The TARDIS hung in deep space, light-years from any star system. The Wanderer had wanted to run a check of the time capsule's systems, making sure the micro-jump hadn't damaged anything, and Veda took the time to explore her new home, the constant traveling since Gallifrey having given her no opportunity until now.
She knew it would be fairly pointless, the TARDIS could rearrange itself to bring any room to her location, but it wasn't just the rooms she was interested in, their contents also being worthy of investigation. Stepping into the first room she came across Veda looked at the rows of bookshelves, recalling that the Wanderer had spoken of the library whilst on Imdali. A polished metal disc caught her eye, what looked to be her own likeness glaring out at her, and Veda looked away, disconcerted by the stern face. She glanced back after a second though, strangely fascinated, and let out a gasp upon seeing herself again, this time her lifeless eyes fixed on some distant spot.
Squaring her shoulders Veda resolutely turned away from the disc, casting her gaze over the rest of the library. A few books were open on stands and the Time Lady drifted to the nearest, glancing at the open pages. The name Morbius leapt out at her, she remembered learning about the deposed Lord President, and scanned the sentences around the name, eventually glancing at the library door in concern. What's in your past Wanderer? Moving away from the book, its title Cultists of Morbius, Veda took a final look around the library. She'd been disturbed by the disc, unsure if they were potential futures, and the book she'd seen made her doubt her companion, his name appearing high in the lists of Morbius' servants.
The door led straight back into the console room, not any corridor, and the Wanderer looked up from the console.
"You're back?"
Veda slowly shook her head.
"I've only been to the library so far. There were things there that the TARDIS obviously felt I needed to talk with you about though."
"More like the TARDIS just wants to protect its secrets. What did you find?"
The Time Lady debated what to say before finally speaking.
"There was a metal disc. It showed me my face but…"
"The Parallel Mirror." The Wanderer carefully tapped a series of buttons, watching the screen to see the results. "It is a sideways artefact, as the name I gave it suggests, and shows parallel versions of the observer. What did you see?"
"The first time I looked I was an Inquisitor. The second time I was dead."
"Interesting."
"I also found a book, Cultists of Morbius. Your name was in it."
"And what's your point?"
Veda stared at the Wanderer, unable to comprehend how casual he was being.
"Morbius was a criminal of the highest order!"
"Many of the Renegades from back then sided with Morbius and now there aren't many of us left. We all served out our sentences, one way or another, and those that were left received our pardons when the War started."
Veda strode to the console, reaching for the randomizer and switching it off, before typing in Gallifrey's coordinates. The Wanderer watched in bemusement, content to let Veda have her moment of pique, and shook his head when she pulled the lever to start the dematerialization process. The TARDIS started wheezing but after a moment the noise trailed off, an awkward silence filling the console room.
"What happened?"
"The engines are powered down. I'm making sure the micro-jump didn't damage the TARDIS remember."
Veda scowled, pushing herself away from the console, and glared at the Wanderer.
"Take me back to Gallifrey. Now."
"Go back to exploring. This TARDIS isn't going anywhere for the moment."
"The technicians can repair any damage. Take. Me. Home."
The Wanderer sighed in resignation and reached under the console to press a button, a surge of power making the time rotor come to life, and he pulled the lever.
"I have been pardoned by the High Council. You have no right to judge me."
"You're back?"
Veda slowly shook her head.
"I've only been to the library so far. There were things there that the TARDIS obviously felt I needed to talk with you about though."
"More like the TARDIS just wants to protect its secrets. What did you find?"
The Time Lady debated what to say before finally speaking.
"There was a metal disc. It showed me my face but…"
"The Parallel Mirror." The Wanderer carefully tapped a series of buttons, watching the screen to see the results. "It is a sideways artefact, as the name I gave it suggests, and shows parallel versions of the observer. What did you see?"
"The first time I looked I was an Inquisitor. The second time I was dead."
"Interesting."
"I also found a book, Cultists of Morbius. Your name was in it."
"And what's your point?"
Veda stared at the Wanderer, unable to comprehend how casual he was being.
"Morbius was a criminal of the highest order!"
"Many of the Renegades from back then sided with Morbius and now there aren't many of us left. We all served out our sentences, one way or another, and those that were left received our pardons when the War started."
Veda strode to the console, reaching for the randomizer and switching it off, before typing in Gallifrey's coordinates. The Wanderer watched in bemusement, content to let Veda have her moment of pique, and shook his head when she pulled the lever to start the dematerialization process. The TARDIS started wheezing but after a moment the noise trailed off, an awkward silence filling the console room.
"What happened?"
"The engines are powered down. I'm making sure the micro-jump didn't damage the TARDIS remember."
Veda scowled, pushing herself away from the console, and glared at the Wanderer.
"Take me back to Gallifrey. Now."
"Go back to exploring. This TARDIS isn't going anywhere for the moment."
"The technicians can repair any damage. Take. Me. Home."
The Wanderer sighed in resignation and reached under the console to press a button, a surge of power making the time rotor come to life, and he pulled the lever.
"I have been pardoned by the High Council. You have no right to judge me."
The arrival of the Wanderer's TARDIS drew a pair of patrolling soldiers to the capsule bay, a junior Time Lord following them due to sheer curiosity. Veda stormed from the time capsule, shooting a poisonous glare over her shoulder, and barely glanced at the Time Lord as she headed for the bay's computer, programming a search for anything going off-world. The Wanderer appeared in the TARDIS doorway, a disappointed look on his face, before he glanced at the soldiers and the other Time Lord.
"Leave us." The Wanderer waited until he and Veda were alone. "Renegades rebel against non-interference. Morbius was going to overturn that."
"But he tried to conquer the universe!" Veda turned away from the computer, frustrated by the slow progress of her search. "And the non-interference policy was created for good reason!"
"Here you are though trying to leave Gallifrey, to interfere in the wider world!" The Wanderer paused. "None of us were happy when the truth came out but we were too involved to just leave."
"So you admit guilt?"
"I found weapons and influential people for him. That was all."
"I read your book. Out of everyone only you escaped punishment."
The Wanderer shook his head.
"The book's wrong. My punishment was that I could never come home."
"Leave us." The Wanderer waited until he and Veda were alone. "Renegades rebel against non-interference. Morbius was going to overturn that."
"But he tried to conquer the universe!" Veda turned away from the computer, frustrated by the slow progress of her search. "And the non-interference policy was created for good reason!"
"Here you are though trying to leave Gallifrey, to interfere in the wider world!" The Wanderer paused. "None of us were happy when the truth came out but we were too involved to just leave."
"So you admit guilt?"
"I found weapons and influential people for him. That was all."
"I read your book. Out of everyone only you escaped punishment."
The Wanderer shook his head.
"The book's wrong. My punishment was that I could never come home."
The ping of the computer paused their discussion and Veda glanced at the screen.
"You are a criminal from a shameful part of Gallifrey's history. You can wander the universe alone."
She swept from the capsule bay, as full of indignation as possible, and the Wanderer sighed, getting back into his TARDIS before stepping up to the console.
"You are a criminal from a shameful part of Gallifrey's history. You can wander the universe alone."
She swept from the capsule bay, as full of indignation as possible, and the Wanderer sighed, getting back into his TARDIS before stepping up to the console.
No comments:
Post a Comment