Walking away from the time capsule the Wanderer went to start talking, to explain where and when they were, but paused when he realised he was alone. Putting the Lady Vedacastrodvar from his mind, still a bit annoyed by her self-righteousness, the Time Lord emerged onto a major pedestrian zone. The sheer variety of beings visible was enough to convince him that the world was a member of an interstellar community, that its people were no strangers to space travel, and he glanced around to try and spot an info-board.
Shondara's main spaceport in the year 11,087AD was a sprawling facility a few kilometers from Maxson, the planetary capital and the same settlement the Wanderer had arrived in. The landed ships were vastly different to both the TARDIS and each other but the Wanderer's eye was drawn to one particular vessel, its silhouette vaguely reminding him of a miniature Arrowhead.
"I see you admiring my ship."
The Time Lord turned when he was spoken to, glancing at the speaker and taking note of the decorative face mask he wore.
"That ship doesn't look Dojanmorane."
"Perhaps not. It is still mine though. I am Socan."
The Dojanmorane extended a hand and the Wanderer accepted it.
"People call me the Wanderer."
"And which of these craft is yours?"
The Wanderer waved a hand vaguely in the direction of a distant section of the spaceport.
"It's over there somewhere. It'll turn up when needed."
The pair began walking towards a waiting area set up on the edge of the spaceport, sharing information about the universe, and after finding a table the Wanderer glanced out at a ship as it powered skyward.
"So what brings you to Shondara?"
Socan pulled a datapad from a pocket of his jumpsuit, sliding it across the table. The Wanderer picked it up, glancing at the information on the screen as the Dojanmorane gave his answer.
"I've been tracking Alchase ben Halden for the last six months."
"You're a bounty hunter?"
"No, at least not an independant one. I work for the Agency."
The Wanderer sidled past the issue of the Agency, not knowing the organization off the top of his head, and put the datapad back on the table.
"What has Alchase ben Halden done?"
"She wiped out Earth's Nimiset colony."
"Ah."
Socan nodded, tucking the datapad back into the pocket, and glanced at a nearby screen displaying the spaceport's departures and arrivals.
"My informants say she's somewhere here."
"I see you admiring my ship."
The Time Lord turned when he was spoken to, glancing at the speaker and taking note of the decorative face mask he wore.
"That ship doesn't look Dojanmorane."
"Perhaps not. It is still mine though. I am Socan."
The Dojanmorane extended a hand and the Wanderer accepted it.
"People call me the Wanderer."
"And which of these craft is yours?"
The Wanderer waved a hand vaguely in the direction of a distant section of the spaceport.
"It's over there somewhere. It'll turn up when needed."
The pair began walking towards a waiting area set up on the edge of the spaceport, sharing information about the universe, and after finding a table the Wanderer glanced out at a ship as it powered skyward.
"So what brings you to Shondara?"
Socan pulled a datapad from a pocket of his jumpsuit, sliding it across the table. The Wanderer picked it up, glancing at the information on the screen as the Dojanmorane gave his answer.
"I've been tracking Alchase ben Halden for the last six months."
"You're a bounty hunter?"
"No, at least not an independant one. I work for the Agency."
The Wanderer sidled past the issue of the Agency, not knowing the organization off the top of his head, and put the datapad back on the table.
"What has Alchase ben Halden done?"
"She wiped out Earth's Nimiset colony."
"Ah."
Socan nodded, tucking the datapad back into the pocket, and glanced at a nearby screen displaying the spaceport's departures and arrivals.
"My informants say she's somewhere here."
"And why are you on Shondara?"
After the Wanderer had made connections that had advanced Socan's investigation the Dojanmorane had asked the Time Lord for additional help, accompanying him back to Maxson.
"Just travelling. It helps me keep marvelling at the universe." The Wanderer stepped down from the monorail carriage, moving to one side so Socan could disembark, and then fell in behind the Dojanmorane. "Somewhere then? Anything more concrete?"
"Not here. I can give more information when we get to my apartment."
After the Wanderer had made connections that had advanced Socan's investigation the Dojanmorane had asked the Time Lord for additional help, accompanying him back to Maxson.
"Just travelling. It helps me keep marvelling at the universe." The Wanderer stepped down from the monorail carriage, moving to one side so Socan could disembark, and then fell in behind the Dojanmorane. "Somewhere then? Anything more concrete?"
"Not here. I can give more information when we get to my apartment."
The small apartment was home to a large board covered by a score of images surrounding a map of the city. Each image was of the same subject, a slender redheaded woman the Wanderer presumed was Alchase, but the images were of different locations.
"She gets around a fair bit."
"Luckily though she's stuck here. Spaceport security has her picture and orders to arrest her if spotted."
"There are other ways for someone to get off-world."
"That's why we need to catch her now."
Retrieving his p-mac the Wanderer activated it.
"Do you have a com frequency or even a biological trace?"
Socan turned to begin going through a box below the investigation board, eventually pulling out a gene-ident and passing it to the Wanderer.
