Damien Draegonne, Part 2

I have spent a week studying the subject now and am convinced he is, as he claims, an alien and not a Europan agent.  However Political Officer Jan Lo Bak continues to maintain the subject is merely a "mutant" who talks a great deal of nonsense.  I agree that the subject is full of nonsense--he says he is 239 years old, that his people regenerate their appearances when they become old or infirm, that his civilization was millions of years old and one of the most advanced in existence, and that his wooden box contains a black hole and travels through time and space--but his physiology is too radical to be a simple mutant.  Despite his other wild claims I believe his being an alien to be true.

After the 3rd Session we suffered a set-back.  Officer Jan Lo felt we were unnecessarily catering to the subject's wishes and ordered the Europan woman and children in the next cell to be sent to the work camps.  As a result, the subject--despite increasingly imaginative and painful interrogation techniques--refused to speak.  This changed, unexpectedly, in our eighth session.

Session 8

Upon entering his cell I found the prisoner smiling to himself.  

I:  You seem pleased.

S:  I am.  I am about to leave this place.

I:  I assure you, no one has ever escaped from the House of Answers.

S:  Who said anything about escape?  I plan on being rescued.

I:  Oh?  By whom?

S:  You don't honestly think I came here alone, do you?  I am traveling with a companion.  She was badly injured when we crossed from my dimension to yours, but she is almost fully healed.

I:  I see.  And you just expect her to walk in here and save you?

S:  Nods.

I:  Now Mr. Draegonne, I have been instructed to ask you again about your box.

S:  Still can't get in there, can you?  Grins.

I:  No, and my superiors are growing impatient.  My instructions are to make you tell us how to enter it.

S:  How nice for you.

I:  If you continue to refuse, I will be forced to take even more extreme measures.

S:  Laughs.  The only thing you can do "more extreme" is kill me.  Nothing else you have tried has worked very well, has it.  And there is nothing you can do short of killing me that awhile in the Zero Room will not heal.

I:  The "Zero Room?"

S:  Yes, the Zero Room.  And I think you won't kill me so long as you can't get into the box.  Leans forward now, pleased with himself.  It bothers you, doesn't it?  That box.  You know it is alien, that none of your weapons can scratch it.  You can feel it vibrating, hear it humming at night.  And yet when you look at it, every fiber of your being screams out "It's just a normal box.  Look away.  Forget about it."  Must drive you insane.

I:  What is inside the box?

S:  Laughs.  Six console rooms, the Infinity Room, the Cloisters, bedrooms, a ballroom, swimming pool, two libraries...

I:  I am serious, Mr. Draegonne.  I am tired of playing games with you.  I want to know who you are, where you came from, and what is inside that box of yours.

S:  Is that all?  Fine.  In order; I am Daemiiandraegohneandroluvanmohgaryahmi, a Time Lord, a Gallifreyan, and an Arcalian.  I am from a parallel universe.  Inside my box is a transdimensional time and space machine.  Well, not a machine really, not as you lot understand the concept.  The Fallen Hour is alive and dreaming, and we are now imprinted upon one another.  She will open only for me.  We share a bond you cannot conceive of.  There now.  Are we finished?

I:  I can see you need more persuasion.  We will try again tomorrow.

Post Script

The subject is gone.  

How much of it was true?  I cannot be certain, and doubt I ever will be.  According to reports, that box of his came alive in the dead of night, flashing light, sending forth a strong wind, and making an eerie grinding noise.  It simply faded from existence.  Simultaneously, it reappeared in the subject's cell, and he boarded before any of us could stop him.  It vanished again, along with him.

Was this, then, the rescue he spoke of?  Was his companion inside the box, or was it the box itself that he referred to?  Was he all the things he claimed?  I will go over the data again, but doubt I shall ever reach a satisfactory conclusion... 

