Well, returning to New Gallifrey has certainly taught me some valuable lessons. Oolon, Terry, Darkling, everyone was certainly relieved that I managed to regenerate, but also very questioning. Of course, I met with Solis before anyone else. I mind linked and shared with her what information I have. I have existed in one form or another for the entirety of the Timelord civilization. And just now I am beginning to understand why previous Presidents acted the way they did.
I don’t really have answers. I know I regenerated. I know the SASTAP pulled me back from the anti-matter universe with the last of its energy before rebuilding itself and me together.
I don’t know how. I don’t know why I regenerated into a male body. Typical Timelord nano-viruses preserve the vast majority of DNA structure, never switching genders or basic species. Obviously, while I am an organic Timelord, the SASTAP systems must still retain some measure of control of some my organic systems. I presume that the emergency program written by Rassilon that gave me this organic body in the first place must be governing my regenerations. To what end, I have NO idea.
Now that the SASTAP systems are restored, I see that this process took some 286 years to complete. Obviously, the SASTAP was very near death, as was I. Apparently, with little effort, we breached the transduction barriers just put in place and returned to Gallifrey only a few days after leaving.
All that time gave me much opportunity to contemplate. I have ideas for the future of this new Timelord society, this New Gallifrey. I am not convinced that my colleagues will agree with me. Solis I know will be with me. Oolon and I share the same vision, but his path to that end is much more idealistic than mine. The others… only time will tell.
It is definitely time for me to start acting like a President of the High Council. I just hope this Council is ready for that.
Wednesday
Sunday
Part 19 - Back from the brink
I awoke to… nothingness. No space, no time, no body, no mind. The last thing I remembered was the Transduction Barriers spinning up as they received the unfathomable influx of energy from the singularity and then… nothing.
I have no idea how long I existed there. Could have been hours, or centuries. There was no time. But then I received a call with a familiar voice… my own.
First, how I got here.
Collapsing a star was child’s play, as Omega surmised. Holding it inside my interior without a Transduction ship was a different matter. The trip back took nearly nine hours in my timeline. I could feel the agony as my interior dimensions were ripped apart by the forces, the console room barely left in one piece as I materialized in the Panopticon. A burnt and scared console, collapsing roundels, and dimensions shuddering under the strain.
I knew the SASTAP portion of me was dying. I had only a few minutes of concentration to install the Eye before the dying systems took my own consciousness with them. I succeeded, or so I heard Oolon shout as the universe dissolved around me.
Back to the void: after some time, I heard the SASTAP calling to me… pulling me back as the universe of Anti-Matter pulled even harder to suck me in.
For a time, all I could feel was the SASTAP’s computer system. I honestly have no idea if only my consciousness or my organic body was pulled back. I do know that I recognized this feeling. Regeneration. Different this time though – slow, labored. Like a rebuilding instead of a rebirth.
And then I woke up. Inside a rebuilt and changed SASTAP. Organic again, in a new and very different body. I know I will have some catching up to do. Seems even as a Timelord, I’m pretty hard to kill.
I have no idea how long I existed there. Could have been hours, or centuries. There was no time. But then I received a call with a familiar voice… my own.
First, how I got here.
Collapsing a star was child’s play, as Omega surmised. Holding it inside my interior without a Transduction ship was a different matter. The trip back took nearly nine hours in my timeline. I could feel the agony as my interior dimensions were ripped apart by the forces, the console room barely left in one piece as I materialized in the Panopticon. A burnt and scared console, collapsing roundels, and dimensions shuddering under the strain.
I knew the SASTAP portion of me was dying. I had only a few minutes of concentration to install the Eye before the dying systems took my own consciousness with them. I succeeded, or so I heard Oolon shout as the universe dissolved around me.
Back to the void: after some time, I heard the SASTAP calling to me… pulling me back as the universe of Anti-Matter pulled even harder to suck me in.
For a time, all I could feel was the SASTAP’s computer system. I honestly have no idea if only my consciousness or my organic body was pulled back. I do know that I recognized this feeling. Regeneration. Different this time though – slow, labored. Like a rebuilding instead of a rebirth.
