A Captain And A Madman

Chapter Ten: Relativity

"Y'know, 'welcome to the Relativity' would generally suggest one act a bit more welcome-ing."

The Doctor was seated in a cold, uncomfortable metal chair, in front of an equally cold-looking table, in a small room two decks below the bridge. The walls were featureless, smooth white, and though there were no visible cameras or sensors, the Time Lord knew that he was likely being watched. A pair of security guards flanked the only exit, and just across the table, Captain Ducane sat in what looked like a far more comfortable chair, his head tilted slightly.

"Well, you'll have to excuse the accommodations," Ducane replied, frowning slightly as he considered the sonic screwdriver in his hand; security had removed it from the Doctor after a brief search, the device far easier to find given the form-fitting, outdated Starfleet science uniform he still wore. "But considering what we've learned about you, it was decided that we could take no risks."

"Aaaah, read up on me, have you?" the Doctor said, brow lifting and looking just a bit smug. "Interesting tale?"

"Yes, a very, very entertaining 'tale.'" Something about the emphasis on that last word drew a bit of curiosity from the Time Lord, but Ducane didn't seem inclined to elaborate yet.

"How did you lot track me, anyway? Does Picard know about this?"

"Oh, we're over five hundred years from Picard," Ducane replied, "and for what it's worth, he didn't betray you, at least not consciously. A personal log he made, three weeks after your initial encounter, just happened to mention that you'd told him you were going to search another Enterprise... slip of the tongue, really, but that log, along with hundreds of others from the Enterprise crew, became public domain about fifty years after Picard's death. Our analysts happened to link the mention with a very brief, very cryptic report made by Commander Spock of the original Enterprise, mentioning he'd been visited by a John Smith. I don't suppose that's your real name?"

"No," the Doctor replied, waving a hand slightly. "Just a quick little alias to get me around without raising too many questions."

"What is, then?" Ducane leaned forward in his seat, looking far less friendly. "Your name, I mean."

"Well, you can just call me the Doctor."

The captain smiled humorlessly. "No, seriously. I think we can just be honest here, one time traveler to another. We both know you're not the Doctor."

The Doctor's brow furrowed just a little, his own amusement replaced with just a little bit of confusion. "I'm... afraid I don't quite understand. I thought you'd done your research."

"Oh, I have," Ducane replied. "Not just myself. Learning more about the time traveler called only 'The Doctor' was actually a prime goal for the Temporal Agency upon its inception; finding you, learning more about you, your methods, your technology, your impact on our history. Ever since your escape from Picard's Enterprise, Starfleet had a perpetual interest in you, but one that was rather difficult to tend to, given time travel mechanics at the time were quite clumsy and somewhat inaccurate... we didn't have the means to observe or investigate without risking contamination to the timeline. As soon as we did, rest assured, we threw all available resources into it; I personally went on several fact-finding missions, in my younger years."

"Oh, good for you bunch," the Doctor replied, and though his tone was jovial, he was admittedly more than a little curious. "And what did you learn on your book report?"

Ducane climbed to his feet and began to pace the room, quite casually, hands folding behind his back.

"As you know," the captain began, "there are numerous stories of a Doctor across a hundred different worlds... most of these are snippets, little more than myths and legends. But they're there. What's also on file are the historical records you were examining, detailing incidents where some mystery man saves the day... and I'll confess, when our own analysts looked at them, twenty years ago, there were signs of possible involvement from a higher alien intelligence. It was then that our directive was made, a simple mission; to find the Doctor, and bring him in for an open discussion.