Part 48 – Mad Space

The following is a redacted report by a Celestial Intervention Agent upon returning from an undercover mission to Madman's pocket universe, code named Madspace -

Official Report – Agent ***REDACTED***

re: Undercover incursion into Bifrost pocket universe

Physics -

The pocket universe is quite small, containing only one hypo-spiral galaxy with approximately 5000 star systems. Exactly 510 of these contain inhabited planets. Obviously, these numbers are not by random chance.

What appears to be the requisite singularity at the center of the spiral is, in fact, a “bridge” to SL-Space. For now, this bridge is only one way, as the gravitational forces to approach it are far too intense for any of the technology possessed by races inside the universe to navigate.

As physics in this universe appears identical to that of SL-Space, it is reasonable to assume that it is an alternate to SL-Space, and was engineered artificially and split off from us.

Local government structure and culture -

The ruler-apparent of this universe is, of course, the Great One. A Great Vampire brought from N-Space, he oversees around 500 of the 510 inhabited worlds. More later on the other 10. The worlds ruled by this creature all follow a very simple pattern that we have seen before.

Upon arrival to the pocket universe, I found myself on a small planet orbiting a blue-supergiant called Ansular. The people of Ansular are humanoid (their N or SL-Space planet of origin is unknown). Because of the unstable star Ansular orbits, seasons are brutal, extreme, and often fatal.

To add to the instability, once a year the planet passes within three light minutes of a brown dwarf star that used to be Ansular Major's twin. This dead star still gives off considerable heat and gravitational forces. As the dwarf star passes by the planet each year, the gravitational and heat stresses turn most of the equatorial region into a boiling mass of volcanic eruptions, hurricane force winds, and Earthquakes.

Most of the slave inhabitants of Ansular live close the poles, where the effects of this unique phenomena are more… manageable. At the exact equator and apex of the dwarf star's passage by the planet, is located the Capital Citadel. It is a relatively simplistic ship based on – you guessed it – a Timelord Bowship design, but appears to have been originally constructed in house. The ship hovers some 200 feet above ground level, with simplistic walkways connecting it to the ground. For about 11 months of the planet's 14 month year, the ground is passable for shipping and commerce, albeit extremely harsh and unforgiving conditions.

Inside the Capital, I ingratiated myself with the ruling Vampire (named Dantus) and ***REDACTED***. At first, I acted as his voice to the People, traveling from one village to another to force payment of “gratitude.” Of course, the entire planet is being strip mined by a culture of suppressed slave labor held in the Middle Ages culturally and technologically. All resources – including an annual culling of ten percent of the population for vampire food – are being ripped from the planet.

Once I became a trusted… friend... of Dantus, I began inquiring as to how the planet's resources are shipped offworld. During the annual passage of the dwarf star, various shipping vessels arrive to dock with the Capital ship and move cargo. Of course, they are using the cover of planetary upheaval (an event shrouded in religious ritual to the locals) to hide their arrival and departure from the local populace.

Commerce -

After spending three years as Dantus' ***REDACTED***, I was finally able to secure passage on one of the cargo vessels to oversee the arrival of slave-food offerings to the Great One. We headed to a small system called Turatta. Once we landed on Turatta, the image was of a very different culture. This planet was a thriving technological hub, with what appeared to be a very militaristic feel. Advanced cargo shipping tech, what appeared to be an extremely busy port, but without any culture. All business.

What was most disturbing was who was controlling security and the workforce. While the planet appeared to be typically run by two Vampires, the rest of the workers and security were Racnos. Huge shipping crates full of mined resources were being moved, along with thousands of humanoid slaves. Approximately one out of every ten slaves were sent to a separate building… I discovered later they were meant to head to the Great Vampire as food. The other nine stayed on the planet to become Racnos food.

Having abandoned Dantus' mission, I set out on Turatta to find a group of people I had heard whisperings about from slaves. They called themselves the Chronarchs, and believed them to be the salvation of their suffering. To the backwards and suppressed slaves, they were little more than legend, but I felt confident there was a basis in fact.

History -

Of course, all discussion, writings, and rituals surrounding history are forbidden on all 500 vampire controlled worlds. Upon arriving on Turatta, I was able – after a couple months of delicate searching and talks – to find a vampire named Beo. Beo claimed to be a Chronarch. I spent a great deal of time with Beo from there on out. First, his history of the universe proved to be extremely interesting.