And then I woke up. Inside a rebuilt and changed SASTAP. Organic again, in a new and very different body. I know I will have some catching up to do. Seems even as a Timelord, I’m pretty hard to kill.
Tuesday
Part 18 – Relics
I’ve learned not to ask questions of the Pydronians. Somehow, Angelica has located the Sash of Rassilon. This profoundly powerful personal forcefield should offer adequate protection for my short journey from the SASTAP interior to the center of the Transduction housing under the Panopticon when placing the Eye.
There is one issue, however. The Sash’s forcefield will interfere with the Barriers. So, while the Eye is still contained within the Sash’s range, I must disable the Sash and Oolon must enable the Transduction Barriers at nearly the same instant. If he is early, the two conflict and we lose the planet.
Oolon is fast, and fiercely intelligent. But even a nano-second gap will most certainly rip my body apart. I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out a solution. Then I realized… there isn’t one.
And Rassilon knew it. He didn’t tell Omega. Omega believed the Sash would protect him, and it did. But what he did not know is that it had to be turned off for a split second before the Barriers could come up. He was doomed from the start. And so am I.
I can only hope that this organic body still isn’t completely disconnected from the SASTAP system. Could Rassilon really have foreseen this scenario and written protocols for the ship to save me? I suppose we will find out in four days.
There is one issue, however. The Sash’s forcefield will interfere with the Barriers. So, while the Eye is still contained within the Sash’s range, I must disable the Sash and Oolon must enable the Transduction Barriers at nearly the same instant. If he is early, the two conflict and we lose the planet.
Oolon is fast, and fiercely intelligent. But even a nano-second gap will most certainly rip my body apart. I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out a solution. Then I realized… there isn’t one.
And Rassilon knew it. He didn’t tell Omega. Omega believed the Sash would protect him, and it did. But what he did not know is that it had to be turned off for a split second before the Barriers could come up. He was doomed from the start. And so am I.
I can only hope that this organic body still isn’t completely disconnected from the SASTAP system. Could Rassilon really have foreseen this scenario and written protocols for the ship to save me? I suppose we will find out in four days.
Monday
Part 17 - An outing
I know my Chancellor would take one of my regenerations for this, but I decided to pay a visit to the Dalek’s new base, which we now know the location of, thanks to intel from Victor1st and Angelica. What I found is both disturbing and relieving.
First of all, the base is quite well developed. Typical Dalek geography. They have a moderate ground base, underground bunker, hover-city, and ship in orbit. It looks like a classic Dalek major planet based command center. A casing manufacturing facility, mutant hatchery, etc.
It’s what I did not find that concerned me most. Not a single Dalek. Sure, thousands of mutants in tanks, and even more casings. All were dormant, and not assembled. I did not find a single Dalek, not even *one* patrolling the Emperor’s chamber. The Emperor was complete, but seemed to be dormant.
All this tells me is that we obviously don’t know where all the Dalek’s are located. Either they have another base, or they were off world in a ship we can’t detect. Their army is not complete. But something else apparently is.
Here are the pieces as they stand.
Oolon and myself were attacked. Onboard the ETC was a Sidhe capable of telepathic projection and a Timelord who is a brilliant biological engineer.
I, the child of Rassilon and the most advanced form of travel ever created, was attacked with a telekinetic specialist Timelord and a mind-reader Timelord.
We ended up here first, and soon pieces of Timelord technology and Timelords managed to get ejected from the death throes of the Time War to this place. Probably by the Doctor and the Rani, who knew in advance that something *very* bad was going to happen. The fact that the Daleks ended up here too only reinforces my theory that someone is manipulating us all.
The Doctor sniffed them out, but was too late to stop them. The Rani was scared enough to work with him and save us. Whatever technology they used to save the remnants of our race also brought Daleks. I would bet my robes that the Daleks missing from their new home world were testing a TTC capsule.
There is also the matter of the political influence exerted against Artificial Isle in order to obtain Timelord technology. That could simply be another Timelord who arrived and starting meddling, but I don’t believe in coincidences. I am willing to bet this Timelord is involved.
The Daleks are a distraction. And I am beginning to believe that the Time War itself was nothing more than a distraction. We need to deal with them quickly, and completely.
