The sun was rising slowly, as if reluctant to cast light on the world below.

Pallon looked down at the lifeless body of his enemy, then to the quartz dagger in his hand. With a relieved sigh, he wiped the blade on the corpse's shirt, then replaced it in its sheath.

Now there was only one more who stood in his way.

***

The Doctor was looking a little tired, thought Steven. Perhaps he needed a holiday.

"Now, was it the Third Planet of the Fourth Universe, or the Fourth Planet of the Third Universe..?"

"Can I help you, Doctor?"

"Mmm... what? No, no, Steven, my boy. Everything is shap shippe here... I was just wondering about these controls."

"Where are we going to, this time?"

"Well, it's probably going to be more by luck than by judgement, but... I thought I'd try and show you the planet of Zablos. It's just a matter of..." His voice trailed off, and he returned to staring at the console.

"Well, I've never heard of Zablos, so it'll be nice to see somewhere new."

"Nice? It is nicer than that. A wonder of the Universe, in fact. I think... these are the numbers." He punched in a few buttons, and the central column slowly fell to a halt. He switched the scanner on.

The picture was of a predominantly orange, perhaps golden brown, environment. A desert.

"Wonderful," said Steven, unable to disguise a touch of sarcasm. "At least we won't be needing an umbrella."

The Doctor gave him a quizzical half-frown.

***

"He's dead, Chief."

"I was afraid so." Laslon turned to shout at Catron. "You can administer the Endwords now."

As Catron took out her flamesword, Laslon walked back to the rest of the troop. Rapson put his hand on his shoulder.

"Look, Chief, it doesn't necessarily mean-"

"I know what it means. It's not a secret, is it?" His expression was as severe as Rapson had ever seen it. Although Kamton had hardly been one of Laslon's closest allies, in death he was demeaned, and there would not be justice until his murderer was confronted. "We're going back to the town."

***

The Doctor closed the door of the TARDIS, and turned straight away to dab the sweat from his brow.

Steven, who had changed into a white t-shirt to keep cool, was taking in as much of the scenery as he could discern. Not that there was much to separate one rock formation from another. "So, what does this wonder look like, Doctor?"

"It's an immense citadel, built to commemorate the Great Zablon War. A symbol of great peace."

"Sounds lovely. Who were the Zablons fighting?"

"The Arkons. In some ways, similar to the Zablons, and yet also, the opposite. Hmm, yes. An Arkon ship landed on Zablon territory. The Zablons asked the Arkons to leave. The Arkons refused, killing the Zablon ambassador."

"Now where have I heard that before? People are the same all over the universe."

"Indeed, my boy, indeed. Senseless warmongering. Anyway, they fought for 11 and a half years, until finally, the Arkons surrendered. They made reparations, and the Zablons built the Great Citadel to commemorate, as I say, the Great Zablon War, as they came to call it."

"Well, I hope it isn't far. In this heat, we'll be lucky to make it another mile."

***

Pallon leaned against the rocky outcrop, heart throbbing. He had crossed the line, and everything he did now was for history to judge.

Staring down at Craslon Valley, he wondered how long it would take them to find him. He had followed the Ritual Pages, committing the crime as proscribed. There would be no option for them but to come to him.

He blinked. What was that?

The dust blew past, but there it remained. A blue cabinet. Compared with the rest of the landscape, it stuck out. It hadn't been there before, had it?

He wondered what it meant.

***

"What did you do in the War, Doctor?"

"Mmm? I'm sorry, my boy, I don't follow."

Steven had been grateful for the Doctor taking a pause. It had allowed him to try and seek some shelter from the continual oppression. It was becoming hard to breathe, even with light clothing.

"The way you spoke about the war... I thought you were speaking from first-hand experience."

"Oh, good gracious me, no! Well, not this time. I only learned about this later. I took an... interest in the Wonders, and I wanted to see them for myself."

"But surely you're still having trouble steering the TARDIS? You must need an awful amount of luck to land in the places you want to go!"

"I didn't say I had seen them all! Only that I wanted to! After that terrible business on Kebbel... Kembel... I decided to take a chance. Sometimes the universe works in strange ways." His voice had dropped to almost a whisper.

"Really, Doctor, you make it seem that fate owed you a favour!"

