and
Michael O'Brien
September 1988
USS McKay
The Protoculture power systems of the Veritech aerospace fighter came on line, and the craft throbbed with power held in check. Captain Ty'elle Dujhar, of the science scout McKay, often wondered which seat was more fun - the center seat on the bridge, or the pilot's seat he was in now.
The Veritechs were part of the dreadnought Pathfinder's mecha experiments, and these particular ones had been a gift to the new captain at his ship's commissioning party. They had served the Q-ship well as recon and auxiliary defense.
Ty was looking forward to some flight time - alone, just him and his mecha. He remembered an obscure Terran song quote, "If you're feeling low, driving's the cure!" He grinned. What would that singer have thought of this drive?
He kicked in the afterburners, and the plane shot from its storage slot. The wings and tailerons unfolded - not that there was air for them to use, but the alien devices which allowed the plane to handle so well in space still needed the aerodynamic surfaces for some reason or another. Perhaps Grin'elle understood it better.
Dujhar picked the closest interesting celestial object, and the '501 Blue' arrowed toward it. The last image anyone on the McKay would have received was of the VT doing barrel rolls into the heart of the newborn Spinner Nebula.
USS Pathfinder
"We can't see it yet, but judging from mass, dimensions, etc., I'd almost say it was one of the Veritechs," commented the Caitian.
"All of ours are accounted for," said Kriet in answer, "but these instruments are receiving Protoculture emanations."
"Who else in Starfleet, besides the Yeager and the McKay, would have one?" D'Arque asked.
"Only the Blade & Blaster special missions group. It might be one of theirs," Grin said doubtfully.
"Sirs, it's coming into visual range."
A blue plane with gold trim was pulled into view. Next to the Starfleet symbol on the nose were the numbers 501.
"It's Ty'elle's!"
"It doesn't seem to be damaged, but there's no one inside."
"Maybe he parked it and went to do some shopping."
Ebon grimaced. "Very funny." He hit the intercom. "Captain to bridge -"
"Bridge here," answered Kam Kazsis' voice. "I was just going to call you, sir. The USS McKay is an hour out and requests a rendezvous."
D'Arque was a bit startled, but answered calmly, "Confirm, and send them my regards. Hangar control out.
"Yet another interesting coincidence," he mused. Ebon set his jaw. "All right then. C'mon, Grin, I want to talk to you private before the McKay gets here. T'Renn, carry on."
"Sir." He continued the task of guiding the VT into the hangar. As the doors slid closed, T'Renn muttered, "More trouble. With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for Pathfinder."
D'Arque and Kriet stared at each other for a few moments. Finally Ebon spoke.
"Grin, it's time for some answers. We both know that weird things have been happening to this crew since the formation of the shuttle Nimitz. But ever since that disastrous shore leave at Wrigley's, things have gone from bad to worse. Now, for all we know, Ty'elle has disappeared into thin air."
Ebon waved at the port on the conference room wall, getting very worked up. "That's a 10 million credit investment floating out there; and we're just parsecs away from the frontier! You know what kind of trouble there would be if the Klingon High Command got hold of a VT?"
Grin'elle tried to calm him down. "Look. There's no point in wondering until we get more facts. Why don't we wait until the McKay rendezvous and find out what they know?"
There was sarcasm in the Kzin's voice. "You don't mean to tell me you had nothing to do with this? You always seem to know what's going on before anyone else does."
Kriet was hurt and angry. "I don't know anything more than anyone else. I didn't choose to be in the position I am today, any more than you did! If you think your early career was colorful, maybe I should tell you about mine someday!" He quieted suddenly, as if he'd said more than he intended. "If you don't want me as part of your crew anymore, sir, I'm sure we can come to an arrangement."
D'Arque settled, and for a moment Grin saw his old captain - the captain that hadn't had an arm chewed almost off. "No! - no. Grin'elle, I'm sorry." He put a hand over his face. "I should be getting used to this. But I'll tell you, I can't help feeling that there's a reason why we always get into these situations."
Kam's voice again sounded. "Bridge to Captain D'Arque. The McKay has drawn alongside; Commander Barrington has requested permission to beam aboard."
"A two-by-four," attempted Kriet weakly. Ebon flashed him a scowl - one that concealed a slight smile. "Confirm; I'll meet him in the transporter room. D'Arque out."
Just before Grin and Ebon reached the doors, they opened to reveal assistant CEO Quaver Rhapsody. "Oh, good. I've been looking for you, Grin'elle." Quaver had never stood on formality. "We've picked up a massive energy surge coming from your cabin. It didn't come from ship's power." Rhapsody nudged him. "Been doing a little tinkering up there, huh?"
The look on Kriet's face was neither sheepish nor jovial; in fact, he seemed stricken. Without a word he headed toward the turbolift, his strides getting longer and faster with each step.
"You okay, Grin? You need some help?"
The engineer turned to face them as the lift doors opened. "Maybe you were right after all, captain. It seems that the past does haunt one ceaselessly - no matter what one does." He stepped into the lift, and it whisked him away.
Quaver stared at Ebon. "Bad timing?"
"Understatement."
Grin Kriet stared at his cabin door, thoughts chasing madly through his head. He reached out to touch the white-on-gold stripe beside the numerals 03 which identified the suite as that of the Pathfinder's Engineering Chief and Second Officer.
After he agreed to leave, they had agreed to leave him alone. It had taken him years, but he had rebuilt his life. He hadn't broken the deal! What right had they to do this?
He calmed. There was no proof. Recent events could be due to any number of things; and there was only one good way to find out.
His finger broke the door sensor field; and it hissed open. Grin'elle Kriet, Time Lord, stepped slowly into the completely empty stateroom. It was bare to the walls. Now, he was a true exile.
D'Arque and Rhapsody had entered the transporter room, where Chief Jeffrey Matthews was preparing to beam aboard the McKay party.
"T'Renn told me that he's confirmed it's VT 501. He also asked what the doll in the red mandarin dress is for?"
