Sunday

Part 27 – Time to clean house

Last evening, the Inner Council officially returned home. I have written already about some of the activities that Oolon, Solis, and myself have been engaged in during the months since our return.

We were waiting for Victor to begin the meeting before arriving – it was his to call to order, after all. So we were chatting in the SASTAP console room with the exterior phased, able to hear the meeting. I was simply appalled at the way Victor was being treated. Being heckled, called out, and overall disrespected.

We formed New Gallifrey to bring the Timelords together. Those sitting at the Council table are there willingly, in an effort to rebuild our society in this place. But you wouldn’t know it.

Now, I understand that Victor was a divisive choice. However, the three of us thought long and hard about it. Victor is cynical, hard-edged, and often flies in the face of tradition. However, he is also brilliant, loyal, and a bit selfish. As President, preserving the reputation and the very existence of New Gallifrey suddenly becomes a case of self preservation, something Victor is exceedingly good at. He is also very well connected and resourceful.

There is no one in SL whom I trust more to deliver New Gallifrey back to us healthy and intact. And that is exactly what he did. Divisive or not, he was our choice to fill my shoes. Obviously, this decision was not respected. I have the feeling that, without the Sash, half the Council would have taken pot shots at him.

Of course, choosing Victor was also a bit of a test. Was my authority simply based on my age and power? Or am I actually respected in my own right as the President? Rule should not be fear based. The Lord President should be a unifying figure through mutual respect. If my choice for replacement was instantly disrespected, then who is to say any of my other decisions have been met with any honest approval whatsoever? I am happy to say the test worked like a charm. I am now fully aware of whom I can trust, and whom I cannot.

I fear that many of these Timelords are not capable of the emotional maturity necessary to help Timelord society evolve past the mistakes that got us whipped out in normal space.

Oolon seems to have been profoundly affected by his experience in the Last Day. 66,430 times… I can’t say I blame him. He actually proposes a diplomatic meeting with the Daleks. I understand, and agree, that our efforts here need to follow a different path. I am beginning to believe that his hand made brain is in need of regeneration, however, if he thinks Daleks can be reasoned with.

However, there is little harm in trying. While Oolon undertakes efforts of diplomacy, I will be studying the Daleks for evidence to support or deny Solis’ theory on the recent Dalek buildup.

Friday

Part 26 - A Tale of Two Sens

Victor has been doing a fine job as interim Lord President. However, there is strife within the Council. Nothing our touched friend can’t handle, as Sputters and I knew would be the case. However, the inner council was unanimous in our decision to not announce our return. Quite the contrary, we have remained incognito for some months now.

Solis had been hearing rumors of a new Dalek Empire attempting to gain a foothold in SL-space again from a very disturbing source. She actually learned of this while in the Time Lock, so followed the lead straight back here. I have not heard a peep from her since our return, but I fully trust not only in her resourcefulness, but her intelligence gathering ability.

Oolon has been watching the political intrigue with interest, with his House diving head long into not only learning as much as we can about this place, but our fellow Timelords as well. I was positively giddy at some prototype TT Capsule plans that Oolon and Solis snuck out of the Time Lock, and Oolon was good enough to let me retrofit many of those designs onto the ETC upon our return. He has been taking full advantage of his new found toys, and has been eagerly exploring our realm.

Which brings me to my recent dual life. With Victor keeping things well in hand with the Timelords, I have been learning and communicating with the various TT Capsules here. I have been retrofitting each one in turn with what I have designated Mark VII technology. I know some would disapprove of this without the consent of the pilot, but a TARDIS is a living being. While the pilot certainly controls all systems, I have no ethical dilemma with helping the being evolve to the next Mark (or several in many cases here) on their own.

The cross section from Gallifreyan history represented by the Capsules here is remarkable. While the oldest Timelords besides myself and The Jinn (if he is to be believed) are only a couple thousand years old, there are still a handful of Type 30’s, a couple 20’s and even a Type 10 in service here. These date back literally millions of years. I may be that old, but I was inactive for nearly all that time. For one entity to have explored time and space for more time than most civilizations have existed is truly remarkable.

Of course, I can communicate with a TARDIS on a level most Timelords would only dream about. To see the cultures of the universe through their memories when Timelord society was young, involved, and powerful was inspiring. In those days, when a space faring race heard the long, agonizing grind of a Type 10 or Type 20 Capsule, they stood in awe and a little bit of respectful fear. I hope I can help lead my people back to days such as those.