends stared back at each and laughed. I understand Rhukk is something of a celebrity' The Doctor beeped her nose. 'Well, according to Keri, I imagine you'll be in good hands.'

I hope so. Anyway, Savaar is coming with me. We discussed it last night.

He feels that he also wants to see something of Rhukk. I understand that they've not been very close in the past.'

'Ah, Martian family life. Complicated business.'

The Doctor got up and rolled his hat up his arm until he could bow his head down and roll it on to that. He held his arms out as if expecting applause.

Bernice just grinned. I'll miss you, you know.'

'We'll miss you. According to Kort's father, Ace is getting itchy feet on Io.'

'Hardly her sort of place. Nothing to blow up.'

Bernice walked over and hugged the Doctor. 'Nip forward three months and pick me up. To you, you'll never notice I'm gone.'

The Doctor walked to the door. I'll tell Savaar you're ready to go. By the time we've reached Io, shown Kort here the inside of the TARDIS and had a few official dinner parties, three months will just fly past. Take care.'

'You too.'

The Doctor pulled Kort out of the room and closed the doors behind him.

He seemed to sag just a little. 'They make it all sound so easy, don't they?

Thanks for the ride - come back and see me soon.'

Kort looked up at him and smiled. 'Never mind. You've got me for company now!' The Doctor stared at him and said rather too insincerely, 'Yes, I rather think I have.'

Atissa stood in front of her statue, flambeaus casting dark shadows around the temple. Tarrol stood facing her, a new burgundy robe draped around his shoulders.

To Atissa he seemed to have grown a few inches.

'So?'

Tarrol turned away from her and ran a hand over Aggedor's image. 'He was beautiful.'

'To some of us, he still is. You are turning your back upon him?'

The king turned and looked at her. 'For years I was in love with you, Atissa.

I always knew that one day I would be king of Peladon. I had long hoped you would be queen at my side. Alas, our paths took different turns and instead of growing together, we grew apart.'

I could never be a queen, Tarrol. Nor could I ever have loved you. We are too dissimilar.' Atissa stepped away from the statue and opened the door to her chamber. Tarrol noted with some surprise it was clean and spartan: the relics and busts that normally cluttered it up were gone. 'What have you come for, Your Majesty?'

Tarrol considered his words carefully, looking at anything but Atissa. 'You betrayed us, Atissa. You betrayed your king. You also betrayed Geban and the whole of Peladon. I suspect you also betrayed Aggedor.' He turned and faced her. 'By the rules and laws that you so frequently cite and use to your own ends, you should be executed. At the very least the most lenient I should be would be to exile you to the plains. Unprotected and unaccompanied.'

And?'

'And I will not. I have lost too many dear friends over the last seventy-two hours. Your mother and Chancellor Geban amongst them. Peladon is going to need you in its future. I will need you.'

'But you will never trust me, Your Majesty. And I would never accept you.

You are still a puppet to the Federation. Everything I did, I did for Aggedor, for my heritage. You would brush that aside for your alien paymasters.' She reached up and slipped her high priestess's robes off and draped them across the bed. She stood dressed in a simple brown robe, the only indication that she was of any kind of rank the brooch she still wore, Aggedor's savage beauty echoing her own. 'You should abide by the ancient laws, Tarrol, and execute me.'

I cannot.'

I know. You are still weak. You always were and always will be: She walked to a ma.s.sive wardrobe and withdrew a huge fur-lined coat that reached to the floor. She tugged away the hairpin that kept her hair up, and brown locks fell below her shoulders. 'No, Tarrol. You will not kill me. Nor will you exile me. I leave of my own free will. The plains, maybe. I may go to the dark side of Peladon, to join with the nomads. Maybe, just maybe I will find a real Aggedor out there.'

And you will raise an army to conquer me?'

Atissa suddenly laughed. Oh, Tarrol, listen to yourself. An army? How could I? Why would I? Frankly, this society isn't worth the bother: She crossed back to the door. 'Farewell, King Tarrol of Peladon. I leave you and my life here far behind. We shall never meet again.'

Tarrol closed his eyes and heard the click of the door behind him. After a few moments he left the room, crossing through the temple and out into the corridor. At the last moment he looked through the small window at the granite Aggedor, bearing down into an empty temple.

Empty.

'How's the arm?' The Doctor patted Neal Corry on the shoulder.

Apparently I can get it rebuilt properly on Pakha. Keri and I are heading back there later today. Our ship ought to be in orbit in about three hours and I can't pilot my own shuttle like this.'

I think I'll retire, yeah,' said Keri, twitching her whiskers as always.

'Besides, I think I've had one too many bombs go off under my snout.

Maybe Aggedor is trying to tell me something, yeah.'

The Federation Representatives' room was a bustle of activity as they all prepared for the restatement vows ceremony. Alpha Centauri was an unusually calm shade of olive as he hurried around, checking that everyone looked dignified and neat for their pre-ceremony audience with Tarrol.

One thing I am going to do when I'm home is catch up on some old friends,' smiled Corry, remembering. especially an old fool with a holocamera.'

Keri nodded - she knew who Corry meant. 'Try starting your search on Azure.'

Corry stared open-mouthed and Keri laughed. 'Hey, we kept in touch, just in case one of you ever saw sense and realized life is too short to worry about one little disagreement.'

'Life certainly is too short, a fact that I realized down by the refinery. Keri, in another life I could marry you!'

'Now that would be a news story.'

Kort wandered over, munching on a ma.s.sive sandwich. 'Great food.'

'Hey, you're not supposed to eat until after the ceremony, yeah!'