Damien Draegonne, Part 1

File: Epsilon-Epsilon-Sigma-2//577-9

Subject:  Interrogation of Unidentified Xenoform

Interviewer: Li-Quon Parapshapti

Preliminary Observations

Subject is a humanoid male, apparent age 27 to 30 standard units.  Skin coloration, eye color, and hair suggest resemblance to the peoples of the old Europa Technocracy, but his physiology is clearly not Terran.  The subject possesses two distinct cardiovascular systems with heart-rates of 170 beats per minute, and an internal body temperature of 15 degrees on the ancient scale.  The Neuro-Inquisitor can make no sense of the subject's brainwaves, and the mind-probe was useless.  Most intriguing is his DNA, with chromosomal structures unlike anything I have ever seen.  Stranger still, his DNA seems to be in a state of flux that is gradually coalescing.

He has been unconscious now for 2 solar cycles.

Session 1

Interviewer (I):  Do you know where you are?

Subject (S): Only recently recovered from unconsciousness, stares at the Interviewer.

I:  Can you understand my words?

S: Perfectly.  Jumps.  Seems startled.  New voice.  Will take getting used to.

I:  I would like to ask again.  Do you know where you are?

S:  Judging from the uniform, "Major," I assume somewhere in the middle of the Ninth Reformed Pan-Asian Matriarchy.  Latter half of the 34th century.  Which means your universe follows at least a similar course as mine.

I:  What is your name?

S: Response is unintelligible.

I:  Once again please?

S:  Rolls his eyes, and assumes a disrespectful tone, as if speaking to a child.  DAE-MI-IAN-DRAE-GOH-NE_ANDRO-LUVAN-MOH-GAR-YAH-MI.

I:  "Damien Draegonne..."  What was the third name?

S:  That isn't what I said.  Never mind.  You can't register the telepathic component of it anyway.

I:  You claim telepathic powers?

S:  Look, why am I being held here?  What exactly have I done?

I:  I will ask the questions, Mr. Draegonne.

S:  That isn't my bloody name.

Session 2

Subject was uncooperative.  Sat in his cell motionless and refused to speak.  The Pharmo-Inquisitor seems unable to find the right compound to make the subject speak.  His resistance to all the standard methods is quite high.  We will try pain next.

Session 3

Subject has gone without food, water, or sleep for three days.  The Corporal-Inquisitor has used both the application of intense cold and heat to limited effect.  Electric shock seems also limited.  I ordered the other prisoners--the Europan Techno-serf and her two children--moved into an adjacent cell, hoping he might form some sort of link with them.  But he never spoke or responded when they talked to him.  This morning I went in and threatened to slit the throats of the two children, right in front of him, if he did not respond to my questions.  He shrugged.  "The Terran population is what...16 billion now?  Who will notice two missing."  The mother screamed for mercy.  As I started to cut the youngest child, the female, the subject sighed.  "All right.  Fine.  I will speak.  But I could use something hot to drink."

I:  Tell me about your craft.  What is it?  Some form of escape pod?

S:  Laughing as if I had just told a joke.  I suppose you could say that.  

I:  It would appear to be made of some sort of hardened plant fiber.

S:  What?  Are the trees already gone?  You've never seen wood before?

I:  It has resisted all our efforts to open it.

S:  Good luck with that.

I:  Mr. Draegonne, there will be consequences if you continue to avoid my questions.

S:  Well why don't you ask some interesting ones then?  And my name is not "Mr. Draegonne."  Call me "Damien," at least.

I:  All right, Damien.  Tell me about that craft.

S: It's a Novatech Type 40 Time Travel Capsule, conceived and grown on Gallifrey...before...   Subject seems troubled.

I:  Before?

S:  Before the War.

I:  You mean the Afro-Arabian Rectification?

S:  Laughs.  No, I mean the Time War, you idiot.  A conflict between the two greatest powers the universe has seen since the Osirians departed.  Do you honestly think after seeing the Could-Have-Been-King lead the Horde of Travesties into battle that your little squabbles over patches of dirt could hold any interest for me?