"That thing can find her?"
"With luck." The Time Lord waved the gene-ident in front of the p-mac's reader, an eye on the map that appeared on its screen. "Her location will turn up as a green dot."
"She gets around a fair bit."
"Luckily though she's stuck here. Spaceport security has her picture and orders to arrest her if spotted."
"There are other ways for someone to get off-world."
"That's why we need to catch her now."
Retrieving his p-mac the Wanderer activated it.
"Do you have a com frequency or even a biological trace?"
Socan turned to begin going through a box below the investigation board, eventually pulling out a gene-ident and passing it to the Wanderer.
"That thing can find her?"
"With luck." The Time Lord waved the gene-ident in front of the p-mac's reader, an eye on the map that appeared on its screen. "Her location will turn up as a green dot."
The dot stayed in a single location, somewhere Socan identified as being an apartment tower, and the Wanderer offered to investigate it first, reasoning that Alchase wouldn't know his face. The tower was on the other side of Maxson from the spaceport, in a run-down area of the city, and the Wanderer kept a hand near the pocket containing his energy wand as he neared the building.
"Stand very still Agent-man." The Time Lord paused at both the sound of the woman's voice and the sensation of something poking him in the back. "Now slowly turn around."
A woman the Wanderer recognized as Alchase ben Halden was pointing a projectile weapon at him, an unknown device in her other hand.
"Why do you think I'm an Agent?"
Alchase gestured at him with the device.
"This thing can smell the time travel on you."
"Fascinating. But why would you need such a device?"
"Because this Alchase ben Halden caused a freighter's hyperdrive to rupture whilst on Nimiset, six months from now."
Socan walked up behind Alchase, having emerged from the shadows as though he lived in them, and the Wanderer glanced between the Dojanmorane and the Human as Alchase was cuffed.
"What exactly is going on here?"
Socan frowned at the Wanderer's words, shaking his head as he realized the situation.
"Ben Halden isn't from here, either the place nor the time. She sought to escape justice by hiding in the past."
"And you followed her. That's what your Agency does."
"That's right." Socan glanced at the device he'd taken from Alchase. "And Alchase is right too. You're a time traveller."
The Wanderer mentally sighed, debating what to tell the pair.
"I'm not just a time traveller. I'm a Time Lord of Gallifrey."
A puzzled expression on Alchase's face and the Wanderer was pleased to see Socan pale.
"Bull! The Time Lords are a myth!"
"Stand very still Agent-man." The Time Lord paused at both the sound of the woman's voice and the sensation of something poking him in the back. "Now slowly turn around."
A woman the Wanderer recognized as Alchase ben Halden was pointing a projectile weapon at him, an unknown device in her other hand.
"Why do you think I'm an Agent?"
Alchase gestured at him with the device.
"This thing can smell the time travel on you."
"Fascinating. But why would you need such a device?"
"Because this Alchase ben Halden caused a freighter's hyperdrive to rupture whilst on Nimiset, six months from now."
Socan walked up behind Alchase, having emerged from the shadows as though he lived in them, and the Wanderer glanced between the Dojanmorane and the Human as Alchase was cuffed.
"What exactly is going on here?"
Socan frowned at the Wanderer's words, shaking his head as he realized the situation.
"Ben Halden isn't from here, either the place nor the time. She sought to escape justice by hiding in the past."
"And you followed her. That's what your Agency does."
"That's right." Socan glanced at the device he'd taken from Alchase. "And Alchase is right too. You're a time traveller."
The Wanderer mentally sighed, debating what to tell the pair.
"I'm not just a time traveller. I'm a Time Lord of Gallifrey."
A puzzled expression on Alchase's face and the Wanderer was pleased to see Socan pale.
"Bull! The Time Lords are a myth!"
"Time Lord!" The Wanderer glanced at Alchase as Socan went to shove her onto his ship. "Tell my twin sister I had to do it!"
Socan stopped and the Wanderer took a step closer to the pair.
"And why was that?"
"The freighter was loaded with explosives! It was supposed to be used to destroy the Alliance conference on Jeeling!"
"But why not divert the freighter to somewhere that wasn't inhabited?"
"It was on an automated flight plan hardcoded into the computer!" Alchase twisted to glare at Socan. "I barely had the time to crack enough encryption to disable its drive systems!"
The Wanderer glanced at Socan.
"Could what she said be true?"
"The explosives would have ruptured the hyperdrive core. But the rupture would've then removed all evidence."
"Your Agency was able to track Alchase to here. Surely they could investigate her claims."
"Even if true she would still be guilty of mass manslaughter, with all the punishments that come with it." Socan frowned and looked at Alchase as he finally got her onto his ship. "But I will try to get my superiors to authorize an investigation."
Socan stopped and the Wanderer took a step closer to the pair.
"And why was that?"
"The freighter was loaded with explosives! It was supposed to be used to destroy the Alliance conference on Jeeling!"
"But why not divert the freighter to somewhere that wasn't inhabited?"