The Doctor said nothing, and Steven saw that his expression wasn't anger or fury - but the coldness of distance. It reminded him eerily of an old commander, and it sent a welcome chill up his spine. "Steven, my boy. The universe is an enormous creation - beyond the scope of my mind, let alone yours. Who knows what may be the truth?"

There seemed no sensible response to that, so Steven just leaned in silence. "Can we move on now?"

***

Laslon sat at his desk, looking into a mirror.

As he watched his boss, Rapson recalled that the mirror had been given to him as a gift, and it was inscribed - 'to remind you of the fools of this world'.

In a sudden rage, Laslon threw the mirror at the window, and it smashed. He got up, and walked out of the room.

"Chief!" He knew it would do no good. He was zoned into his mission, as the Texts demanded. Rapson wrote a message for whoever would come in next, then headed out to try and help his friend.

***

The gradient of the hill had changed so suddenly, that Steven realised he was nearly at the summit without any great effort. Indeed, he was surprised to realise that the Doctor was setting a pace ahead of him. His rest must have renewed his energy.

He saw the old man stop on the path, and turn back to him. He pointed ahead with his cane.

"There it is."

Steven joined him, staring down over the lip of the hill, at a construction so breath-taking that it put every other architect who had ever lived to shame.

The Great Citadel.

***

From his vantage point, Pallon saw two men standing at the edge of the Craslon Valley. He had followed their progress with a weary impatience whilst he waited for his Challenger to arrive.

Where had these men come from? Why were they walking to the Holy Temple? Had they brought the blue cabinet with them? If so, why had they left it behind?

Somehow, he could feel the answers were coming to him from within.

He turned, and began to trace out his route around to the Holy Temple. That would not have been his choice for battle, but if Destiny was at work here, then he had to take the price.

***

"Well, it's definitely a wonder."

The Doctor smiled at Steven's words. The young pilot had learned a great deal, and it was gratifying to see it.

"Seems quiet, though."

"Well, perhaps it's Wednesday." He chuckled, and they strolled down to the front entrance, a huge pearl-white gateway.

"I hope that's not a drawbridge, Doctor... if that thing comes down, we'll never make it out of its path."

"Faith, Steven. You see how it looks on the outside... wait until we get in."

***

Catron had arrived in Laslon's office only ten minutes after he and Rapson had left. She read the latter's note, appointing her as Acting Chief. Being of a slightly leveller head than Laslon, she paused to consider her actions.

There was going to be a Battle in the Craslon Valley. Blood would be shed. A potential cause for disaster, in the worst case scenario.

Putting pen to papyrus, she began to sketch out a plan for containment.

***

Great though the Citadel was, it also seemed to be closed.

"Really, this is most infuriating." The Doctor coughed into a handkerchief, rueing the heat of the dominant sun. "I was sure that we would be allowed to see inside."

"I'll go and see if there's any sign of life around the back. You get your breath back."

Before the Doctor could protest at Steven's mildly patronising concern, the young pilot was gone.

"'Get your breath back' indeed! Hmmph!" Still, it was an offer worth taking up, so the Doctor eyed up a suitable boulder, and dusted it a little with his handkerchief, before sitting down.

After a few minutes' contemplation, he heard the approach of footsteps.

"Ah, there you are, young... man..."

***

Laslon and Rapson had made rather better speed than either of them expected. Perhaps they had Judgement urging their heels.

"He could be anywhere, Chief. If he has water, we could be unbalanced by the time we find him."

Laslon merely gritted his teeth, and pointed to what looked at first like a cut rock formation. As he stared more, Rapson realised the true extent of Pallon's plan. "He wouldn't dare..."

"He would. If I was in his boots, I would, too. Come on."

***

Had Steven found some outlandish clothes, and decided to get dressed up, the Doctor could have excused it.

But the man stood before him also wore a thick moustache, and so, although the resemblance was striking, it had to be a doppelganger.

"Who are you?" the man asked, which also confirmed the theory that this wasn't Steven.

"I am a traveller, come to, er, pay obeisance to the great symbol of the Zablon War."

The man's eyes bulged, and he stepped closer. "You have a profane tongue, old man."

The Doctor met the stare, then stuck his tongue out, peering down at it. Then he put it away. "Looks perfectly normal to me. You, I take it, are an offcast of this War, hmmm?"