First of all, the base is quite well developed. Typical Dalek geography. They have a moderate ground base, underground bunker, hover-city, and ship in orbit. It looks like a classic Dalek major planet based command center. A casing manufacturing facility, mutant hatchery, etc.
It’s what I did not find that concerned me most. Not a single Dalek. Sure, thousands of mutants in tanks, and even more casings. All were dormant, and not assembled. I did not find a single Dalek, not even *one* patrolling the Emperor’s chamber. The Emperor was complete, but seemed to be dormant.
All this tells me is that we obviously don’t know where all the Dalek’s are located. Either they have another base, or they were off world in a ship we can’t detect. Their army is not complete. But something else apparently is.
Here are the pieces as they stand.
Oolon and myself were attacked. Onboard the ETC was a Sidhe capable of telepathic projection and a Timelord who is a brilliant biological engineer.
I, the child of Rassilon and the most advanced form of travel ever created, was attacked with a telekinetic specialist Timelord and a mind-reader Timelord.
We ended up here first, and soon pieces of Timelord technology and Timelords managed to get ejected from the death throes of the Time War to this place. Probably by the Doctor and the Rani, who knew in advance that something *very* bad was going to happen. The fact that the Daleks ended up here too only reinforces my theory that someone is manipulating us all.
The Doctor sniffed them out, but was too late to stop them. The Rani was scared enough to work with him and save us. Whatever technology they used to save the remnants of our race also brought Daleks. I would bet my robes that the Daleks missing from their new home world were testing a TTC capsule.
There is also the matter of the political influence exerted against Artificial Isle in order to obtain Timelord technology. That could simply be another Timelord who arrived and starting meddling, but I don’t believe in coincidences. I am willing to bet this Timelord is involved.
The Daleks are a distraction. And I am beginning to believe that the Time War itself was nothing more than a distraction. We need to deal with them quickly, and completely.
Thursday
Part 16 – Putting together the pieces
I’ve been so busy with technical business preparing us for the Daleks, I’ve neglected my investigation of how we ended up here. I finally got around to reading the reports of the Council.
Putting aside the fact for a moment that the Pydronians seem to have quickly become the rebels that we all know and love, Victor’s discovery of another crashed station here in this realm have me concerned. Concerned, but a bit relieved as well.
This Doctor. There is so much about him we don’t know. We have assumed all along that he sent the stations here to protect them from a losing Time War. But Oolon and I were attacked long before the War. And we somehow ended up in the same place as TARDISes ejected from time. It is beginning to look as if all of us are here by design. As if any TARDIS near destruction is somehow funneled here by some intelligence, or program.
However, said influence began before the Time War. Now, the Doctor is far too impulsive to plan for Timelord race preservation ahead of the war. He would have spent all his time trying to prevent it. So he must have been protecting all of us against something else. Something so bad that he didn’t even try to save us from it.
I am beginning to think that whatever attacked me and Oolon may in fact have manipulated the Time War into existence. But why? Why would someone powerful enough to manipulate a race like the Daleks into attacking Gallifrey try to kill us off first?
Me I can understand. But Oolon. Why him? He was on route to being one of our races most knowledgeable biological engineers. Could it possibly be that his knowledge could be the key to defeating not only who sent us here, but a behind the scenes catalyst for the Time War itself?
Putting aside the fact for a moment that the Pydronians seem to have quickly become the rebels that we all know and love, Victor’s discovery of another crashed station here in this realm have me concerned. Concerned, but a bit relieved as well.
This Doctor. There is so much about him we don’t know. We have assumed all along that he sent the stations here to protect them from a losing Time War. But Oolon and I were attacked long before the War. And we somehow ended up in the same place as TARDISes ejected from time. It is beginning to look as if all of us are here by design. As if any TARDIS near destruction is somehow funneled here by some intelligence, or program.
However, said influence began before the Time War. Now, the Doctor is far too impulsive to plan for Timelord race preservation ahead of the war. He would have spent all his time trying to prevent it. So he must have been protecting all of us against something else. Something so bad that he didn’t even try to save us from it.
I am beginning to think that whatever attacked me and Oolon may in fact have manipulated the Time War into existence. But why? Why would someone powerful enough to manipulate a race like the Daleks into attacking Gallifrey try to kill us off first?
