Fugitive (comic story)

Fugitive was the second part of the story arc which began in Doctor Who (2009) #1. As later confirmed in Tesseract, it was set late in the life of the Tenth Doctor, some time between Planet of the Dead and The End of Time. It saw the Doctor placed yet again on trial, this time for the events of of Silver Scream. In its closing pages, it introduced the guests of Scream as the Doctor's new companions, ostensibly the last multi-story companions the Tenth Doctor had prior to his regeneration in The End of Time. It was also noteworthy for introducing a relationship between the Ogrons and the Judoon, as well as a budding alliance between the Ogrons, Draconians and Sontarans. Its themes echoed those of The Waters of Mars, particularly the question of how much power the Doctor, as the last of the Time Lords, had to interfere with history and change fixed points in time.

Summary
The Doctor is put on trial by the Shadow Proclamation for saving Emily Winter's life in the 1920s and thus breaking the precepts handed down to them by the Time Lords by interfering with a fixed point in time. Furthermore, the universe is riddled with people who would be dead if not for the Doctor's interference. The proceedings are joined by a man the Doctor recognises as Mr. Finch, who appears to serve as the prosecuting attorney. The Doctor's defence counsel is a blue woman who goes only by the name "the Advocate".

An attempt is made on the Doctor's life by a shapeshifting Gizou assassin during recess, but the assassin is vaporised by a Judoon guard. The Advocate unsuccessfully tries to get the Doctor to flee the proceedings. He is found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment on Volag-Noc. Mr. Finch tells the Judoon that the prison transport is to have a fatal accident before landing. The transport also carries a Draconian, a Sontaran, and an Ogron. After the Doctor introduces himself, the Ogron attacks him. Eventually, the cell mates calm the Ogron, who is overly emotional and has 'issues' with the Doctor over his past defeats of the Ogron people. Each of the aliens in the cell take the Doctor to task over his actions (a common thread in recent stories, including DW: Journey's End) towards their races. The Doctor unites them in an escape attempt, telling them that the Judoon are on orders to kill him, and thus obviously the others as well. The aliens are diplomats who are attempting to smooth tensions in the local region (which is why the Shadow Proclamation is involved).

Seizing control of the transport, the fugitives crashland, pursued by more Judoon loyal to Mr. Finch. Through a combination of the Doctor's cunning and the martial skills of the others, they capture a Judoon transport and escape the planet. The Doctor outlines a plan to defeat Finch, but it requires the trust of the other fugitives. Having come to trust him, they give it just as Finch gains control of the Shadow Proclamation vessels and takes the Shadow Architect hostage.

The Doctor contacts Finch and taunts him, saying he's already won.

Finch mocks the Doctor's bravado and plays his hand, showing the Architect as his prisoner, ordering the Judoon and Krillitane loyal to him to destroy the Doctor. At this point the Doctor plays his hand, revealing that the fugitives have contacted their respective fleets. The Ogrons are itching for a fight, the Sontarans ready for War and the Draconians deeply annoyed at being manipulated.

A brutal battle occurs, with the fleets quickly overpowering Finch's traitor Judoon. The Doctor, having realised that "Finch" is actually another Gizou impostor, incapacitates the shapeshifter with his sonic screwdriver and liberates the Shadow Architect.

Having saved the peace talks and cleared his name, the Doctor is rewarded with the return of his property and a warm Ogron hug. The Doctor is returned to the moment he was taken by the Shadow Proclamation, little knowing that "Finch" wasn't the leader of the revolution. The Doctor's Advocate was, and she reveals to "Finch" in his prison cell that she's placed something aboard the TARDIS that will soon result in the Doctor's demise....

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * Shadow Architect
 * Lau'Tan a shapeshifting Gizou posing as the Krillitane Lassar
 * The Advocate - a female solicitor who volunteers to defend the Doctor and tries to help him escape. Much like the Doctor, she intentionally is known only by her title.
 * Brarshak, an Ogron
 * Kraden, a Draconian
 * Stomm, a Sontaran
 * Matthew Finnegan
 * Emily Winter

Continuity

 * In an interview, Tony Lee confirmed that the ongoing series featuring the Tenth Doctor occurs right before the final specials. DW: The End of Time, Part One establishes that an interval of indeterminate length occurs between that story and The Waters of Mars in which the Doctor professes to have had many adventures.
 * The events of the series take place before The Darksmith Legacy as the Doctor implies this is his first encounter with the Shadow Proclamation since DW: Journey's End leaving no gap for TDL: The Pictures of Emptiness.
 * This marks the first time a character from the Big Finish Productions audio dramas, Charley Pollard, has been referenced in a comic book. In the audios, Charley travelled with both the Sixth and Eighth Doctors.
 * Finch previously faced off against the Doctor in DW: School Reunion.
 * The events of DW: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End are referenced.
 * The Gizou were introduced in IDW: Agent Provocateur.
 * A member of the Scholars of the University of Rago Rago 56 Rago is seen in the Shadow Proclamation, last seen in DW: The End of the World.
 * The Third Doctor is referenced, and it's indicated that the defeat of the Daleks and the Ogrons in DW: Day of the Daleks led to the Ogron race being disgraced and supplanted as the galaxy's main enforcers-for-hire by the Judoon. A planet-wide recession on the Ogron homeworld resulted.
 * The Time War is referenced.
 * The Doctor carries a sheet of "suggestibility paper" which appears to be a variant of psychic paper.
 * The Doctor says he is the head of the Stockbridge Chess Society.
 * The Shadow Architect refers to someone knocking four times.
 * Matthew Finnegan and Emily Winter, introduced in Silver Scream, return at the end and accept the Doctor's offer to travel with him in the TARDIS.

Timeline

 * Fugitive occurs immediately after: IDW: Silver Scream, and at some point after the events of DW: Planet of the Dead owing to the reference to the "four knocks" prophecy. Later events in Tesseract further confirm the post-Dead placement, but its positioning with respect to The Waters of Mars is less clear.

Omnibus reprint
Fugitive, along with Silver Scream, was reprinted in Doctor Who Volume 1: Fugitive, a graphic novel-style omnibus from IDW Publishing issued in March 2010.