ELEVEN

“Well gather round, gather round.” The old man beckoned impatiently as we crowded into a group. “Well at least you’re all a bit more civilized than the last time I was in this particular Universe and on this little blue planet… Dirt isn’t it?”

 “No it’s called the Earth.” The Doctor replied. “And with all due respect who are you?”

 “Our race has been around so long that our name has slipped out of time…In fact many belonging to my race has slipped out of reality itself, there are only a few of us left who actually bother with the affairs of mortals…The name I am using at the moment is…” The old man had a little think and tasted the air with his tongue. “The Mediator yes, very early 21st Century Earth. I like that one.”

 “Though you’re from a different Universe…Your people sound familiar.” The Doctor’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Can we trust you?”

 “Eternals, Black and white Guardians, The Pantheon of Discord, yes you can compare me to those but I’m of a different ilk entirely… And yes Doctor you’re going to have to trust me.”     

 “Alright so he knows who I am and what the artefact is…” The Doctor uttered to me. “So Mediator, what’s with the wizard get up?” The Doctor asked out loud.

 “Oh this is not my true form, I’m a transcendental and omnipresent being, it would blow the human’s minds to see my true being, it would even mess with your head Time Lord…” The mediator smiled slowly, I think the Doctor had met his match. “Wizard…What are you talking about?” The Mediator blustered. “I’m supposed to be God like, I’ve done my research, I  thought it was the best look to get a response from the humans but maybe on reflection the hat was a bit of a mistake..”

 “You know some of us are atheists, we don’t believe in God anymore.” I gaped at my mum, I couldn’t believe my mother was answering back a transcendental and omnipresent being.  

 There was another rumble of fierce thunder, it was growing closer.

 “Let’s not go there…” The Doctor added quickly throwing mum an irritated look. “Mediator what are we up against? And the time key. I don’t like the sound of that…”

 “The creatures or should I say amateurs trying to break through to your Universe are known as the shadow armies, a violent, war faring race called Galanties split up into two opposing factions, each side hoping to possess the time key. Time Lord remember, your Universe had the key to time…Well this time key is equivalent to that only more powerful, whoever owns it will have unlimited power and access to time and space…” The Mediator had another little think and then added.  “Oh and all other Universes.”

 “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!” The Doctor sighed heavily, placing his head in his hands. “I mean why do they make these powerful devices, no good can from it because they always fall into the wrong hands…If my people were here now they would soon put a stop to all this. And as the Galanties are barging their way into our Universe I take it they are in possession of all the other components, except for this last piece.” The Doctor patted the pouch that contained the final component and then asked in desperation. “I mean what’s it doing on Earth in the first place?”

 I glanced over at everybody else they seemed to be keeping up with the conversation. We were all a captive audience in rapt fascination as the revelations unfolded and the Mediator was about to experience the wrath of the last of the Time Lords.

 “Err well…That’s one of the reasons I’m here today because I feel somewhat responsible for the course of events that are unfolding now…” The Mediator glanced sheepishly at the Doctor and I swear he blushed. “You see I put the so called artefact on Earth in the first place.”     

 “You did what!” The Doctor’s voice rang out through the vast museum, filling every corner.

 “You’ve got to understand Time Lord. I thought it would be safe in another Universe, hidden on a primitive planet, I thought nobody would find it here on a planet of savages. I told them to bury it but they go and bury all their treasure with it.”

 We all stared aghast at the Mediator by this point we were all pretty livid, maybe it was something to do with the fact that he placed our lives and that of the entire world in danger. 

 “I know I should have taken your planet’s evolution into account. I also should have returned for the time component and moved it to another Universe but it… But it was such a long time ago and it slipped my mind.”    

 So according to the Mediator that explained the mystery of the Anglo-Saxons and their Staffordshire hoard…The artefact had been sent to Earth and had “somehow/accidentally” fallen into the possession of an Anglo-Saxon army. The Mediator had then appeared as a terrifyingly, God like apparition and told the Anglo-Saxons to bury the artefact as it was cursed, the warriors would have been so afraid that they would have buried the whole of the treasure, which might explain why they never returned for it. 

 “Slipped your mind!” The Doctor repeated indignant. “I hope you realize that a human life has already been lost!”

 “I am aware of that Doctor.” The Mediator gazed darkly into the Doctor’s eyes. “This whole world with its billions of humans are under threat.”

 I stepped beside the Doctor and placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

 “Can’t you help us Mediator. I mean why can’t you take the artefact now?” I look upon it as my role to ask all the blindingly obvious questions.

 “I’m sorry Anna Bailey…” The Mediator hesitated a moment. “I can’t be seen to be involved physically in the affairs of mortals, some of my people would say I shouldn’t be here at all…”

 So basically we were on our own, nothing new there then.

 “Can the artefact be destroyed Mr Mediator?” Kyle asked timidly. The Mediator simply shook his head and smiled kindly at the boy.  

 “So you’re going to stand there and do nothing? You are God after all.” Mum interrupted angrily. “Do nothing…When you brought it here!”

 “Quite right too!” Dad and everyone else shouted even the Doctor had to agree with my mum on this one.

 “You humans dug it up…” The Mediator retorted weakly and then he seemed to become visibly pale and shrink in stature before our eyes.

 “I understand…Your powers are fading.” The Doctor uttered softly, he had suddenly realized as he moved closer to the Mediator. “That’s why you can’t help us, you’re using your power up just being here.”

 “I was afraid you would notice that Doctor, well nothing can last forever and my people are not what they once were.” The Mediator smiled sadly and then gripping the Doctor’s arm. “You’ve got to stop the shadow armies, they cannot be unleashed on the whole of creation, on all Universes. The Galanties have been waiting for this time, for their time to become Gods. Generations have waited for thousands of years for the final time component to be unearthed. Their own planet torn apart for the ownership of the time key and now all they need is this final piece. In their own Universe like a plague of locusts they’ve conquered and stripped other planets of their resources, destroying all opposition in their path. Leave the artefact on Earth and the two factions will fight for possession.”

 “But Earth will still lose even if we send the artefact away they will want their revenge. Am I right Mediator?” The Doctor asked sadly.   

 “Yes, I am sorry but the Earth is a marked planet now. And there is no point in taking the artefact away in your TARDIS as they will just follow you Doctor now they are locked onto the component. They must not be allowed to gain entrance to this planet and you need to find a way to turn the powers they are harvesting from the incomplete time key against them.” The Mediator wavered as he physically recoiled into himself, doubling up in pain he gasped. “Think about what you have got at your disposal Time Lord, if there is anyone left in this Universe then who perfect than the last of the Time Lords to defeat the time key.” By now the Mediator was fading fast, no longer able to stay in our Universe. “I have given you some time and placed a force field around the immediate area, it will keep the shadow armies out for a while and when they finally arrive it will seal them within this temporal shield for as long as possible.”

 “Thank you for your help Mediator.” The Doctor offered graciously.

 “I am sorry for my great error…Courage my friends…” Then in a blaze of devouring light the Mediator was gone, I assumed it was back to his own reality. It was shocking to think that a God-like being could make such a terrible mistake but at least they had the grace to apologize. 

I turned round and could see that Kyle was crying. I knelt down and placed an arm around him.  

 “It’s okay Kyle, he’s gone back to his own world… or Universe.” I frowned, it was difficult to explain.

 But then the true gravity of the situation hit home.

 “We’re trapped in the museum and creatures from another Universe are coming here to kill us!” Jasmine cried out as she threw herself in Paul’s arms. There was another crack of earth shattering thunder.

 “Okay everyone let’s try and look on the bright side!” The Doctor clapped his hands together and smiled nervously.