Subject is still clearly not in his proper mind.

S:  That is what my "craft" or "box" is.  An infinitely complex and wonderful thing.  But I suppose "escape pod" will do.  Because I am a deserter.  The Skaro Degradations were tearing us to pieces.  I saw no hope.  I stole The Fallen Hour and I ran.  Here.  Into this parallel universe of yours.  My "second life," I suppose.  But I was badly injured in the process.  Hence the new regeneration.  Do you like it?  Any good?  

Subject is now very erratic.  Nothing he says makes sense.

I:  It is clearly an advanced piece of technology.  Why does is resemble such primitive materials?

S:  Suddenly disgusted.  That is because of Him.  The Doctor.

I:  The Doctor?

S:  Subject nods.  Look, you have to understand.  For millions of what you call "standard units" we Time Lords had no interest in you lot.  You had nothing of interest for us.  We had figured out how to manipulate matter and energy at will, conquered the complexities of time, space, and dimension, even learned how to stave off old age and death.  We had no interest in lesser species any more.  Until Him.  The Renegade.  The Visionary.  He changed us--or at least some of us.  He convinced many in the Citadel that our great power and perception should be used to help the lesser species, to intervene.  It started a whole movement...a movement that led us into conflict with the Daleks and the War.  My ship's appearance...the former owner was an Interventionalist.  Many of them made their Time Capsules look like the Doctor's in honor of him.

Subject is making little sense.  Will resume interview at a later time.   

Little Kasiopaya

Back Aboard The Fallen Hour

My recent clandestine operations aboard the Zenobia Time Station have left my nerves somewhat frayed, so I decided to take The Fallen Hour to Little Kasiopaya (Hot Midsummers Night <128, 173, 901>) for some much needed rest and recreation.  This is an exquisite region of the Metaverse, a nebula wherein conditions are such that actual pockets of breathable gasses randomly form, and the newly forming stars radiate enough warmth for a species such as Time Lord or human to actually leave the safety of the vessel to float among the stars.  Of course, such visits must be carefully choreographed and timed, lest the pockets deform and leave one gasping in the void!

Soaring Among the Stars

I flew for a time, soaring weightless among the stars...an experience impossible to explain and difficult to compare to anything else.  Then I took advantage of some gravity pockets to "walk" about, observing the rise of a nascent star and the alignment of young planets recently formed of interstellar dust.

The Planets Align

The region was highly enjoyable, and I must return some day.  It is truly one of the Metaverse's less known treasures.

Star Rise

Back to Zenobia

I slipped aboard the Zenobia Time Station again to investigate more fully.  I was able to confirm some of the rumors I had heard, and made some intriguing discoveries.

The Station is indeed managed by the Ceruleans.  One of the six Chapters of the Time Lord Academy, the Ceruleans were part of the second tier, after the three most powerful Chapters, the Prydonians, Arcalians, and Patrex (I was myself Arcalian).  The Ceruleans had little political power or influence on Gallifrey, so why they were chosen to survive here in this parallel dimension is unclear to me.  What is clear is that these particular Ceruleans have achieved impressive accomplishments in this Second Life.

The Console Room

The Station is itself a massive, functioning Time Travel device, not unlike the installations and battle fleets of the late Time War.  I was not able to examine the console too closely, as it is defended and can kill intruders.  But the design was innovative, indicative of the technologies recovered during the War.  It is place directly over the Cloisters and the Eye of Harmony.

Zenobia has all you might expect of a Time Lord facility.  Aside from the Console and the Eye, there is a Zero Room, various grand libraries, observation chambers, gardens and pools, advanced planetariums.  I also discovered a Dalek research center, indicating that the Ceruleans are conducting some sort of research into our enemies.  Have the Daleks also survived here?

These Ceruleans also have a museum dedicated to Gallifrey and the Doctor, as well as recreational centers like a bar and club.  This troubled me a little.  It tells me they hold the Doctor in high regard, and opinion I cannot share.