"It was on an automated flight plan hardcoded into the computer!" Alchase twisted to glare at Socan. "I barely had the time to crack enough encryption to disable its drive systems!"
The Wanderer glanced at Socan.
"Could what she said be true?"
"The explosives would have ruptured the hyperdrive core. But the rupture would've then removed all evidence."
"Your Agency was able to track Alchase to here. Surely they could investigate her claims."
"Even if true she would still be guilty of mass manslaughter, with all the punishments that come with it." Socan frowned and looked at Alchase as he finally got her onto his ship. "But I will try to get my superiors to authorize an investigation."
---
An'Garon was vastly different to when the Wanderer had last been there. The fortress was already there, albeit smaller, and Garon City was a vibrant settlement, not a collection of ruins. Emerging from the TARDIS, disguised again as a com-booth, the Wanderer glanced at the p-mac in his hands. Its fold-out screen was split into two sections, a map and a scrolling list of information, and the Wanderer began walking towards where the p-mac said Alison ben Halden was at that moment.
"Alison ben Halden?"
A military officer looked up from her papers upon hearing her name, glancing at the man standing in front of her desk.
"And you are?"
"I'm the Wanderer. I'm a representative of your sister…"
An expression of deep loathing settled on Alison's face at the mention of Alchase.
"I don't care what she has told you to say."
The Wanderer frowned at the hatred in Alison's voice.
"She isn't guilty of what history claims."
"Who are you?"
"I know your sister, got her account of the situation. I could show you."
Alison looked torn, her hatred of what Alchase was accused of warring with sisterly love, and finally stood, locking her computer before stepping out from behind the desk.
"Show me then."
A military officer looked up from her papers upon hearing her name, glancing at the man standing in front of her desk.
"And you are?"
"I'm the Wanderer. I'm a representative of your sister…"
An expression of deep loathing settled on Alison's face at the mention of Alchase.
"I don't care what she has told you to say."
The Wanderer frowned at the hatred in Alison's voice.
"She isn't guilty of what history claims."
"Who are you?"
"I know your sister, got her account of the situation. I could show you."
Alison looked torn, her hatred of what Alchase was accused of warring with sisterly love, and finally stood, locking her computer before stepping out from behind the desk.
"Show me then."
The cobbled-together Farseer projected images pulled from a temporal observatory on Gallifrey. Standing in the lab the Farseer had been built in Alison watched the loading of explosives aboard the freighter and then her sister's fevered attempts to stop the freighter.
"Enough. You've shown me enough."
The Wanderer deactivated the Farseer and glanced at Alison. The Garoni had dropped onto a stool at a workstation, staring contemplatively at the now-blank wall. She had been through a lot, not just with the revelation about her sister but also the TARDIS and its dimensional transcendentalism, and he knew from rare conversations with the Doctor that Humans were fragile beings.
"Enough. You've shown me enough."
The Wanderer deactivated the Farseer and glanced at Alison. The Garoni had dropped onto a stool at a workstation, staring contemplatively at the now-blank wall. She had been through a lot, not just with the revelation about her sister but also the TARDIS and its dimensional transcendentalism, and he knew from rare conversations with the Doctor that Humans were fragile beings.
After a few minutes the Wanderer took a step away from the table the Farseer had been set up on, his movement startling Alison, and he paused near the Garoni woman.
"Your sister was very brave to do what she did. Would you like to live up to her example?"
"What do you mean?"
"I am asking if you'll join me, to right wrongs throughout the universe as your sister did."
Alison was silent for a moment before slowly nodding, her facial expression suggesting that she wasn't entirely convinced with her own decision.
"How did you find me though?"
The Wanderer first gestured at the Farseer and then got out the p-mac, indicating a small box attached to its side.
"I modified my p-mac computer to have a link to an observatory on my homeworld, just as the Farseer has a link."
"So you know my whole life?" Alison went to reach for the p-mac. "Can I see?"
The Wanderer laughed and tucked the device back into his jacket.
"I'm sorry but no. Knowing your own future is dangerous."
Alison frowned but vaguely understood the logic and rose from the stool, taking a step toward the laboratory door.
"Where's the first place you'll take me then?"
"Your sister was very brave to do what she did. Would you like to live up to her example?"
"What do you mean?"
"I am asking if you'll join me, to right wrongs throughout the universe as your sister did."
Alison was silent for a moment before slowly nodding, her facial expression suggesting that she wasn't entirely convinced with her own decision.
"How did you find me though?"
The Wanderer first gestured at the Farseer and then got out the p-mac, indicating a small box attached to its side.
"I modified my p-mac computer to have a link to an observatory on my homeworld, just as the Farseer has a link."
"So you know my whole life?" Alison went to reach for the p-mac. "Can I see?"
The Wanderer laughed and tucked the device back into his jacket.
"I'm sorry but no. Knowing your own future is dangerous."
Alison frowned but vaguely understood the logic and rose from the stool, taking a step toward the laboratory door.
"Where's the first place you'll take me then?"
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