Quaver didn't get it, but there was mirth in Ebon's eyes; a rare event in recent times.
Matthews' attention was drawn back to the board. "Ready for transport, sir."
"Energize."
Three figures formed and clarified on the platform. The first, wearing commander's bars, stepped forward. He looked stiffly at the large Pathfinder insignia on the wall; the man just behind him felt his face, checking to make sure it had all arrived; and "Hate transporters," the third figure's translator said as they all descended.
CDR Montor Barrington strode toward the unmoving D'Arque with all the arrogance of his high Avalonian birth. "Permission to come aboard, lord sir."
"Granted. Er, these would be vice Exec James Dunson and your Security Chief..." Ebon always had trouble dealing with the appearance of that officer; he wasn't even vaguely humanoid, being instead a horizontal cylinder rimmed with sharp discs.
"Raul Lax, sir."
"Ah, yes. It has been a while. This is ACEO Quaver Rhapsody, and Transporter Chief Jeffrey Matthews. Shall we go to the briefing room? I need to talk to you about your CO."
"Exactly the subject on our minds, lord sir."
Grin'elle sat on the floor beside his closed cabin door. He stared motionless at the stateroom. Everything he owned was gone: his holovid tapes, custom-designed tools, even his planet-side hat was gone.
Far worse was the loss of Indiana Jones. A small, golden-furred native of the planet Zarathustra, the Fuzzy had been adopted by Grin when the little thing had sneaked aboard and circumstances made him impossible to return.
"They've caused the illegal transport of an unwilling sapient being - that's a serious charge," he said to the walls. That thought brought back painful memories, which Grin was trying to shut out when a knock scrambled his thoughts.
He slapped the door button, and Quaver entered, having escorted the McKay party to the briefing room. He stopped dead, dumbfounded by the suddenly empty room. All he could think of to say was, "Traveling light, now?"
"Just not my day, I guess," answered Grin in a monotone. "First Ty, now this. 200 years of a lifetime, erased." He looked at a bewildered Rhapsody without seeing him. "Once, long ago, I was ripped from everything I knew and held dear. This is as bad." Abducted... The word echoed in his mind.
Quaver lifted his superior to his feet. "I don't know what's happened, but the captain requests your presence. We can take care of this later; right now we need to see about Ty'elle. He better not be playing some tanjed joke; the captain's ready for murder now anyway."
The door slid closed. Kriet faced it again, blankly. "I don't know what I'm going to do..." he said quietly.
Quaver was starting to get even more worried. "Grin'elle? Commander!!"
The unusual military address from Rhapsody snapped Kriet back to reality. He shook his head. "Thank you, Rhaps. I'm not feeling myself today."
Quaver almost made a ribald comment, but thought better of it - another first. They headed for the turbolift.
"Well, Commander?" Montor Barrington turned eyes like twin phasers on Kriet as he sat down. Grin'elle was taken aback by the hostility. "We think it must have been pirates. What we don't understand is why they didn't steal or damage the 501 Blue as well. Any ideas?"
Kriet got tired of the look and returned an equally intense one. "I don't think it was pirates," he said quietly.
Dunson looked uncomfortable. "Ty'elle has been involved with... certain unsavory elements... in the past. Perhaps they held some grudge..."
"It's not them."
"Well then, my good lord," sarcasm ate holes in the table, "who the hell is it?"
"My theory is that some old acquaintances of mine are using him to get to me." Grin looked for a moment as though he was about to break into hysterical laughter, then it subsided and he was deadly serious.
He turned to Ebon. "I don't have all the facts yet. However, there's no way of getting him back right now. They'll let us know what they want when they're good and ready," he finished.
Unnoticed, Llandhe t'Reilri, the Pathfinder's Exec and Security Chief, had been standing in the door for those last speeches. "Grin'elle, what ARE you getting at? When who's good and ready?"
"The Gallifreyans."
"Do you know these people? Can you tell us how to find them?"
"I know them very well. The problem is, he's been taken to another dimension. One which no Starfleet officer has ever visited - except myself."
"What fantasy!" exclaimed Barrington. "Do you write tenth-credit novels when you're off duty?"
"You may yell at me all you like; it's not going to help."
"In that case, I don't even see why we should listen to you." He turned to D'Arque. "Captain, you don't think -"
Ebon overrode him. "Gentlemen, I think we're all a little strung out. I recommend an adjournment, while we consider options."
A round of 'seconds' followed. The captain caught t'Reilri eye, and made 'I want to see you outside' motions. The rest filed out, except Dunson, who grabbed Kriet's arm.
"What do you want?"
James waited until all were gone, then motioned for Grin to seat himself.
"I'd like to hear more."
"Oh, really? I was just getting used to the rampant hostility."
Dunson winced. "Yes, well, I'd like to apologize for my superior. I don't think he was quite prepared for command on such a possibly permanent basis."
Kriet mellowed somewhat. "Yes, well, our own Exec had a similar problem recently."
"Which brings me to my first question. What the hell is going on with all you people? Half of you looked ready to kill the other half."
"Yes, I know." Grin took a deep breath, then tried to explain. "This is the latest in a series of bizarre things that have happened to the Pathfinder lately. It's kind of getting to all of us."
"I see." He didn't, really, but forged on regardless. "Well, try to understand my position. I've grown to know Ty'elle Dujhar pretty well. By extension, I feel I know a lot about you. I can tell there's more here than meets the eye." He leaned back in his chair. "Forgive some philosophy, but you two have been together for some time. I don't think it's your destiny to be permanently separated at this point. It's an abstract logic, but I trust it."
Grin'elle abruptly tuned away. "I appreciate the support, but, if I'm correct - of which I'm quite confident - he's in another reality right now; a different timeline. Half an hour ago, I had the means to rescue him. Now..."
James studied his fingernails. "Ever heard of the 'Infinidrive' project?"
"Sure. According to Ty, it's a powerful time/space engine which every respectable scientist in the galaxy has laughed at." He shrugged. "Never understood the concepts myself."