The Zenobia Station is a spectacle indeed, a fascinating place to see.  My kindred have done well there, but I am no closer to presenting myself to them.    

"China"

An Eerie, and Beautiful World

Who created it? And why? Such a marvel, and such simple beauty.

A Landscape in Ink

The Fallen Hour landed recently in a curious realm known as “China” (China <162, 97, 1994>) It was not the historical China of Terra, but something altogether different, a realm that looked like nothing less than one of the remarkable ink paintings of that land brought to life. Exiting The Fallen Hour I found myself stepping into a piece of art, a landscape of brushstrokes under a surreal sky. Having developed a taste for human art, and having been stranded for many years in the Terran nation of Japan (which borders China), I was deeply touched by this creation. But such a mystery! Is there some race of great artists travelling this cosmos, creating entire realms the way a painter makes art? If so, I must find them.

The emDash Device

The emDash Device

If any good came of the Time War, it was the brief reawakening that swept over Gallifrey before the Fall. After untold millennia of relying upon ancient technologies perfected by out ancestors, the Time Lords shook off the dust of ages and began to invent new wonders in their struggle against the Dalek Imperium. The Novatech facilties produced many such remarkable things, one of which is the “emDash.”

The Transmat Beam

The emDash is a personal device worn upon the Time Lord that serves a variety of functions. It is a sensor system that alerts me to the presence and positions of those in my vacinity, and allows me—if I wish it—to observe them from afar. It is a teleportation unit that can send me instantly to locations I have visited, to other individuals within sensor range, or to any location my camera is currently trained upon. It creates an energy platform beneath my feet that allows me to walk as easily across liquid or gas as I might solids. It can render me invisible. It can store, and instantly materialize, a wide range of equipment, devices, and even entire chambers when and where I need them. There is a time dilation function that allows me to “run” suddenly at immense speeds. And it is completely compatible with the Novatech console room aboard my Time Capsule. A wondrous machine.

The Energy Platform

Most recently the emDash saved my life at Innsmouth. Though in the Lost Ages my people vied with the Old Ones and won, I was not prepared to deal with one of their living spawn when I came upon it unawares in the swamp. Though I could have called The Fallen Hour to me, pressed for time I used the emDash to instantly transport myself away.  

Collision

The Fallen Hour gave me a terrific scare yesterday, and though the physical damage was minimal, the repercussions leave me with some difficult decisions.

Following my narrow escape from Innsmouth, I vaulted foreward into the far future and set the materialization cycle for a space station I had heard about. At first, The Fallen Hour refused to materialize, the cycle immediately jerking back into dematerialization and continued flight. I started the cycle again, when suddenly the Cloister bells began to ring, and the entire console starting sparking. Smoke began to billow up, and minor explosions broke out across the controls.

The Main Console, After Repairs

I have never seen this behavior from her before, and back in the time vortex I began to necessary repairs and went to the Library to consult the ponderous volumes that make up the TT Capsule manual. After some hours of research, the conslusion I came to made my hearts both skip a beat.

It was there in the 23^rd codex, a warning I had learned in my Academy days and been cautious of during the Time War, but something I had thought to disregard following the fall of Gallifrey. Two Time Capsules cannot—must not—materialize in the same location in time and space. The results of such co-materialization would be disastrous. The Fallen Hour had refused to materialize at first to prevent this, and when I forced her, the results were violent. Two Time Capsules had collided.

This means that the others are out there, and moving. It means that even in the immensity of time and space we can cross paths. I have no way of knowing if this other Time Capsule was from the Celestial Intervention Agency on Zenobia, or some other survivors of lost Gallifrey, but I must be cautious. The Fallen Hour is stolen, and I am a soldier who fled his post. Further, I have no great love for the Doctor, or those who followed the policies he made that led us to disaster. These other Time Lords may offer me the comfort of my kin, or the judgement of my adversaries. I cannot yet know.