"Ex-ter-mi-nate."
We were running of course. It was damaged now, it's blaster stuck firing at a bad downward angle that meant we had to be right in front of it. The Doctor was surprised by the horsehead on top. I forgot this was the first time he saw this version of the salt shaker looking things. The thing's outer coating was blackened by damage from lightning and fire, and it was full of small dings. Except other than making it look beat up I don't think it did anything. The one good thing is the palace guards kept trying to stop it instead of us.
"Always with the running. How are you Dinky?"
"I'm fine." I giggled. "The running is kinda fun."
"Ex-ter-mi-nate"
"Just not what we're running from."
I then turned the corner and there they were. The doors of Celestia's room. As expected there were about twenty guards in front of the door. They weren't exactly great under pressure, they just didn't have the experience, but the royal guard was very well trained and given time they could organize properly. What I didn't expect was the doors being open and a small path just right for me to lead the doctor right into her room. I figured it wasn't worth it to worry about that sort of thing when it came to Celestia pretty quickly. She may not really know everything, but it sure seemed like it sometimes.
"Wait a moment, are we…" Began the doctor.
"She's right ahead." Said a guard "I suggest you hurry. We can handle this one easy enough."
Once we were on the other side of the door we briefly looked around the room. Celestia was on the balcony. I ran forward, the skidded to a stop and bowed. She didn't turn around so she probably didn't see it. She seemed to be looking off in the distance, most likely at the fleet of flying saucers that were filling the sky. The Doctor didn't bow of course.
"Now I know you don't know me but…"
"Oh come now Doctor, that's just silly."
"He doesn't know you." I added
"Ah, I see. Thank you Dinky."
"Your majesty, I have a plan. A desperate plan, but a plan nonetheless. I think maybe, just maybe it could work but I need you to trust me and listen to everything I have to say."
"I do trust you Doctor, but I will not listen. I know the Daleks Doctor, what they are, and this is far too rare an opportunity for me to pass up."
"Opportunity? You say you know them but you don't understand the Daleks…"
"Are hateful beings that cannot be reasoned with. They are worse than beasts, as they do what they do with a sort of almost joyful malice. They wish to extinguish all other life."
"What, but then how is this an opportunity?"
"They are creatures undeserving of mercy Doctor. Surely you cannot argue this?"
"No. There have been, exceptions, but they weren't really Daleks anymore."
"Yes. The opportunity is that for once. I need not hold back."
"What do you mean by…"
Then the Doctor gasped. I hadn't heard that sound very often, but I couldn't blame him. Celestia's mane was no longer a gently flowing river of hair, but a raging inferno. But I think what impressed him more was the yellow glow on her horn matching that of the countless flying saucers filling the sky. Then with a shimmer and flash they were gone.
"What?"
"I banished them to the sun, just as I did to the fleet that came to attack this planet to chase the refuges from Gallopfree."
"What?"
"The sun is mine. Just as my near forgotten sister…"
"We just talked with her not long ago." I added
She laughed. It sounded a bit hollow. "Of course. Her domain is the moon, and mine is the sun. She was quite fond of sending things there that annoyed her, but obviously I cannot be nearly so flippant."
The Doctor shook his head. "No, that isn't, well, that's interesting but…" He shook it again "What do you mean refuges from, Gallopfree. I still can't believe that's the name. I mean you think we'd be at least a little more sensible, even as ponies."
"Ah, well there are some differences. Your time ladies were not only brave and wise and strong, but at a time great warriors. Here the strange ponies of Gallopfree never were. They tried to stop the creation of the Daleks, but they failed."
"And they lost the time war." Said the Doctor "Not a series of costly horrible battles, just countless losses. Because that's what they're like as ponies."
"Yes, losses of all kinds, but thankfully rarely their lives. In the end only Gallopfree stood between the Daleks and the domination of all. So they gathered for a single decisive strike that would end it once and for all. This was a grave mistake."
"They opened the eye, didn't they?"
Celestia nodded. "Yes, and a gaping void swallowed the greatest threat to life that I have ever known. But more important is what happened before that."
I smiled and hopped in place a little. "I know this part. The mean old Daleks knew time lord technology really well, but time lords are still ponies, or at least close enough. They have magic, even though it had been so long they used it."
"So one instant all the time ladies and lords in existence were huddled together on their planet, the next they were suddenly gone in a way science could not explain, leaving the Daleks baffled. But not for very long."
"They went all sorts of places, but a lot came to Equestira because they knew the ponies here are real nice." I added
"And I made a promise to the Professor long ago the ponies of Gallopfree would always be welcome here."
"They had to leave all their technology behind so the Daleks couldn't follow, so they lost a whole bunch of stuff, but they're alive."
"Yes, they have a certain attitude I dislike, but they seem to enjoy the, rustic nature, of our planet well enough. The Daleks that somehow avoided the trap came here since the Professor's Tardis was just about the only one still in existence."
"Or possibly they followed mine. They came to threaten earth…"
"Terra." Said Celestia. "Gaia I would also accept, no matter how confusing."
"So what you're saying is…"
"Every time lady and lord has the same cutie mark. They wander this world doing their own business. On other worlds they have tried to even rebuild their society, with some success, but here they simply act as normal ponies and few question it or care."
The Doctor sat down on his haunches. "This is…a lot to take in."
"I told you this universe was nicer." I said then smiled
"Hmm, that should be long enough." Said Celestia. "As I said, the Daleks are without a doubt not deserving of mercy. I know them and know this. Yet I still cannot help but try to give them some, even if it might not be true mercy, I still must try."
Then her horn flashed and a random assortment of creatures appeared in the courtyard below, blocked off by various barricades and surrounded by guards. Royal guards now took to the air as well. Most of the new crowd were ponies, a decent amount other ponylike things like goats, sheep, and deer, and there was even a small dragon and at least one griffin. There might have been something really odd in there too.
"Wait, you can't seriously mean you turned the Dalek attack fleet into…"
"That menagerie below us?" Celestia laughed. "I can and did Doctor. None of them will like it at first, but they are not Daleks anymore. One could argue in the end they are really just new beings with memories which can only cause them or others trouble, but I cannot help but feel this is the right thing to do. I know it is the best I can do."
"So just like that, it's over?"
"Yes Doctor, just like that. There are many reasons I relish chances like this. Not just because I can let loose without fear, but also because every time something like this happens I must struggle to remember the last. That is a good feeling."
"Indeed. I think I should just go. I mean I know this is an alternate world but…"
"I understand. By the way, Canterlot does have a rift and I seem to remember that is why you ended up in this period to begin with."
"It was for repairs too." I said "We parked the Tardis right next to the clocktower. In fact the nice time lady that lives there might have even hooked it up to the rift for us."
"Ah, very good then."
The Doctor was just still for moment. He still had a hard time processing the fact that all the time lords were still running about the universe, even if they were stranded for the most part. Eventually some new Tardises would be built, but it would take a long time. They were time machines so obviously I had seen them, but it still meant you had a bunch of ponies upset about it until they either finished theirs or got picked up by somepony. The time lords were scattered pretty fully though, and from what I've seen most of them seem to have come to prefer it that way by the time they can build a Tardis.