The "I Believe!" Button.....

I cast an expectant look at my earlier self, awaiting an answer to Ace's questions. I have the feeling this is going to be interesting...

Elrondir

"Ah," The Doctor (shall refer to him for now Dr. Who for convenience) says, "A good question, stated or unstated. Let us move on while I explain....perhaps that one small eating establishment will do?"

"Wouldn't mind that at all," I put in from the side, putting my two credits worth in, "I rather think we might attract more attention than we may want in a second or three here if we keep standing about."

I emphasize my point with a slight head gesture towards what I believe is a girl that Betty had said was....very important to one particular faction of Daleks. She's almost the splitting image of that magically created image (one of several) of some of the more prominent players in the TV show that most closely resembled our current errand: REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS.

She had supplied us, along with images of the likely people we might meet, the basic outline of the story's plot for reference (as it were). The basics are covered in this one online article I have found recently:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/episode_guide/remembrance_daleks.shtml

However, we had not expected the "stars" of the show to drop in, Ace and the Doctor in his seventh incarnation. Why? We did not because prior to this journey, we had consulted with Dr. What and Dr. Which to determine who's universe we would have the easiest time in. After much discussion, we set out into Dr. What's universe because as we were told..... Well.... We thought it would be the easiest one.

Here is the thing. Dr. Who, now a Champion, has been tasked with "looking out" for Dr. What's universe, Dr. Which's universe, and his own in sort of a guardian position by the Rules and Agents. In the "Dr. What" universe, originally, there came a focal point created by the machinations of one Author Scott Chen. Two basic outcomes came from that focal point in time, creating two universes (and only two....which we'll talk about in a moment). In one universe, Dr. What was able to return to his "home" universe (through a long process that involved him becoming a Champion himself.....which story we don't need to go into right now). In the other universe, Dr. What couldn't return....so the Rules and Agents assigned Dr. Who as a guardian of sorts for it. The same story also applies to Dr. Which's universe. Fine and well. Think you are following so far, I hope. Now, here's a little curveball for you. The Rules and Agents protect their Champion's past from being altered. That way somebody (like the Master or Rani) can't just travel back and prevent Dr. Who from becoming a Champion. This "lock" if you will extends to us Champions as well....so once we became Champions we can't just travel back and.... You get the idea. This oddity creates something that I call a "quantum lock" on a universe's timeline as well. Since a Champion's timethread is connected (as it were) to a universe's timethread (i.e. events that happen throughout a universe's time impact the life events of a Champion) it means that the "guard" that the Rules and Agents put upon us Champions also effects the universe at large. The net effect is that all quantum fissioning....stops. For the duration a Champion dwells within a particular universe, no new universes come about. Confused? Well, let me put it this way.

Basically, in some theories of quantum mechanics there is the fact that something can be....and not be.....at the same time! That is, in one quantum universe events happen one way. In another, the outcome is different. Those two (or more) universes were the same up until a "focal point" (the outcome of an event or decision) and then split off into new universes (as it were), all which share a common history up to that focal point. Could give a long and eye glazing explanation on the math...but I'll skip it for sanity sake, okay? Just hit the "I believe!" button and move on. The discussion on time paradoxes alone I could tell you about could turn your hair white! The discussions I and my sister got into with the Doctor about time insertions (which involves the "true time travel" which Timelords enjoy and the "false time travel" which can produce the oddest of parallel universes.....With that "I believe" button, then put the "quantum lock" into play....where the quantum fissioning stops......Ah, just push the button again....okay?

Won't even go into the gory details on how, since the Alliance and the Military navigation system is kind of....anchored into Terra Prime's universe (touching it's timeline) means that since IT is being touch.....that one Homebase for us Champions.....it means that quantum fissioning.....

No.....that's for later....but I think you're seeing what I'll be saying.....already.....

Damn odd business.....

Now, we thought we had quiet a bit of time before we had to "bug out" to avoid meeting an earlier version of Dr. What (i.e. prior to him becoming a Champion). See, unlike in the TV show, the "younger" Dr. What's TARDIS will arrive about a week from now. The younger Dr. What will see that events will have happily have turned out as he'd hoped (i.e. the Daleks getting the Hand of Omega and accidentally fragging their own star system with it). All that without his help, apparently. He'll then leave to do other things.....

However.....

However, we hadn't figured on just how odd things would get once we got here. Witness this "Doctor" (furthermore nicknamed the "Professor" for my reference) and his companion, Ace. Betty and Ragan had told us about the Professor (basically as seen in this article):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/doctors/doctor7.shtml

.....but no picture was provided by them for us. They figured it wasn't needed, and I can't say that I blame them. This was a most unexpected thing....though I guess I should have expected the unexpected! Hell, finding myself and B'ellana reincarnated as elves was sure Fraggin' unexpected!

....

Ah, forgive my bad manners.

As for Ace, we've already met another version of her so we know her by sight....and have a pretty good grasp of her character (See the article here for a bios: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/doctors/comp_ace.shtml).

We avoid attracting the attention of that young blonde girl (for now) and duck into a small food service business. Actually, I'm feeling a bit peckish right now, so I actually enjoy the "fish and chips" as we quietly trade stories.

Keeping some secrets (the Professor always seems to have that habit), we learn basically something I find not totally surprising.

The Professor's TARDIS had been tampered with and while he had been able to prevent the craft from landing somewhere in another reality....in the past (Middle Ages he says)....he landed here instead.

The look that Betty and Ragan give each other tells me that they have a feeling that the Professor....barely avoided meeting yet another Twins of Doom scenario within that bizarre reality/unreality known as Addventure. Further question by Dr. Who reveals remarkably similar tamperings to the Professor's TARDIS that he and his analog "brothers" suffered from Author Scott Chen. What will come of that....

No, one thing at a time.....

Dr. Who has just given the Professor a basic rundown on what we are doing here and how he is just an analog of the Professor (that is in his third incarnation).....

Hmmm. Must ask Sigin sometime about how come the Doctors who seem to be in different incarnation stages of life don't suffer from the Doppleganger effect. Since Dr. Who and the Professor don't appear to have any strong (violent or otherwise) feelings towards each other.....

Later.....

"I wish we had not accidentally left Mel behind," the Professor says in a slightly drool tone towards Ace, who nods, "She would enjoy this."

Seems that the fellow doesn't believe us....

Turns out that we will find out that through quickly blurted questions from Ragan that the Professor and Ace just came from the events of an adventure reflected in that one TV Dr. Who episode: DRAGONFIRE.

"Oh voy," Betty mutters, looking a bit disgruntled.

Yeah, I guess this can be a touch confusing....

"My turn," I say from the side.

The others look at me and then some (all but the Professor and Ace) remember that it's my turn in the game of "The Companion Explains It" game.

I decide on being.....mysterious.....to start out.....

"All things serve the Beam.....they say...." I begin, paraphrasing from that Stephen King Gunslinger series (which Betty and Ragan have yet to read).

1. "Let me prove first prove to you that the Doctor here is not your younger incarnation by pointing out the wedding bands," I say, gesturing at my sister's and the Timelord's left hands.

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