Dunson was finding his fingernails even more interesting. "Well, I've read Ty's personal files on it."
Kriet was shocked. "You -"
"Court-martial me later, okay? I was searching for any clue to his disappearance. Anyway, I found his personal notes - with all the technical details he never let anyone else see." He passed a folder to Grin'elle. "After reading all that, I think I actually understand it now. It really could work. Ty just couldn't explain it in non-tech terms."
Grin had been speed-reading, with the occasional "Ahh!", "Ah-ha!", or "I see!" He flipped through the pages. "I can't believe it! All that mumbo-jumbo of his actually made some sense!" He looked up. "Ty'elle was brilliant, but sometimes he couldn't explain the working concepts of a salt shaker."
"He had a prototype well hidden in the lower decks, too. Fascinating construct. Now, further on in that file, is the concept of the 'Ultrainfinidrive' motor!"
"The - what?"
"The Infinidrive is based on a dual universe. After you guys discovered the multiverse system, he scrapped the ID and began work on the UID -"
"'- which is a drive that could travel among all universes, and not just the 'biniverse' earlier theorized.'" read Kriet. He looked up and continued. "Or perhaps a birth control device."
"What?" Dunson was caught off guard. "Oh! Those. Very funny. No one's used one of those for two centuries."
"Just checking to see if you were awake."
"Wonderful. Anyway, if we can get his prototype working... of course, then, we'll have to figure out which universe he's in..."
Cold satisfaction filled Grin's face. "Leave that to me."
Ebon D'Arque's door buzzer sounded. "Come."
Grin'elle entered the captain's cabin, not knowing quite what to expect. D'Arque spoke without looking up. "Sit down." He had a rather effective tone of pleasant, polite command, and he used it now. Grin sat.
Ebon flicked the privacy switch. Effectively, only a red alert could reach his quarters now. Suddenly, he fixed Kriet with steely eyes.
"Grin'elle, I've known you for several years now, and throughout, there've been little bits and pieces I never understood. Out of professional respect, I've kept quiet all this time. But now the disappearance of a starship captain is involved, and I've run out of patience!" He continued in a calmer tone. "Now then. What is a Time Lord, where is Ty, and why is your cabin empty?"
The engineer gave him a long look, then made a decision. "It can't go beyond this room."
"Unless it becomes necessary for Ty'elle's safe return."
Kriet released a long sigh. "Fair enough. You know, it'll be nice to tell it. You'll be one of the few people in the universe who knows this. I'll warn you, it's complicated."
"I'm listening."
"There is a reality where the galaxy - Mutter's Spiral, as it is known to the advanced races - is divided equally between Daleks, Movellans, Rutans, and Sontarans. Ruthless warrior races, all of them. And Humanity is caught in the middle.
"There is another civilization there, a peaceful race, which technically confines itself to one planet. The scientific caste on Gallifrey has tamed a black hole for the purposes of time travel, to power their special machines. They call themselves Time Lords.
"Now, Gallifreyan society has stagnated. They are afraid to advance any farther, because advancement means risks. However, a few Time Lords reject this policy, and flee or are 'permitted' to leave. These are the renegades.
"Some of the renegades are selfish, evil men, others do-gooders; some just wander, attempting to collect the sum total of universal knowledge.
"All Time Lords have the power to completely renew their bodies, if near death, twelve times. This is regeneration. The thirteenth body, however, is a Time Lord's last, and he needs to make the best of it.
"Now, Sherman, set the Wayback Machine to about a decade ago. On the planet Camazotz, in this universe, two hybrid Camazotian-Terran boys - one orphaned and living with his friend's parents - have become men, and are trying to decide what to do with their lives. They are incredibly close.
"One night one of them is out alone, in a park near his house, thinking about life, the universe, and everything. Suddenly, a steel pillar zaps in next to him! It door opens, beckoning with bright light; our hero, having seen all nine Star Wars movies dozens of times, naturally enters.
"Inside is a renegade Time Lord, near the end of his last body. His final wish is to truly put one over on the High Council that exiled him. Our hero is not given a choice over his participation.
"With incredibly complex medical equipment, he alters the boy's already confused innards to read as a Gallifreyan's on any scanner. Then, he inserts psycho-hypnotic compulsions so deep our hero is not completely rid of them to this day.
"The boy is entered in the Prydonian Academy on Gallifrey. He spends decades getting the same training as the real Gallifreyans; his new innards apparently give him a Time Lord's lifespan.
"Just after his graduation, and entrance into Time Lord society, he is discovered - part of the now-dead renegade's plan to embarrass his peers. The time afterwards is unpleasant and we will not go into it.
"Finally, he is exiled to his own, original, universe. It is the evening he was abducted. The pillar, a sophisticated time/space machine, is still there - empty - the renegade's parting gift to his pawn. But our hero is changed, and though he and his adopted brother eventually enter Space Force Planetary Defense together, then Starfleet, Grin'elle Kriet never again feels quite as close to Ty."
Ebon sat back heavily. Finally, he broke the silence with, "That's quite a story."
"Isn't it."
"So. That's why the time machine, the regeneration, everything."
"Yes. Now the Time Lords are after me again; and they're doing it by kidnaping Ty'elle."
"And there's no way to go after them."
"I thought that until an hour ago... but it might not be true," revealed Kriet. "You may have heard about Dujhar's failed Infinidrive theories."
"Of course. Made him a laughingstock for a while."
"Well, there's an application of a variant of that which he has recently been working on. Some of his crewmembers and I wish to finish his work, and use it to rescue him."
D'Arque thought long and hard on that. "How long will it take?"
"About a week to finish the prototype. If the actual mission is a success, it won't take any time at all." He smiled. "I'll have my TARDIS back."
"You're going for double or nothing, aren't you?"
The grin faded. "He'd do the same for me."
Ebon sighed. "Commander Kriet, the doubts run as long as my arm. Nevertheless, I'll let you try. Good luck."
"You won't be sorry."