He spoke of the universe being created by a great warrior from nothing. A being from another existence who brought the burden of a great War with him. After analyzing the language evolution of several ancient texts, I came to the conclusion that this being was none other than our own Dalek Drillon.

Beo said that Drillon came here to build a great army. He brought many of his enemies here, but used his great intellect to turn them into beings who would be forced to work for him, or instantly die. Here I presumed that Beo was referring to some sort of genetically imbedded “kill switch.”

The people of Pretium (the name given by the Chronarchs to the entire pocket universe) lived in a virtual paradise at this point in history. They had advanced technology and culture, and the democratic rulers traveled between planets to form a great Congress that served at the pleasure of Lord Drillon.

Nine of the remaining ten planets were set aside as research facilities, with each planet containing one particular race that Drillon was investigating as utilizing for a “final solution” to what could only be the N-Space Time War. Obviously, Racnos and Vampires were two of the races. ***REDACTED***. The other six – if they had yet to be implemented – remain a mystery to me.

Beo then spoke of the arrival of another “like our Creator and great Ruler.” He must have been referring to another Timelord. This being possessed great mental ability, and evidently took control of the Great Vampire being held on one of the research planets. He brought the Vampires and Racnos army down upon the final planet – the Great Capital of Pretium. Drillon was killed, the Great Vampire installed as supreme ruler, and the mystery Timelord was never seen again.

Drillon's research team, the surviving members of the Congress, and Drillon's closest advisers went underground. They continued their research, and set about forming a rebel army to – one day – take on the Great Vampire.

The Chronarchs -

The Chronarchs are basically biological Timelords created by Drillon. Their biological makeup relies much more heavily on Vampire genetic material than Rassilon's Timelord retro-virus, giving them a biology ***REDACTED***. They are capable of nearly infinite regeneration, considerable telepathic abilities, and very advanced healing and strength.

However, their bodies are deficient in several key enzymes, which they are forced to manufacture. Their retro-virus is also contagious, meaning blood-to-blood contact with a Chronarch would result in being “turned” into one of them. After thousands of years of exposure to the “thirst”, as it's called, the Chronarchs are also rather…. harsh.

They appear to have constructed very basic SIDRATS. As of yet, these are not capable of breaching the barriers to SL-Space in any sort of reliable or predictable way. But several attempts have left high-energy ruptures in the Vortex where our two universe's are close.

The goal of the Chronarchs is quite clear. They believe that the Timelord who killed Drillon and basically destroyed Pretium is indicative of the entire race. They mean to take the ***REDACTED*** – after killing the Great Vampire that now inhabits the city – sweep into SL-Space, kill all of us, and take our Eye of Harmony. Then they will breach into N-Space, and finish the job Drillon started.

Supposition -

Now, here's the bit that is perhaps the most… disturbing. Vampires are telepathic, more so than Timelords. At least with each other – they tend to hear each others thoughts at the surface much more randomly than Timelords. Timelords and the Chronarchs have a level of control that typical Vampires do not, but thoughts still tend to “leak.”

Throughout my time in Pretium, I could hear a profound voice. It seems to permeate nearly every consciousness to a certain extent. I am confident that my own abilities have shielded me from its gaze, but its reach is impressive.

At first, I thought it was the Great Vampire itself. But then I realized it could not be. No simple vampire could control the flow of thought coming from a Timelord, nor even a Chronarch (I am a Timelord of moderate ability, and I had little difficulty shielding myself). Clearly, this being is responsible for the “voices” that the Madman hears, controlling which voices his own telepathic centers pick up on from the pocket universe. If this being were a Vampire, the Madman would clearly hear the Chronarchs. Given his recent actions, it would seam he does not.

Which means the controlling voice has to be a Chronarch. And a powerful one. I would assume their leader, whom I have yet to meet. If that is indeed the case – and I realize there is a lot of supposition in my previous statements – then the leader of the Chronarch is also the leader of the Vampires. The same man who killed Drillon, setup the Madman, and brought this universe to its knees is also the one leading the rebellion to save it.

Playing both sides is a dangerous game, and one to which I do not see an end game. Perhaps you have learned something that could shed light on this from the SL-Space side.

At the time I received your recall signal, this is the information I have.