Fugitive (comic story)

Fugitive is the second story arc in the Doctor Who Ongoing series.

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. Mr. Finch serves as the prosecuting attorney. The Doctor's defense 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 vaporized 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) in the past to 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. Liberating the Shadow Architect the Doctor deftly clears his name and is rewarded with the return of his property and a warm Ogron hug. Returning to the moment he was taken by the Shadow Proclamation, little knowing that Finch's wasn't the leader of the revolution, the Doctor's Advocate was, and she's placed something aboard the TARDIS that will soon result in the Doctor's demise....

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * Shadow Architect
 * Lucas Finch/Brother Lassar - says that he no longer goes by the name Lassar since assuming permanent human form
 * 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.
 * However, as the final scenes of the second special lead into the final two specials, it is likely set before that, though the Children In Need preview scene from The End of Time, Part One heavily implies that after the final scene of The Waters of Mars, the Doctor intentionally went off to have an unseen numbers of adventures in order to avoid having to meet his "death." However, the events of the series must 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.
 * 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: Journey's End owing to the reference to the "four knocks" prophecy.