TIMES' PIONEER
He looked at the sea of faces, all of them silently wishing him good luck. He welcomed their wishes and shared their concerns. All possible checks had been carried out, leaving nothing to chance. But even the easiest of tasks held a degree of risk, and this was no easy task.
But he had volunteered for this – not with any thought of becoming famous, but simply because he was the only one qualified. He had undertaken the initial tests, which had proved to be encouraging, and his subsequent work had led to this defining moment. And now it was time.
Time – a single word which now held such resonance for his people, particularly if the next few minutes were successful.
His flight helmet securely fastened, he settled himself into the pilot seat and began pre-flight checks. Satisfied that all was in order, he gave the signal to the tower before him. A moment later, his vessel rose from the flight deck and set off on its pre-set course to the Black Hole.
Omega was on his way.
He couldn't understand it. What could have gone wrong? Repeatedly he pressed the switch to ignite the retro rockets, but with no success. Sabotage! It was the only answer. But he had come too far to let this defeat him. If he could not return to Gallifrey, then he would at least give Gallifrey the legacy they had worked for.
Working furiously, Omega began to initiate the sequence that would harness the power of the Black Hole. Not until all computations were complete did he realise that there was not enough power to implement the final phase. And his ship was slowing drifting into the Black Hole's centre. No, he would not be beaten. There had to be a way.
Supposing… could the fuel elements of his own ship be modified, to create an implosion powerful enough to equalise the force required, and create a fusion to harmonise its effects? Yes, it could work.
Everything was ready. His life was about to end, but Omega accepted that his sacrifice would be worth it if time travel could be made a reality. His only regret was that he would not see Gallifrey's new future.
He opened his eyes, scarcely believing he was still alive. The explosion should have killed him outright, so what had happened? And, more to the point, where was he?
Pulling himself to his feet, Omega looked around at this unknown world. A vista of grey, as far as the eye could see. He idly wondered about searching for food, only to find a selection of fruits and vegetation on the ground before him – he was certain they hadn't been there a moment ago.
He picked up what looked like a peach and bit into it. There was nothing. No sensation of taste. As he threw away the peach in disgust, it vanished in mid flight before it could reach the ground. Omega blinked, aware of what he had just seen. The fruit had obviously been an illusion, a random thought made real. But the planet's surface was solid enough.
Could it be…? There had been theories about the balance of matter and anti-matter, and the possible existence of worlds beyond the known parameters of the universe. Was he now on one of these worlds? Certainly, it was possible that the implosion of the Black Hole might have created a temporary opening, thrusting him into a non-universe. If that was indeed the case, Omega realised that he would have a long wait in terms of rescue. But rescue would come. Gallifrey would not abandon him.
Why was he still here, stranded on a world of anti-matter? Omega had long ago given up measuring time in terms of days and nights, hours and minutes. For such concepts did not exist here. All there he could see was the interminable expanse of grey. He had quickly learned that in this world he could create green rolling hills and tall cities purely by force of will. But this illusionary power was all he had. He could pronounce himself a Lord, but was effectively Lord of nothing.
It had now been many years since his first day here, and Omega had become increasingly bitter, unaware that his mind had been affected by his long incarceration. Why had his fellow Gallifreyans left him to this fate? Did they consider him an embarrassment, something to be quietly forgotten about? If that was so, then he would have to devise a way to reach out to them – the name of Omega would be heard once again, in fear and reverence. And this time, he would not be so easily forgotten.
He sat quietly, thinking. It had been an audacious plan, and had almost succeeded. The Time Lords had been at his mercy. He had come so close to destroying them… but what would have been the point? If those plans had come to fruition, with all the inevitable devastation across the known universe, Omega would have been totally alone. Was this what he had been reduced to? A bitter, conceited man, incapable of clear thought?
"Ah, so there you are."
The voice shook him out of his reverie. "Who dares invade the realm of Omega?"
"I only want to talk with you." A device Omega recognised as a time bubble appeared before him, a Time Lord seated in its centre. "I rather thought I'd find you here."
Omega shrugged. "Wherever 'here' is. Who are you?"
The Time Lord hesitated. "Think of me as a friend."
"And have you come to gloat, Time Lord? To mock me in my despair?"
"Not at all," the Time Lord assured him. "I only wish to talk to you, away from that world of anti-matter."
Omega took in his surroundings for the first time. All around him was black – no shadows or features to identify. Only the time bubble gave off a fluorescence that illuminated both figures. "What has happened? Where am I?"
"We're in a nowhere," came the reply. "A state of grace where no one else can get in the way." He smiled. "I arranged this."
"Then I am free?" Omega hardly dared hope. "The Doctor had once promised me my freedom." His defeat at the hands of the Doctor was still uppermost in his thoughts.
"Alas, no." The Time Lord was truly sorry. "Death is the only true freedom, as I am sure you appreciate."
"Then what…?"
"This is only a temporary measure. A stop-gap, if you like." The Time Lord leaned forward, the light now framing his high collar. "I have arranged this meeting to find out what you truly want."
"What riddles are these?" Omega ranted. "You know the answer. I desire my freedom."
"Freedom to do what? It cannot be revenge against our people, for you now know that they believed you dead, perished in the explosion that harnessed the energies of the Black Hole."
"I know nothing of the sort."
"Do not think to fool me, Omega!" The Time Lord sat bolt upright, a stern look on his face. "You have telepathic powers, as do we all. You know I speak the truth."
Omega was taken aback by the force of this man's words. For the first time he felt the power this Time Lord held, almost tangible. And there was the realisation that his statement was true. And with that acceptance, Omega knew that any anger levelled at his fellow Time Lords was now misplaced. The desire for revenge was fading, replaced by a different need.
"I ask you again, Omega. What do you want?"
The former stellar engineer could not look away from that stare. "I want somewhere to… to belong," he finally answered, his voice hushed.
"I see." The Time Lord seemed to consider. "There may be a way… but you will have to be patient. I have not yet reached the high office I seek, but when that time comes I will be better able to aid your release."
Omega nodded. "I have waited for millennia. A further passage of time can be tolerated." He was curious. "But why have you waited until now to approach me?"
"Because there has been no opportunity for me to act before now," the Time Lord replied. "And if I had given myself away, all would have been lost – for both of us."
Omega understood. "While I am impatient to be free, I have learned that to be patient is indeed a virtue."
The Time Lord smiled. "You will be returned to your rightful place on the High Council," he promised. "Now, I must leave before I am missed. And, I regret, you must return to your world of anti matter."
But there was something Omega had to know. "Wait," he called. "Who are you? What is your name?"
The time bubble was already losing its solidity as the Time Lord began to fade away. But a name floated in the air long after Omega had returned to his grey world.
Omega allowed himself a brief smile. At last he would be returning home to Gallifrey. To leave this dull existence behind and reclaim his rightful place in society. "Until our next meeting," he murmured.
"Chancellor Borusa."