"I had better not."
"Hey, Grin! Wait up!"
Grin'elle spun about, as an Excalbian in human form raced after him. Kazar puffed a bit as he drew even. "Need some help?"
"What?"
"Well, your TARDIS has disappeared -"
"How did -"
Kazar overran the interruption. "Along with Indy Jones -"
"That's not -"
"Whoever kidnaped Ty is behind it -"
"That's only -"
"And you're going after them with some fool contraption of Dujhar's." Kaz beamed triumphantly. "Trust me pal, you need my help."
Grin sighed. "How did you find all this out?"
"You know. 'The only thing faster than Transwarp -"
"- is starship gossip.' Right, right. I know when I'm beaten. Yes, I do need your help. I can use a astrophysicist to help me assemble Ty's Legoland space drive."
"Good. Besides, Kam'd kill me if I didn't go. Her Fuzzy is screaming to see Indy."
USS McKay
Most of them stood in McKay's Engineering section, gazing at a hopelessly tangled mass of technology. In places, it seemed as though crystal-state circuitry was hooked into ancient lengths of lead piping.
"That's gonna take us to another dimension?" exclaimed Banzai, an incredulous look on his face.
Kazar seemed to agree. "Looks more like Unicron's intestinal regions than a space drive."
"I can't help that." Kriet didn't exactly seem to brim with confidence either. "His theories make sense, and this is the practical application."
"Are you sure you mean 'practical'? Choose your words with care."
Grin's reply was cut off by Phaser's emergence from the guts of the device. "Finish, Pappy G'in," he said as he climbed to Grin'elle's shoulder.
"Very good, Phaser," he congratulated. "I don't know how Ty figured on finishing this thing by himself. He'd have had to install that last circuit by remote control."
"That sort of thing never bothered him much," observed Dunson.
Rhapsody approached. "I've hooked that thing into the warp drives. You'll have everything two FWB's can give."
"And we're tied into the helm; so we're ready to roll.
"All right. To the bridge, everybody! Rhaps, you and Barten stay here and monitor things. We'll keep a com line open."
Barrington took the center seat; Grin'elle occupied a flag officer's chair erected behind and to the right of the captain's chair. Elson took the helm, and Kaz handled navigation and communications next to him. Dunson took his sciences station.
Raul Lax rolled from one turbolift. "Ship secure, sir. Awaiting orders."
"Open a channel to the Pathfinder," requested Kriet. D'Arque's face appeared on the main screen.
"You people are crazy, you know that?" said the mutant Kzin resignedly.
Montor didn't seem to hear. "Captain, we will move to a safe distance, then activate the Ultrainfinidrive. If the mission is successful, we will return immediately."
"Very well. Although you are captain of the McKay during Ty'elle's absence, I am appointing Commander Kriet Mission Commander, for his familiarity with Gallifrey and Captain Dujhar." That didn't sit well with Barrington at all. "Good luck to you all. Pathfinder out."
Montor glanced back at Kriet. "Well. Mr. Elson, take the McKay out to 1500 kilometers, where we will activate the UID."
Grin hit the intercom. "Rhaps, are the formulae in the UID control computer?"
"Near as I can tell, boss."
"Good. Kaz, you have the coordinates for Gallifrey, once we enter that reality?"
"Right here."
He sighed deeply. "Ty, I hope you were right!"
"1500 klicks, sir."
Barrington took a deep breath. "Activate!"
USS McKay
Phaser was wrapped tightly around Kaz's leg. Elson's eyes were unfocused, and Raul definitely looked ill - somehow.
Grin'elle found voice first. "We damn well better get my TARDIS back," he said through a dry mouth. "I'm not doing that again."
"Did we arrive?" Kaz croaked.
Scott was still having some difficulty. "How the hell should I know?"
"Oh, we're here," assured Kriet. "I'd know the feel of this timeline blindfolded." He wiped sweat from his brow. "Captain, I suggest a rest before we proceed to Gallifrey."
"Not like. Not like at all," Phaser kept repeating. Grin agreed wholeheartedly.
"Wise advice, I think," conceded Montor. "Scott, put the computer on automatic station-keeping. And set it to alert us if anything bigger than that Fuzzy approaches. I think I'll be in the sauna."
He spent a short time there, then went to the main Rec hall, where he found Grin'elle making light-patterns on the vitronic-B board. He approached, but Grin was completely absorbed.
"Ahem."
Grin looked up. "Oh. Hello," he said warily.
"I think I owe you an apology, Kriet. It all worked after all."
"I don't blame you. To be honest, I didn't think it would work either. If it had run off of faith, I doubt it'd have found fuel anyplace on the ship."
He was quiet for a bit. "There is, aahhh, something else. My fitness for command may not be at its peak; I had a hallucination... why are you smiling?"
"I'm sorry. You don't need to worry; it always happens when you move between realities. The exact type of vision depends on the circumstances. If it's not too personal, we usually compare notes afterward."
"Well, I saw captain's bars, just floating before my face. Does that mean Ty is dead, and I'm going to get them?" He didn't sound cheered by the prospect.
"Maybe it means Ty is alive and we'll see him soon."
"I like that idea better. Uhh... What did -"
Kriet anticipated him. "I saw a woman. Very beautiful, with hair darker than space. Could mean anything, including the fact that I haven't had any in a while."
Barrington frowned at that, and Grin changed the subject. "Kaz says two children appeared to him - a brown-haired girl and blond boy. He thinks they'll be his children!"
"Offspring of Kammara and Kazar? The next generation had better batten down the hatches!"
"No kidding."
"Well. Maybe I'll believe you next time." He stood up. "We ought to be getting a move on."
"Okay."
"We've reached the coordinates given by Commander Kriet, sir... and there's nothing there."
"Somehow, I'm not surprised. Now what, Grin'elle?"
Kriet walked over to the helm panel. "Maintain this flight pattern," and he entered in a course.
"That's an orbit around empty space," Elson objected.
"Not really. Kaz, open hailing frequencies, please."