Me I can understand. But Oolon. Why him? He was on route to being one of our races most knowledgeable biological engineers. Could it possibly be that his knowledge could be the key to defeating not only who sent us here, but a behind the scenes catalyst for the Time War itself?
Part 15 - Preparations
It has been some time since I have made an entry here. I have been very busy. With the revelations that Councilor Mornington uncovered about the Daleks being here with us, I have been frantically using the full resources of House Patrexean (special thanks to Cardinal Gears for taking the day to day operation of the House off my hands) and my own abilities to prepare New Gallifrey to ensure that what happened in the Time War will not happen here.
The Panopticon has been retrofitted with extensive defensive systems, both to protect the structure and the rest of Gallifrey should it fall.
Every TARDIS will receive extensive sensor updates, including a routine to specifically target detection of Dalek Temporal Prisons. Also, every TARDIS will be retrofitted to receive exponentially higher amounts of power from the Panopticon’s Eye. Up until now, the Eye has only been operating on battery power, with no singularity actually present.
The problem is not the singularity itself, we have at least a couple viable candidates. The issue is returning it back to New Gallifrey and figuring out how to get it inside the containment barriers. For a very limited time, I believe my dimensional stabilizer can withstand housing the singularity for the trip from deep space to New Gallifrey. Once landed in the Panopticon, the structures newly installed defensive system can keep the building together until I am able to place the singularity into its permanent home.
The real problem is this organic body of mine. I seriously doubt that I can maintain the life support systems in the interior for the duration of the trip, or extend the exterior’s forcefields enough to adequately protect myself while installing the singularity. And even if I am able to do both of those things, the exterior artron shell’s forcefield must be dropped for a least a nano-second while the new Eye’s Transduction Barriers take over.
I have mulled over a technical method of getting around this problem for… far too long. The simple fact is, we are out of time. Councilor Mornington reports that his intelligence agents have located the Dalek’s new homeworld, and it is almost complete. We need a full functioning Eye – now.
The last time I died, it was planned. Organized. The SASTAP structure and my organic body regenerated at the same time – together. I have no idea what will happen this time. My entire body will be instantly shredded when the singularity is placed in the Eye. While I have confidence in the nano-virus’ ability to regenerate me, I have no idea if my connection to the SASTAP will remain. Without my consciousness to control it, the dimensions may collapse. I may be stranded as a plain old Timelord, now without even a TARDIS – forever.
The Panopticon has been retrofitted with extensive defensive systems, both to protect the structure and the rest of Gallifrey should it fall.
Every TARDIS will receive extensive sensor updates, including a routine to specifically target detection of Dalek Temporal Prisons. Also, every TARDIS will be retrofitted to receive exponentially higher amounts of power from the Panopticon’s Eye. Up until now, the Eye has only been operating on battery power, with no singularity actually present.
The problem is not the singularity itself, we have at least a couple viable candidates. The issue is returning it back to New Gallifrey and figuring out how to get it inside the containment barriers. For a very limited time, I believe my dimensional stabilizer can withstand housing the singularity for the trip from deep space to New Gallifrey. Once landed in the Panopticon, the structures newly installed defensive system can keep the building together until I am able to place the singularity into its permanent home.
The real problem is this organic body of mine. I seriously doubt that I can maintain the life support systems in the interior for the duration of the trip, or extend the exterior’s forcefields enough to adequately protect myself while installing the singularity. And even if I am able to do both of those things, the exterior artron shell’s forcefield must be dropped for a least a nano-second while the new Eye’s Transduction Barriers take over.
I have mulled over a technical method of getting around this problem for… far too long. The simple fact is, we are out of time. Councilor Mornington reports that his intelligence agents have located the Dalek’s new homeworld, and it is almost complete. We need a full functioning Eye – now.
The last time I died, it was planned. Organized. The SASTAP structure and my organic body regenerated at the same time – together. I have no idea what will happen this time. My entire body will be instantly shredded when the singularity is placed in the Eye. While I have confidence in the nano-virus’ ability to regenerate me, I have no idea if my connection to the SASTAP will remain. Without my consciousness to control it, the dimensions may collapse. I may be stranded as a plain old Timelord, now without even a TARDIS – forever.
