Into the Realm of Madness

The interface is completed. It is time to put an end to this. I will admit, in what is, at least for now, the privacy of my own mind, to feeling slightly nervous. Yes, I've done far more dangerous things than this, many, many times... but perhaps not recently. Nevertheless, I flash my companions -- my friends -- a reassuring smile as I settle the helmet onto my head. I'm not sure it entirely succeeds in providing any real reassurance, though... Particularly not for dear Inquirer, who is looking rather grim. She leans over, her lips near my ear. "Sort him out, will you?" she says in a light tone that contrasts with her expression. "The damned thing's ranting is giving me a headache." I smile, more genuinely... and flip the switch.

The Doctor/Xoanon

I can feel the computer's mind, roiling patterns of chaos. It feels me, too, knows that I am here. And I feel it feeling me... Its mind presses in on me, overwhleming...

And we are in us. We are touching us. Melding with us. We must destroy us. Must destroy...

No! No, Xoanon, I am here to help you! I've come to remove the parts that are not you, to leave you whole. Let me help!

Yes, we must destroy us. Then we will be whole. I will be one with us. I am the Doctor. I am Xoanon. I am... I am...

Who am I?

WHO AM I? NOOOOO.....

Inquirer

The Doctor screams and throws back his head, his face contorted as if in extreme pain. It's... difficult to watch. It's even more difficult to keep myself from interfering, because, frankly, I'd like nothing better than to rip that helmet right off his head. But I'm not going to, of course, because the Doctor is the only one who can do this, and I've got to let him do it. Even if it's driving him mad. So I stand here and watch, and keep myself ready to help him when he needs me.

Damn, I hate feeling helpless. It's not a feeling I'm particularly used to...

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