"Open."
Kriet seemed to grow an inch or two, and there was a new timbre in his voice - one almost arrogant.
"This is Jaxmegorocnoctil of the Prydonian College. I ask an audience with the High Council of the Time Lords to discuss the matter of the disposition of my Time Capsule and the occupant within.
"Kaz, close hailing frequencies."
Barrington stared at Kriet. "Did I suddenly stop understanding English? What was that nonsense?"
"Probably the only way we're getting home. Look, I really don't have time to give you the story right now; and since there're parts that I still don't believe, I'm sure you'd have trouble."
The space detailed on the viewscreen shuddered, then a large planet faded into being. Its surface was mostly desert wasteland, with tight knots of civilization here and there.
"Eeeuh," commented Elson.
"No kidding. Earth barely avoided ending up like that," Kriet said.
Kaz was squinting at the screen. "It looks funny. Like those tapes you made of Wrigley's caught in the time loop." He repressed a shudder.
"Well, there's something similar involved. Gallifrey is surrounded by a transduction barrier. The entire planet is a few seconds ahead of the rest of the universe. Very little gets in without permission."
Unconsciously he lowered his voice. "Except - perhaps - Ty's new drive. If we get into too much trouble, you might be able to use it to get us out."
"Might?"
"Well... we'll just try to stay out of trouble."
"When have I heard that before?"
Any reply Grin'elle may have made vanished in the thunder of the bridge speakers coming on at full volume. "GRIN'ELLE KRIET; YOU AND TWO OF YOUR COMPANIONS HAVE PERMISSION TO PASS THROUGH THE BARRIERS."
That was all. After his hearing returned, Montor said, "They called you Grin'elle instead of Jacksupercallifragwhatever."
Kriet looked sour. "Yes. They refuse to admit to my existence as a Time Lord. Nothing new. Montor, I'd like you to come along. A little disbelief once in awhile will keep my feet on the ground. Aaand... Quaver, I think." He smiled. "A secret weapon. One thing few Time Lords can understand is frivolity. Kaz, try to get a reading on the barrier when they open it? If I yell, it won't be Wolf."
"Sure thing. Good luck."
"I'll need it. Mr. Lax, would you do the honor of beaming us down..."
The Capitol, Gallifrey
"I believe it is 'Commander' Kriet?"
"Correct. Quaver Rhapsody; Montor Barrington; this is the Castellan, the head of the Guards." Grin assessed the Castellan's escort. "I'm flattered. Surely you couldn't think three Starfleet members could cause that kind of trouble."
"We have dealt with renegades before, Kriet." He turned, and the escort reformed around the Batron members. "We have prepared quarters for your stay. The Council will hear your petition soon." He led them from the Panopticon.
Barrington moved in close to Grin'elle. "I don't get this," he murmured. "That guy is definitely acting strange - even considering what little you've told us."
"They've got a real problem," Grin answered. "They're torn between typical polite, ritualistic behavior - hammered into them from day one - and complete disgust for me and what I stand for. We'll certainly have to play our cards close to our jerkins on this jaunt. A push either way could ruin things."
They turned a corner and entered a large suite of rooms. "Remain here until you are contacted," ordered the Castellan, and left with the escort. The door slid shut.
Rhapsody tried it, fully aware of what results he would get. "Locked, of course."
"Of course."
"And no windows, either," commented Montor.
"No. This whole city is like a large, complex building. Most Time Lords don't even know that there's an outside." Grin flopped onto a couch. "Things are sure to get exciting; I recommend rest for all of us."
"But what if they call us?"
"Time Lords live for thousands of years. They don't hurry. We have plenty of time."
"But don't we have a plan? What about Ty and your Fuzzy?"
Kriet sat up. "Look. They know about human impatience. They'll be assuming that if we do something rash, it'll be soon. So if we don't - they'll relax; and that's when we'll do something rash. Trust me, I feel the same way as you; but I know these people." He dropped back. "Now get some rest. That's an order."
The others traded glances, then found couches of their own. Soon they were all in uneasy catnaps.
The sounds of combat woke them. Grin'elle was astonished. "Combat? In the Capitol? What's going on?"
The chaos grew nearer. Montor grimaced at Kriet. "Really brilliant idea, coming down unarmed."
"You're right. Next time, we'll do it different."
"Next time?!"
"Shhh."
The door shook with hasty thumps. "Open, in the name of the Prydonian Chapter!"
Rhapsody's jaw fell. "The lock's on their side!" he hissed. Grin'elle motioned at him and Barrington to flank the doorway. Grin did something strange to the door control, and it popped open.
"What can I do for -" and Kriet fell under a staser blast.
He regained consciousness to find Ty'elle standing over him. The initial welcomeness was displaced by Ty's sour expression.
Dujhar shook his head. "Well, if it isn't Grin'elle Kriet, trouble magnet for the entire Orion arm. Hanging around you is a dangerous pursuit. One minute I'm minding my own business doing Immelmans in a VT, next minute, I'm looking at the inside of yet another frickin' jail cell. So fill me in; what have you done this time?"
Kriet had trouble focusing. The staser was built by Gallifreyans to use against their own people, and it affected him worse than most stun weapons. "Agl..."
"Oh, come on." Ty'elle heaved him from the floor onto the single bunk. Grin'elle squeezed his eyes tightly shut, then opened them again. "Believe it or not," he started, "this one's not my fault. Uh... this is gonna take a while. You see, first we found out you were missing; then they stole my TARDIS and Indy Jones. We used the Ultrainfinidrive to come and get you. But, I think they came and got us..."
"Who's they?"
Kriet launched into the story. By the time he began to wind up, Ty was looking a little more friendly. "You know, I'm not even going to ask why you never told me this. I don't think I could have in your shoes."
Grin relaxed some. "I'm glad you understand."
Ty'elle was already elsewhere. "You say the UID works, do you?" Immense self-satisfaction filled his face. "Those tork-choppers at FIST were wrong, and I was right! Oh, wait 'till I get back..." Kriet said nothing. Ty's battles with the Federation Institute of Science and Technology were legendary.