That brought half a laugh. "Offcast... your words are quaint, but I believe your meaning is true."

"Indeed. What, may I ask, brings you here? Perhaps you have the keys, I'd like to take a look inside..."

"No one goes in there. Anymore."

The Doctor sighed, wiping his hands again as he stood up. "Ah, I see. Well, it seems I have had a wasted journey." He looked up at the huge face of the Great Citadel. "Certainly deserves to be seen, though."

"It is a black mark on our land. I would have it destroyed."

"That, Sir, would be an act of gross barbarism! Anyway, what are you doing here if you dislike it so much?"

"I am Pallon. I seek Vengeance."

"Do you indeed? Well, well..."

***

"There he is."

"Yes, you were right."

"In disguise, too..."

***

"I shan't detain you any longer. I must be on my way now..."

"Where is your ally?"

"My what? Oh, you mean... well, he's around here somewhere. I think I ought to go and find him..."

Pallon looked at this curious stranger who defiled the lands he held precious. "I think you mean to deceive."

"No, really, I'm quite sure I need to find him..."

He grabbed the Doctor's arm. "Then I will assist you. We will find him together. Then you will leave our planet."

"If you insist..."

***

"Look, there must have been a mistake, I'm just looking for a way in."

"Your callous dismissal does you no credit. I have come to be your Challenger. Rapson here is merely an Observer."

"Good. You've got the wrong man, I'm a traveller... look, I can prove it!"

"I am tired of your lies. You kill a man, you make it clear what you seek - now you evade, and crawl like a coward! Pallon, I am your-"

"What did you say? Did you call me Pallon?"

"It is your name, villain!"

"But it isn't! My name is Steven Taylor! I'm a Pilot, I came here in a spaceship, my friend the Doctor is sat around at the front of this, er, citadel! All the evidence is there!"

Laslon looked at Rapson, doubt in his eyes. "I should shoot you now, killer!"

"Give me one chance, and I can prove I'm not this Pallon - if I'm lying, you can do what you like, but allow me one chance!"

"Come on, then. We're wasting time."

***

Catron stood from a high peak, looking down as the two groups began to walk towards each other.

She turned and gave the signal, then began to move in closer.

***

The Doctor hobbled, trying to sneak as much time as he could for a plan.

"Freeze!"

The sound came from somewhere high up, and the Doctor saw Pallon turn to gauge where the noise had come from. It was small work to step out of the young man's path, holding his cane so that Pallon tripped over it.

By the time he had recovered his wits, he was looking up into Catron's face. "You?"

"You were never the wisest head, were you?"

"Madam, I am grateful to you, but I fear for my friend... he should be around here somewhere."

"Well, come on." She placed the restraints on Pallon's wrists, then signalled for two guards to take him away.

As he passed the Doctor, Pallon shot him a venomous look.

***

"Well, he was here, I swear!"

"As I knew, it was a lie. Your final lie, Pallon."

"Look, I'm not Pallon, I've no idea who any of you are!"

Laslon raised his gun. "I quake to shed blood by this monument, but I do not believe you will accept any other form of justice."

"Wait!"

Steven was tempted to make a run for it, but when he saw that it was another of these gun-happy locals, he decided against it. Better still, she had the Doctor with her. "Doctor! Oh, am I glad to see you!"

"My boy, you look in good health." But it was a guarded smile.

"Catron, what's going on here?"

"Pallon has been apprehended, and is on his way into custody."

"Pallon? You mean he was here?"

"He was. He had taken this old man captive."

Laslon turned to Rapson. "I cannot go on. I nearly killed the wrong man."

"Indeed you cannot. I will take over."

"You, Catron?"

"I have captured a criminal, and upheld the law. I am fit to rule."

"She is right."

"Thank you, Rapson. I will consider your candidacy for Deputy Chief."

"What about this Doctor and- where have they gone?"

She had achieved her dream. But Catron had lost track of her charges.

***

The Doctor and Steven were making haste in their return to the TARDIS. The air was cooler now, but they were not keen to stay around any longer.

"Well, it's quite a wondrous sight, Doctor."

"Yes. But perhaps not worth going to see."

"Any more wonders you want to visit?"

"Not just yet, my boy. I think we could both do with a rest. And I would like a drink."