Dark Tower, Captain Trips, and Thinies! Oh MY!!

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 8660

"The Dark Tower, as I understand it from what I've read of the series by King," Stacy began in a soft voice, "serves as a huge control complex that prevents the uncontrolled overlapping of different universes."

You know, I think I'm going to have to read this some day. the Betties think to themselves, idly. It sounds very much like something I'd enjoy, and I do rather like King's writing.

"There are several facts here." Stacy continues, still looking ill. "One is the fact that some worlds are suffering under a biological weapon that got released by (you guessed it), Randal Flag. You may have heard of this germ warfare weapon, Captain Trips? It's a super flu that had been created in the book by King called The Stand."

"Ah, yes," the Doctor says, a little worried now (as well as the others),"that I've read."

"As did we," the Betties and Inquirer say together, ill at ease at where this is going.

"Now, to risk repeating myself," Stacy says. "The Dark Tower, as I understand it from what I've read of the series by King, serves as a huge control complex that prevents the uncontrolled overlapping of different universes. Now, due to the machinations of a demon by the name of Randall Flag, the functions of the Dark Tower (which looks like an impossibly tall version of the Leaning Tower of Piza, from what I read) have begun to malfunction. This is leading to tears in reality, "thinies", that allow uncontrolled crossings between universes. It's not a good thing, a thiny. See, it's not recommended to dwell a long time near a thiny....for the noise they give off (something akin to a damned soul or some such).....is bad for mental health. Also, if one gets to NEAR a thiny one runs the risk of staying IN a thiny. Basically, it acts like a siren song and whammies you into willingly walking into it and staying. Bad news. If one moves quickly enough through it, one can live. However, if one just STANDS in it, as I read it, it has the ability of absorbing you utterly (as in CONSUMING you)."

People are looking at the Rule and Agent, aghast.

"The number of Thinies had been growing at a frightening rate throughout various parts of the multiverse, causing the problems she mentioned before." Rule 1 sighs. "They also cause OTHER problems as well. In one of the books of the Dark Tower series, King had the heroes pass through a thiny into the world of "The Stand." Ah, but what of it?

"While a human may have difficulty passing safely through a thiny, the same is NOT true for a brainless germ!" the Agent sighs. "In other words, that disease is spreading to other Earths in other universes....and other worlds entirely. Another effect that I am to reveal is that if a TARDIS passes too close to one, a time/space throwoff is produced and thrown into various alternate universes. In this case, in a universe that follows the Dr. Who series to a "t", the fourth Doctor got duplicated several times. His twins lands on Leela's world - the one of this and the other Doctors in this TARDIS, and set up the situation that will eventually lead to Leela. But by the nature of the duplication these twins soon dissolve into nothing, preventing that duplicate from rectifying the problem he caused. Rules and Agents.....we aren't too thrilled with Thinies, and want the Dark Tower repaired ASAP to prevent more disasters caused by them."

"The good news is that we neutralized Flag, a would be set of three goddesses, and a man who'd.....been called Thaobath before becoming a monster called the Brazen Man." Rule 1 growled, remembering. "Still, the Thinies threaten the Grand Design and it threatens mortals. It threatens us. There is a bit of altruists in our desire to repair the Dark Tower. There is also a real sense of self preservation in there (thinies aren't exactly healthy for Agents or Rules in a way that's a bit metaphysical and will remain unnamed...for there is AGAIN no real words in this language you have for it). Let us just say that the Dark Tower.....serves as something like a....well.....Home Office."

The Agent and Rules look directly at the Doctor, who looks....a bit green around the gill by what has been said.

"Doctor....we tell you of this for we do not wish to appear domineering," Rule 1 says softly. "Yes, we are powerful.....but we are also very much humble servants to those all powerful gods or god that I and Agent 1 won't reveal by name. We do not wish to appear as gods, for we are NOT. We wish to fulfill our duties....as we see them. There is a lot not being said here, for it would be.....betraying trusts. But let it be known that as things are now, we Rules and Agents share a stake in what also effects you and your friends. We know that what you'll be doing appears to be..... extremely coercive, but believe me....it's the best we could do."

Silence.

Then the Doctor nods slowly, and the Rule and Agent sigh and nod also.

"And I think we have a few more questions," Rule 1 sighs. "Fine, but I'll answer them right now before they are asked....the other Doctors are really wondering just WHY they aren't getting anywhere. As for the question of will the Doctor and Companions be able to visit Betty 2's world after all this is over, the answer is no. The sad fact of the matter is once the Doctor completes his task....he'll become an Eternal Champion...who's assigned area is the universes of Terra Prime, his original universe, and the universes of the original Doctors. FYI, you will need to get the other Doctors and anyone who got dragged into this universe by what the Master did off this TARDIS before you attempt departing the universe. You'll just strain the ship for nothing. Ditto for attempts for them to leave via other means....just too anchored to this universe....afraid. Yes, Betty 2....I don't see why not you can't get your cats and Blake 7 videos, but don't miss the bus when the TARDIS leaves....since you're just dying to be his Companion. Yes, the other redhaired Betties are stuck as they are. Well, the other Doctors may complain about being stuck here in Terra Prime, but they jolly well better remember that they're alive anywhere! No, I nor my counterpart have any objects at who stays or goes as Companions, Melissa who is now an elf. Yes! Wendy Fletcher went out and dated Richard Pini...and eventually married him. Oh, and they formed Warp graphics and produced Elfquest. Yes, Kuriel IS from that universe that mimiced Elfquest. Eh, what happened? Well, sorry. That's something you'll have to ask him in a bit over eight years. He and his friends need to get born again and all. Yes, on Terra Prime....best place we could put Kuriel and the other Elfquest elves on short notice." "Don't, by the way, ever try merging the TARDIS with it's earlier of later self so that they occupy the same space at the same time," Agent 1 murmurs to the Doctor. "That's another thing we needed to tell you personally. Had a serious problem with that a bit ago."

The Doctor, knowing what such a temporal and physical paradox could do to a universe as a whole.....just turns white at the very thought.

"It's too horrible to contemplate," he whispers to himself, shivering.

"Finally, as for the Doctor....a bit of good news about the meddling Author C (for Chump) Scott Chen," Rule 1 finishes up. "Instead of turning the Romana against you, Scott's meddling backfired on him and the young Time Lady (a title they really should make official) got to really like what she learned of you.....got bit by the same bug that bit you....and now is actually wandering the universe.....your universe....meddling in affairs to make things better. That's why you have two of those small tokenized TARDISes instead of three."

"Good luck and my you do well," the Agent says with a final bow (oddly courtly in his biker garb). Rule and Agent vanish......

  1. There is a loud double THUMP heard throughout this TARDIS as the other TARDISes finally are allowed to re-materialize...and the situations on those TARDISes are.....

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4/3/2000 5:56:27 AM

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