Part 14 – New Gallifrey Government
It comes to my attention that we need to begin drafting some governmental guidelines for New Gallifrey’s High Council. While I believe Gallifrey’s model was efficient and fair, some adjustments will be necessary for functional reasons in this place.
The High Council will consist of between seven and ten members. Each of the six houses will have a seat.
The Patrexe chapter will be headed by a Cardinal. This chapter seems to have fallen into the role of builders and artisans here on New Gallifrey. Speaking from my own skill set, I see no reason for this to change.
The Arcalian chapter will be headed by a Cardinal as well. It seems this particular chapter is of much more prominence here on New Gallifrey, with the election of my old friend Oolon as Chancellor. Based on his role so far, I believe the Arcalians should continue in their traditional role as leaders of academia and science.
The Pydronians of course will continue to be headed by a Cardinal. However, they seem to not have as much clout here as in the past. I think that policy generation and legislative minutia will continue to be their forte, as in the past. This clan will be lead by Cardinal Angelica Nephilim. It is true, long ago, that House Prydonian (also known as the Prydon Chapter) was known to produce ‘devious’ Time Lords, and more than a few renegades…
And that brings me to the Ceruleans. I mentioned in an earlier entry that I would like to extend a hand of diplomacy to other races who have assisted in our plight here. If they are to have representation on the Council and a voice with us, I believe assigning them a house may be the best course of action. To that end, the Cerulean house will be set aside for non-Gallifreyan citizens of New Gallifrey. They will be headed by a Councillor, not a Cardinal, by the name of Victor1st Mornington and base it’s operations from the reclaimed Zenobia station.
One clan stands alone in it’s unique experimentation of the regenerative process, a bi-product of this dimension and borne of necessity, that clan is House Dromeian, lead by Lord Cardinal Gryphon Dix. These are a fine, proud, and noble clan. We welcome them to the chambers of Gallifrey as master loomsmiths.
This realm consists of at least a few Timelords from our own realm who were stripped of house and rank on Gallifrey and sent here as exiles. While I believe we need to at least extent our hand to these fellow Timelords, I do not believe full re-instatement into a Cardinal run house is the proper path. To that end, the Scendles chapter will be set aside as the chapter of exiled Timelords, with a Councillor as its leader. This person is as yet unknown. They will have a presence on the council, should they wish to.
Each house may write its own governing document determining how its respective Councillor or Cardinal seat on the High Council will be determined. They may use any process they like – the Council will honour those proceedings.
The Castellan will be the head of all security and military organizations on New Gallifrey, including any intelligence organizations. He/she may be from any of the six houses, but may NOT be the leader of his/her respective house. That would pose a conflict of interest in matters of security.
The Chancellor must hold the rank of Cardinal. This position is elected by the High Council. The Chancellor controls High Council parliamentary proceedings, so therefore carries a great deal of influence in Council proceedings. The Chancellor position is the only High Council position that may take the floor from the President and call matters of order. The Chancellor may choose to continue their role as leader of their respective house, or vacate those duties to be replaced on the Council.
The President must hold the rank of Cardinal. The President is the proceedings chair for all High Council meetings. In all matters of governance that do not require a High Council vote, the Presidents holds final authority. The President may choose to continue their role as leader of their respective house, or vacate those duties to be replaced on the Council.
If called into emergency session, the Inner Council, which consists of the Castellan, Chancellor, and President, requires only a two-thirds majority vote on matters of policy.
In order to preserve an odd number of members and avoid tie votes, the Inner Council may choose to assign the Gold Usher an at large seat on the Council. This position will retain its traditional duties of Master of Ceremonies for all formal Gallifreyan events, and may be from any of the six houses.
Time Lords belong to one of six Time Lord Chapters or Colleges.
Each Chapter had their own colours which was reflected by their ceremonial robes:
The Prydonian Chapter - scarlet and orange ceremonial robes
The Arcalian Chapter - green and brown ceremonial robes
The Cerulean Chapter - subdued light blue ceremonial robes
The Dromean Chapter - silver-gray ceremonial robes
The Patrex Chapter - heliotrope (pink purple-ish) ceremonial robes
The Scendles Chapter - subdued colored ceremonial robes
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