'We did quite well, really, didn't we, Keri? A good team?' Kort offered her a bit of unmunched sandwich.

She took a bite out of it. 'When you grow up, kid, come and find us. A good slicer is worth a fortune in our business, yeah.' She took his hand, the smile fading from her face. And Kort? Jina would have been so proud of you. I know I am.'

The Doctor regarded the people in front of him.

Corry, Keri and Kort all smiles despite their injuries.

Savaar and Bernice talking animatedly about going off with Rhukk. Sskeet wasn't there - one of Ra.s.sbur's men had piloted the shuttle back to the Bruk to get him some medical attention. The prognosis, however, was good. Ra.s.sbur himself had already departed with the survivors of his troops. Four of his men had died in the battle. Four more lives directly attributable to the Diadem's rapacious quest for power.

Centauri bobbed over. 'Well, Doctor. It's been quite an adventure, hasn't it?

One day it would be nice if you could visit without Peladon being in trouble.'

The Doctor grinned. If a place isn't in trouble, there's no point in my going.'

Centauri digested this, blinked slowly and bobbed back to the others.

The Time Lord thought of those who weren't at the party. Torg, the giant.

Lianna - beautiful Lianna. Geban, loyal and brave until the end. And Atissa, apparently fled to the outer plains of the planet.

Suddenly the Doctor felt he was being watched. From behind. Then there was a faint sound, like a muted TARDIS materialization noise. He looked down at his feet. There was a brand new but old-fashioned travelling chess set lying there - where it hadn't been seconds before. 'Hmmm. Their "thank you" gifts get more and more bizarre.'

Half an hour later they were escorted to the throne room. Resplendent in burgundy and gold, the drapes had been renewed. Long strands of paper chains ranged from corner to corner and someone had added a couple of balloons to one of Aggedor's tusks on a small statue in the far corner.

A guilty look from Kort told the Doctor who was responsible for that.

Seated on his throne, surrounded by two heavily armed guards, was King Tarrol. As the Doctor led the Federation party forward, he stood and the guards took a step back.

The Doctor stopped; Centauri and Savaar on either side of him, the others a few paces behind.

'May I have the pleasure of addressing the king?' the Doctor said.

'My friends,' began Tarrol. 'My friends, you have done so much over the years to protect the sovereignty of Peladon. More importantly, recent events have cost you far more dearly. High Lord Savaar, I request that you officially pa.s.s on my regrets to the Martian High Commission regarding the deaths of your four warriors.'

Savaar nodded regally.

'However,' Tarrol continued, 'much has happened here that I cannot offer mere words and apologies for. Our beloved Chancellor Geban is no longer with us. His life was sacrificed in a generous and important gesture and as king 1 can only honour him for that.'

Behind the Federation party, Neal Corry nodded. He understood too well what Geban's sacrifice had been and how he was only alive because of the chancellor's selfless actions.

As Tarrol, I no longer have Geban as a friend. We have also lost our high priestess. As king, I regret that. As Tarrol, I acknowledge that Atissa's calling was to a higher power than merely her liege.'

He took a step towards Alpha Centauri. 'For nearly one hundred years, you have been a lifelong friend of the planet Peladon. What I must say now hurts me far more than anyone in this room can imagine. But to you, Centauri, I feel I am doing the greatest hurt. I can only apologize - I pray that you accept my a.s.surances that it is not a personal attack.'

He cleared his throat, went back to his throne and sat.

'Today marks the end of the planet Peladon's involvement with the Galactic Federation. We royally request that within twenty-four hours all Federation representatives and equipment are no longer on the planet. Maybe Atissa was right but went about proving it for the wrong reasons. Peladon has learned from your Federation. For many years we benefited. But recently that has not been the case. Studying your histories, I am aware that empires rise and fall. Colonies come and go. Peladon must go forward to find her own future. I believe that our future is one of self-sufficiency, not as part of a marvellous but distant Federation.'

The Doctor glanced around at the sea of faces behind him. Centauri was blinking a lot. Savaar was stoic, Corry and Keri were puzzled.

But he wasn't.

Life, he decided, is circular - like delivering a baby and coming back to see it die as an old man - and so was his involvement in the affairs of the planet Peladon.

He'd been instrumental in bringing it into the Federation, now he was witness to its learning to stand on its own two feet.

It made sense.

Tarrol was finishing his speech and there was a trace of a quaver in his voice. 'My friends, for that is what you all are, I thank you. I thank you for your efforts, for your understanding. I thank you for keeping this planet living. But the time has come for us to see if we can walk without a Federation crutch.'

For a moment there was silence and then the Doctor took a step forward.

'Your Majesty. As you may know, I have always had a special interest in this planet and its people.'

The king nodded and smiled sadly.

'However,' the Doctor continued, 'I applaud your decision. But I would suggest a slight proviso. Request that the Federation revisits you in fifty years. As a gesture. By then you will know whether or not you can confidently throw away that crutch for good. And if not, please Your Majesty, do not let pride make you reject another crutch. This universe is full of people needing each other but being too foolhardy to ask.'

King Tarrol of Peladon stood. 'Doctor, you counsel wisely, as always. If the Federation Representatives are agreed, then in fifty years our doors will be reopened and our guests welcomed.'

Savaar looked at Centauri. The hexapod bobbed forward. 'Your Majesty is a wise and intelligent king. I know that Peladon will flourish under your rule.

I will return in fifty years and look forward to it greatly.' Centauri cleared his throat. All hail King Tarrol of Peladon. Long may he reign.'

The others took up the call.