"What are you doing here?!" the Barrister demanded.
The Doctor merely smiled, unfazed by the thousands of armed guards surrounding. "And a very good afternoon to you, Barrister," the Doctor said politely. "Have we met before, or did I warrant all of this merely by reputation?"
"What is your business here?!" the Crown prosecutor demanded. "We will not ask you again!"
"Oh, look at you," the Doctor said, not flinching. "You make a much better Prosecutor than you did a ship's captain... If that was you. It could have been you. You've got the same pompous air of superiority that... Well, let's be honest, only I can carry off..."
A pony in a gray uniform marched through the guards and approached the conversation. "What's going on?!" he demanded. "Who are these Ephemerals?"
"This is the Doctor," the Barrister growled. "This is the man who cost us the Enlightenment."
"Cost you nothing," the Doctor laughed. "It went to the person who needed it most. A dear friend of mine by the name of Visitor Thurlough. More shenanigans from the Guardians, I'm afraid..."
"Ultimate wisdom." the Crown prosecutor spat. "Wasted on an Ephemeral."
"Oh let's not focus on the plans I've thwarted in the past," the Doctor said, dismissively waving his hoof. "Let's talk about the plans I will thwart in the future. Namely letting all of these people go and blowing this place to smithereens."
"I will not allow such a thing!" the Crown Prosecutor protested. "Guards, escort him back to his TARDIS."
"You could do that," the Doctor said, unflinching. "On the other hand, if you did, you would have to deal with the Enlighteners... Wel, at least one of them."
The two attorney's paused.
"Oh, didn't I say?" said the Doctor, making eye contact with the Barrister. "I'm still on very good terms with the White Guardian! As a matter of fact i just did a rather time consuming favor for him. It cost me a regeneration, I'm afraid. But he promised he would make it up to me in any way he can."
The Attorney's were stunned.
"Now," the Doctor turned to the Warden. "Warden? I would like to assess some information about this facility. This is a prison ship, yes?"
"Y-yes," the Eternal stumbled, obviously intimidated. "Yes... It's simply called The Hold... It is used only for the most dangerous criminals in the multiverse."
"So what of these people?" the Doctor asked. "What did they do to deserve this punishment?"
The Crown Prosecutor scoffed. "The Prisoner is not sentenced to death!" he said. "And even if he was we are not so carry out the sentence in such a brutal manner!"
"'So cruel a..." Vinyl sputtered unable to control herself. "You've trapped these people in a world of never ending nightmares! Killing them would be less cruel than this!!"
"Doctor," the Barrister looked worried. "Your... pet appears to be agitated."
"Oh, wow," Vinyl marched up to the Eternals. "Call me a pet, again. Do it, I dare you, Call me a pet one more time, Dipstick!!" Vinyl looked as if she was going to try to end an everlasting life.
"Now, now, Vinyl. Keep calm," the Doctor smiled. "He simply doesn't understand. Not that that excuses any of this. You said that prisoners are not sentenced to death. That's not what I asked. I asked why these people are interred here."
"The prisoner is not sentenced to death," the Barrister said, obviously confused.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. He understood a little better now. "I see," he frowned. "Barrister, whom do you represent?"
"I have taken up the case of prisoner R67-8." the Barrister said pompously. "Interred here for crimes against reality. All on the back of trumped up evidence and an unreliable witness."
"Witness?" the Doctor asked. "Who was the witness?"
The Barrister merely sneered.
The Doctor shook his head. "Right then, if you're just going to sit there and be obstinate, I'm done talking with you." The Doctor began to briskly walk past the guards.
"Where are you going?!" the Barrister protested. "You are not going anywhere near my client!"
"I suspect I've been near your client already," the Doctor sighed. "No, I was going to explore this prison and find out the exact nature of it. I have my suspicions, and if I'm right about any of them, I shall be very cross... And I have a feeling I am correct bout a great deal.
"Forgive me, Doctor," the Warden protested. "It's more than my job's worth to let you wander the facility without a pass. I beg you, for the sake of sparing my sanity, meet with His Honor."
"The Judge?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Alright... I suppose I could. A quick question beforehand, however. Why is he here?"
"I'm sorry?" the Warden asked.
"This is a prison ship, yes?" The Doctor asked. "You aren't required to have a Justice on board, are you?"
"The Prisoner's case is up for appeal," the Crown Prosecutor sneered. "A flaw in the system i you ask me..."
"And that's another thing!" the Doctor protested. "Who are you working for?! What system?! What government do you represent? What laws, for which people, did the Prisoner break?!"
"What laws?" the Barrister asked. "Which people? Doctor, in this confused cascading, churning reality, only one thing is constant and reliable. Us. In this chaos we call existence, we are the authority. We try, we sentence, and if necessary we execute.
"There are no 'laws,' Doctor. We are the Law."
The Doctor stared blankly at the barrister. "Right then," he said. A little quieter than usual. "Several words come to mind... Tinpot... That's a good one... Also delusions of grandeur... That's more of a phrase than a word... The word 'Dread' is also appearing in my head for some reason, but it's spelled wrong... Anyway, I think I'd best see the Judge so that I may exit this little Mad-Hatter's Tea Party. Vinyl, Ms. Runner. You come with me. Octavia, you know what to do. And the minute you do get him back to the TARDIS.
"I have a feeling I will join you shortly."