A woman walked into view on the other side of the cell force field. "Jaxmegorocnoctil. I always knew you'd end up like this."
Kriet stiffened at the first word from that particular throat. A computer could have managed more emotion as he said, "Ty'elle Dujhar, meet Time Lady Carralasiretomin. Carrala, Ty'elle. Slumming, Carrala?"
Her mouth twisted. "There's no need to act so upset, Jax. You may not credit this, but I bear you no ill-will. In fact, I've come to see if I could help you."
Ty gave the woman a long look. She had rich brown hair, of a style and length he knew Grin admired. Her face was an odd mix of the childlike and the regal.
Grin's tone warmed a bit. "After that tearful separation scene, I'm surprised you'll even associate with me. As far as the High Council is concerned, I'm poison."
Ty'elle had been lost a few sentences ago. "Separation scene?"
"Yes. Until I was revealed as a mutated Camazotian, Lady Carrala was my fiancee."
"... You love those conversational bombs, don't you, Grin?"
"There's worse, Mr. Dujhar. Your pedigree is the least of the Council's problems, Jax. You see, I was the one who ordered your abduction from the guest chambers. you are talking to the head of the Revolutionary Council of Gallifrey."
There was a pause. "The what?"
"There's much to tell you. May I have your word not to do anything stupid? We can adjourn to more comfortable surroundings."
They readily agreed; whatever happened later, for now they wanted to hear more. Carrala took them to a well-furnished office, decorated by artifacts from many planets - Terra and Camazotz among them.
"I see you've been to the Starfleet frame," Grin commented.
"It goes with the job," she said. "I wasn't the first, either. I think you'll want to sit down."
"Okay. Why?"
"The first leader of the RCG reached the end of his final regeneration about 250 years ago, Gallifrey time. He had no successor, and he wanted to keep the High Council off balance until one appeared. His plan was - well, now it would be considered rather cruel - but it did work. He decided to put a false Time Lord through an Academy - arrange for his installation on the High Council - then reveal the fraud. Every race in Mutter's Spiral is too well known... so he took a young sentient from a similar reality..."
Grin's teeth clenched until they seemed about to pass through one another. "You mean -"
She couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm sorry, Jax. After I saw what the High Council did to you, I dithered for a few years, then joined the RCG myself; then I found out that it had been our idea all the time..."
He fell back in his chair, uttering a single, sharp, "Well."
The urgency came back to her mood. "But there's worse. The Hospital had your cell-samples on file; after they got rid of you, they changed their minds and grew a clone of you. His job was to retrieve you and replace you; if the RCG ever tried to contact you again, he would notify the Capitol. Unfortunately, their frame-crossing techniques weren't quite as good as ours; they lost touch with him, and nobody knows what happened."
Grin let out a laugh of tired astonishment. "I do. He's no longer anybody's worry. He died in an attempt on my life."
"The Mirror Pathfinder," Ty exclaimed. "I wondered how you could have a double in that reality."
Carrala waited until it was obvious they weren't volunteering more. "Well, he had another mission. Apparently, in your home frame, there was to rise soon a young, brilliant inventor who would revolutionize space-time theories there. He would cobble together a new drive system exceeding the capabilities of the newest, latest, TARDISes; it even would cross between reality frames with ease."
Ty sat up. "You're kidding. You mean to tell me -"
"That's right. The High Council sees your Ultrainfinidrive as the first threat to their control of the Time Vortex in millennia.
"So, this was our plan; we kidnaped Ty and your TARDIS, Jax, in order to draw you and the UID to Gallifrey. You two and your machines are the key to the final overthrow of the High Council!"
Ty'elle shook his head, and broke the surprised silence. "Ja- Grin, I think I owe you an apology. Looks like 'trouble magnet' applies to more than one person in this room."
Grin'elle's eyes hardened slightly. "What about Indy Jones?"
"Uh... oh! The short, golden-furred creature. We've taken good care of him. He's in perfect health. Quite a attractive primitive, actually. I wouldn't mind having one."
"I'll want to see him."
"That's fine. We'll arrange it. Now, Jax, what about my proposal?"
There was cold mirth in his eyes. "I've heard that line somewhere before."
Carrala leaned over her desk and locked eyes with Grin'elle. "I'm even willing to start over in that respect, if you want. We need your help." She glanced at Ty. "We need both of you!"
"You can't buy me that way."
The Time Lady lowered her eyes. "I didn't really mean it like that... I'm making an honest offer. When I found out you weren't a 'real' Time Lord, I was repelled. Now, it's the 'real' Time Lords that repel me... and I begin to see why our first leader did what he did. It was an awful thing - but the alternative could be even worse."
Grin rubbed his eyes. "Every cell in my body is screaming warnings, but... Yes, Carrala, I will help you. As to the other - we'll take it up later."
A voice shouted, "Right! That'll be enough. All of you, remain where you are!"
The door vanished in the beam of an energy weapon. Grin shot a betrayed look at the woman, but here eyes were wide with horror and surprise. Staser beams enveloped them all.
Rhapsody hissed, "All right, Monty, where are we now?" He and Barrington were crouched in a service tunnel which they'd been forced to duck through during the fighting at the guest quarters. The Capitol Guard had been involved, as well as another, unknown group, and the Fleet officers had used the confusion to bug out. It had seemed to take hours for them to get as far as they had.
"If I remember correctly, we should be heading back toward what Kriet called the Panopticon. And if you call me Monty again, I'll kick you in the teeth."
Quaver and Montor inched forward for another eternity, finally running against an intricate grillwork. In front of them was indeed the Panopticon. Just blow them, Ty'elle and Carrala were under close guard, and on a small raised platform, surrounded by dozens of dignified-looking Time Lords, was Grin'elle. He was listening with disdain to a proclamation made by one in especially ornate robes; the Chancellor.
