‘Next case,’ the adjudicator watched the report scroll upon his screen before looking up to see the man who had been brought in. For the first time in nearly ten years the adjudicator was taken aback. He had seen some odd people in his time, but this particular individual was unlike anyone he had ever seen.
The man was just under two metres in height, his long brown hair was curly, his eyes blazed with an impish, playful quality offset with a hint of intelligence. The mouth had a confident set and together with his eyes it invited a friendlier response. It had been one of those days when the adjudicator felt ill-disposed to everyone, but now he began to relax. Perhaps it was the amusing style of dress that this man had chosen to wear - a long velvet coat, a deep blue cravat at his throat and a pair of comparatively sober trousers which completed the outfit.
‘Your name?’ the adjudicator glanced at the man and found himself adding ‘...please?’ This wasn’t a trial and he was a civilised man anyway.
‘Doctor,’ the man remarked as if it explained everything.
‘Doctor...?’ the adjudicator fished for more information.
‘Just "The Doctor" - names can be such trouble most of the time.’
The adjudicator smiled, in spite of the reply there was nothing snide in it. If anything, this Doctor’s tone had a civility and a respect to it that made the day just slightly more bearable.
‘You’re a doctor, of what, may I enquire?’
‘Practically everything, with a leaning towards science and the unusual.’
If this Doctor was bluffing there were ways to catch him out, but the adjudicator sensed that there was an honesty and a sincerity about the man that begged reciprocal treatment.
‘Well, Doctor, I wonder if I could trouble you to assist with a little matter at one of our Think Tanks?’
A pained expression crossed the Doctor’s face and for a moment the adjudicator felt disappointed. After such a good start it looked as if the man was a fraud after all - which did not bode well for him.
‘You do understand, uh, Doctor, that we have very strict laws about people arriving on our planet. We have spent the past one hundred and eighty years or so building up our colony. If you are a Locust you will be convicted of crimes committed by others such as yourself. In short, Interplanetary law states quite clearly that each colony has a duty to impose the highest penalty should a Locust be intercepted by local law enforcement.’
‘I am willing to help in any way, but, and this may sound like a silly question, what is a Locust?’
There was a genuine innocence in the question which restored the adjudicator’s faith in life, the universe and the Doctor. Quickly he explained about the scavenger tribes that drifted between the stars, comprised of pirates, former colonists who had decided that colonising was too hard, and people who just wanted to make trouble.
The Doctor smiled, ‘I can assure you that I am not a "Locust". If it will go towards reassuring you of this then I will gladly advise on this problem you have at your Think Tank.’
Smiling for the first time that day the adjudicator made a note on the readout, his clerk transferred the verdict to another terminal and printed of a data strip which he then handed to the Doctor.
‘If you take that to the Transfer desk outside they will send someone to take you to the Think Tank and show you what you can do. Should we meet again, Doctor, I trust that it will be under more amicable circumstances.’
‘Thank you,’ said the Doctor and he left the office to make his way to the Transfer desk.
‘Next,’ called the adjudicator, and still disarmed by the Doctor’s politeness and charm he was surprisingly lenient on the next case. Then again, it was only her third burglary charge.
Story © D.S.Carlin 1996
Image of 8th Doctor © Patrick Herron 1998
Back to Main Page
Chapter 3
Chapter 1
DOCTOR WHO Index