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“You’re an arse.”
“Yes,” his next self agreed equitably. “And an idiot, too.”
“What?” Susan said—so much like Sandshoes, it made him laugh. Sandshoes had really been one of his most ridiculous regenerations. It looked like he was the un-ridiculous self between two abusurdities.
“You need to go, Susan,” Mr. New Regeneration Cycle said, bringing up the scan results. “You’ve gotten your answers, something like this won’t happen again so your mother is safe, and I have some information on finding Gallifrey from your father’s memories.” He glanced up at Susan from under his eyebrows. “Which was very helpful.”
“Do you think you’ll find them?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“If you do, please tell Aunt Susan that I wish I could have known her.” She sighed. “And Lady Romana, too. I’ll do my best to live up to their names.”
Susan opened the back of her Dimension Jumper and entered the code back to her own time and place. “Doctor?” she asked, looking at his latest self.
“Hmm?”
“How long has it been for you?”
“Over a thousand years,” Mr. New Regeneration Cycle replied.
“Do you remember Mum?”
His latest self paused. “I remember everyone, Susan.”
She nodded. “I’m going to tell Mum that. Just so you know.”
Mr. New Regeneration Cycle frowned and jerked his chin up.
“Susan Tyler-Noble.” Sandshoes had gripped their ersatz daughter’s hand. “Tell your mother—let her know—tell her I”—
Susan smiled. “She knows, Dad.”
Then she blinked out.