"- and having been forbidden under pain of immediate termination to return to Gallifrey, the accused did so nonetheless, and proceeded to mock our leniency by conspiring with dangerous dissident elements."
"You mean you're actually admitting to dissidents?" interrupted Kriet. "Boy, you've really loosened up since my last visit."
"Therefore, at this time, we will carry out the too-long suspended sentence. Grin'elle Kriet, do you have anything to say before your termination begins?"
He considered. "Actually, yes I do." Grin took a deep breath, then screamed at the top of his lungs, "Rhapsody! Get the fuck in here!"
A dangerous smirk appeared on Quaver's face. "I think that was an order, Commander."
Montor actually smiled. "I think you're right."
The grill exploded outward, and the two landed on Ty's and Carrala's guards. Ty'elle didn't allow himself the luxury of surprise; instead he spin-kicked the other guardsman, while the Time Lady snatched a fallen staser and began stunning everything in sight.
Grin was as surprised as anyone. "Now, that's what I call following instructions," he told Rhapsody as his bonds were cut.
They gathered themselves together. "Jax," Carrala breathed, "I know where we put your TARDIS!"
"Good thought, Lady. Do we have the whole tour? One - two - three - four - good. All right, everyone, stay close to the guide!"
They dashed through the corridors of the Capitol. Carrala took care of some further opposition, and soon they all had stasers. After what seemed like miles of more corridor, they rounded a corner, and a few hundred yards from them, Grin's TARDIS sat in an alcove.
"All right," gritted Kriet.
Then the corridor was wracked with explosions. Much of the roof headed toward them; they managed to duck into a storeroom before the hall became blocked.
The dust settled, and Montor peeked out. He reported, "The debris must be several meters thick, in both directions."
Ty raised his staser, but Carrala interrupted. "It won't work. Staser beams only affect organic material."
Montor continued, "We're pinned down for the moment. I'll call for a beamout."
Grin grabbed his arm as he pulled out the communicator. "No good. They'll have the transduction barrier at full power by now. The McKay would be lucky to hear us, much less beam us out."
Ty raised an eyebrow. "Transduction barrier?"
"Yeah. A time shield, powered by a quantum black hole, called the Eye of Harmony, at the center of the planet. Not even a supernova makes it through unless the High Council wills it."
The room rocked with further explosions. Carrala was seething. "Those idiots!"
"Do you know what's going on?" Rhapsody asked.
"Yes, I do," she said venomously. "The damn Revolutionary Council is making a full-scale attack. I've been holding them back, because they're liable to make Gallifrey a cinder unless the High Council surrenders - which it won't. But I've been written off, and now there's no one to stop them. Fools!"
Grin gave her a puzzled look. "How can they fight the power of the Eye?"
"We've been tapped into it for a long time, Jax. How do you think we ran our TARDISes? We've got as much energy at our disposal as the High Council. I don't think any of us will see another regeneration."
Suddenly Ty'elle grabbed the communicator from Barrington. "Transduction barrier," he muttered, thinking furiously. "Eye of Harmony. McKay, come in, do you read? Come in!"
A faint, staticy voice answered. "Captain! Is that you?"
"Damn straight, Scott. Tell me you brought Barten along."
"Sure, hold on."
"Moshi moshi?"
"Banzai - thank god. Listen. Did you people hook up the Ultrainfinidrive exactly as in my notes?"
"Of course! It made little enough sense the way you had it; I wasn't gonna mess with it any."
"Okay. Now go to the main console, and do exactly what I tell you. Set the subspace frequencies to 18 terawatts. Realign the projection mechanism to describe a radius of 500 megameters around the nearest singularity. Deactivate the Hawking overload cut-outs and switch in the gravity tension overdrive. Got that?"
"Got it."
"Good. Now get someone to the transporter, and the moment I tell you to execute, get us up there."
"Hai!"
"Execute!"
There was a subsonic throbbing, and the lights dimmed, then went out.
"What did you do?" Carrala asked.
"Threw a little Infinifield around the Eye of Harmony. Shortly, nobody and nothing will be getting power - not even the Barrier."
There was one last, loud explosion. The ceiling of the storeroom, already weak, began crumbling down over the five pillars of energy which vanished just before the roof caved in.
USS McKay
Ty walked over to where Barten Banzai was shutting the machine down. "You cut it awful close, there," he admonished.
Banzai shrugged. "Sorry, Captain. We've only got a skeleton crew; I had to run all the way here from Engineering."
Grin was fidgeting at the door. "Come on; let's get to the bridge."
Exactly as he said that, the room began vibrating in an ominous manner, and an alert siren went off. Barten swore and ran to Engineering; the rest of them followed.
Ty's invention sat near the intermix column, smoking, glowing and shuddering as if possessed. All but Ty, Grin, and Barten were mesmerized by the sight; the three engineers ran at the machine.
The artificial gravity wobbled, and Grin found himself airborne. Ty clung to the main monitoring board, head down, stabbing at switches. Barten could not be seen. Time and space split apart, and Kriet decided that he might finally get his chance to complain to his Maker about recent events.
With the same suddenness, the universe returned. The Ultrainfinidrive was a smoking mess, and the occupants of Engineering didn't look much better. "Holy -! What happened?" moaned Barten.
Everybody picked themselves up from the floor. Ty'elle grimaced. "Mmm, I hoped this wouldn't happen. The UID field fed back through the Eye. Any minute now, Gallifrey will be getting its power back."
Carrala imitated his expression. "And the fighting will resume."
Grin'elle was thinking with lightning speed. "I could have told you - saving civilizations isn't all it's cracked up to be. Carrala, how long do you figure until the Barrier is up again?"
"Perhaps ten minutes..."
"We've got to get back down there. Ty, is the rest of the Fighting Fifth ready for flight?"
"Yes..."
"Can you put a dual cockpit on one of them?"
"Sure..."
Soon, four deceptively primitive-looking shapes arrowed into Gallifrey's atmosphere. Grin radioed to Ty, "The Barrier must not be back up yet. We're still here."
Ty didn't reply. He was still trying to remember how he'd been talked into this in the first place.
Carrala heard something in Grin's tone she didn't like. "What are you planning?"
"I've decided I'm really tired of this crap - so I'm going to help you people put a stop to it."
"Ground level in five minutes, Grin," reported Quaver.
"All right, people. Prepare for mechamorphosis to Guardian mode on my signal..."
"Now!"
Four hands pulled four levers; and four fighter planes began to swap parts about...
The Capitol, Gallifrey
Finally, the Capitol Guard made its last stand in the cavernous Council Chambers; but man by man, they were losing the fight, as the remnants of the revolutionaries rallied for a final push.
Dimly, the combatants became aware of rhythmic thunder growing ever louder over the crackle and zing of staser fire. The high-pitched whine of alien energy weapons echoed through the corridors, underlaid by the grinding judder of automatic heavy projectile weapons. The battle slowed, as men and women listened in wonder.
With a titanic crash, four human-shaped fifty-foot machines in blue and gold colors came through one wall: Veritechs in Battloid mode. One of them pointed a titanic handheld Gatling machine gun at the ceiling and fired. Kriet's voice came from external speakers, saying "All right, schmuckoids; enough's enough. Throw down your arms or we'll wipe out the lot of you!"
There was utter silence. Then one revolutionary ran at the mecha, screaming and ineffectually firing his staser at it. Kriet gently kicked him into the nearest wall.
"Have I got everyone's attention? Good. Now then: somebody wants to speak to you, and she's got a little proposal to make..."
Carrala's voice resonated from the giant shape. "Peoples of Gallifrey! Hear me! Cease your self-destructive actions, for you bring your own deaths upon you. Gallifrey has reached a time of change, and it will take both sides to assure that the change is beneficial rather than fatal." The Battloid's head came forward, and her seat rose from the back of the mech. Carrala stepped onto the mechanical hand Kriet offered, and he gently lowered her to the ground.
"The commanders of both sides will come forward," he announced, casually waving the Gatling from side to side. Two men approached from their respective forces, walking nervously, but with heads high.
"A cease-fire is in effect as of this moment," Kriet continued. "Order your troops to lay down their arms!" The leaders glanced at one another, and complied. The huge robot head shifted its sensors to Lady Carrala. "My Lady, I expect the President will have moved to the protection of his private quarters. I'm sure that you can convince him to grant you an audience." She nodded regally, and swept from the hall.
Dujhar addressed the remaining combat teams. "Guys, I don't know much about Time Lord politics; but you've caused thousands of unnecessary deaths today. Your services don't appear to be needed anymore; perhaps you should leave now, and take time to consider what you've done." Casually, he changed clips in his Gatling. "Now." The soldiers dispersed.
Rhapsody climbed out of his borrowed mech. He stood on its shoulder waving his captured staser, and shouted, "Made it, ma! Top of the world!"
Kriet and Dujhar stood in front of a slightly different High Council. Carralasiretomin and her chief lieutenant now occupied seats at the table; and the room, despite hasty repairs, was still in sad shape.
"- you are both granted full pardon, on the following conditions;
"One. You never return to Gallifrey. And this time, do not take this directive so lightly.
"Two. Ty'elle Dujhar, you will cease all work on the Infinidrive and Ultrainfinidrive projects. They are a menace to civilizations of all frames.
"If these conditions are not met, the Combined Councils of Gallifrey will be forced to take drastic and unpleasant action against the violator and those who would aid him.
"Have you anything to say?"
Kriet was gaping. "Yes, I do." Ty cringed, remembering last time; but Grin simply said this.
"This civilization is one of the most arrogant, uncaring group of beings I've ever encountered. You who refuse to interfere, you play chess with peoples' lives constantly without need or care. No apologies, for sending someone to kill me; no apologies, for blaming me for the actions of your own renegade, or for kidnapings, or staser blasts - you must think you are gods.
"Well. If I was the Doctor, I'd stay and reform your bloody culture whether you liked it or not; and if I was the Master, I'd be ruling you by now. But as Jaxmegorocnoctil - Grin'elle Kriet if you like - I'll leave you to stew in your own inertia. You need not worry about my ever setting foot on this planet again."
He stormed out. Ty'elle planted his fists on his hips, and said, "I don't think I can follow that up." He flipped them a salute that somehow turned into an obscene gesture, and left the room after Grin.
Carrala ran past him, chasing Grin'elle. "Jax -" she began.
"Don't bother, Carrala. You've got your Council seat; and if I stay here five minutes too long, I'll have a staser hole where my navel was. There's just no point, is there? I hope you find a real Time Lord someday. Me... Well, it's going to be a long twelve regenerations." He entered his TARDIS, which had been moved to outside the chambers. Ty looked at her shrugged, and followed. The scraping noise began, and the TARDIS faded away.
One solitary tear rolled down Carrala's cheek; then the moment vanished, and she returned to the Council chambers, ready to dive back into the battleground of politics.
The two Camazotians stood at the TARDIS control console. "I'll materialize around McKay, and use the Multiverse Device to get us home. Frankly, Ty, I'm just as happy not to be using your drive. It worked, but it wasn't fun."
"Mmmmm."
"I think, when we get home, I'm gonna take a little leave of absence. There's a lot I've got to think about."
"Grin - I know this isn't much, but - thank you for coming after me."
There was a pause. "You're welcome. Maybe it'll be your turn one day."
Indy Jones ran from the inner door, trailing a twenty-foot, multi-colored scarf. "Pappy G'in! Look what Indy got on Ga'frey!"
Grin'elle picked it up. There was a note pinned to the other end.
'I couldn't stop this one; I don't quite have access to battle robots and starships. Thanks to you, we both have a future. Well done.
The Doctor'
He stared at it for quite a while; then ripped the note off, stuck it in a pocket, and stuffed the muffler into a storage locker.
Ty looked at him with concern.
"Let's go home," Kriet said.
END