Disclaimer

here it is, the prologue of the story I was writing with a few others, the chapter"Break in the weather" goes after this... please enjoy..

I own nothing, the BBC owns the Doctor...

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Pulchandtra

PROLOGUE BEGINS . . .


Central in the folklore of space faring cultures is the legend of Pulchandtra, widely thought of as the most terrifying place in the universe.
Whilst planets such as Harcon, Lucils and Zamper are widely known for selling arms to whoever needed them, Pulchandtra was legendary for where you could go to extract information.
Some cultures spoke of Pulchandtra as a huge starship, always on the move, invisible to any sensor created.
Others insist Pulchandtra was a city, or a planet, or a space station.
No one really knew of course, because it didn't really exist.
It was the sort of place that used to stare little children, or was used in empty threats:
"Pulchandtra will deal with you!"
The idea of an organization of bounty hunters that specialized in torture was too much for even the most anarchistic mind.
No evidence of it exists. No records have ever been kept.
It was just a story. It was amazing then, that no one even considered the truth.
No one ever entertained for the moment that the stories that were told were all true.

What was known about, in certain circles, were the Evaluators?
When a prisoner was being difficult and had special training to resist certain types of "traditional" torture - then higher power was used, or more creative methods were used, or the experts were assigned.
But if the information was valuable enough, no one wanted the subject dead.
The information must be sought.
The information was paramount.
The Armies of Hodesson needed the defense codes of the Medillans.
The Daleks of Skaro needed the human factor of Earth people.
And so the intergalactic signal was used. Not pinpointed to anywhere in space, just broadcasted on a special frequency as far as your subspace transmitter could take it. They would hear it. They ALWAYS heard it.
And then the Evaluators came.

The Evaluators made sure that the clients had exhausted all possible means at their disposal. They made sure that the information was worth the effort, and then whether the client had enough credits to fund the enterprise.
The "information business" was very expensive.
Possibly the most expensive things money could buy. After all, what could be more precious than secrets?

It is said, though not known, as fact that all an Evaluator would do, would be to put a small metallic laurel over the prisoner's head.
Any time from ten minutes to ten days, the prisoner will have suffered so much that the information will slip and the transaction has been made.
Always a complete 100% success rate.
The prisoners always beg for death afterwards, but what happens after is not the concern of the
Evaluators.

"When a client asks an Evaluator what they actually do to get the information, the Evaluators reply that they are sending them to Pulchandtra.
The clients always scoff at this. Firstly, the prisoner never leaves the room - secondly, Pulchandtra was a myth. It always had been.
They laugh, but the Evaluators know the truth.
Pulchandtra was not a ship, or a planet, or even a pocket-sized universe.
Pulchandtra was unique in every case. But the secret of Pulchandtra was only known to the Evaluators, and no-one else even suspected the truth - except for those who had visited - and they were long dead before they could ever make any true sense of the horror . . ."

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The Monasas system was a fairly inconsequential part of the Andorian galaxy.
No one really went there, as the inhabitants never sought company from off-worlders.
They did occasionally trade with the Earth Empire, but very rarely.
Invaders usually didn't bother with the system.
There were no valuable minerals found on the worlds, no important stones - nothing remarkable.
Monasas was basically a boring part of space. It was the perfect cover, then, for the intricate plan that had been devised, manipulates, argued over, and engineered for generations upon generations. It was time. All the players were in position, and the scene was set. Time to send the signal.

The universe screamed at the message.

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The small shuttle streaked through the warp field approaching the planet Kandidas. A black glove reached forward and adjusted the speed of the ship.
No need to get there too early, thought 1798-B.
It was important to appear punctual, but not overeager.
1798-B was a seasoned
Evaluator, this case making it his 200th, and the marking of an honorable career.
He reached for the data pad resting on top of the console, and punched a few numbers in.
Soon information blinked up at him, and he considered it carefully.

To: The Evaluators
From: Fistatra of Kandidas.

Subject needed to be apprehended and brought for interrogation
Subject extremely dangerous, extremely experienced, and extremely intelligent.
Subject is worth 5,000,000,000 credits, and will pay twice as much for possession of the information.
Subject name . . ..

. . . And the file showed several symbols that 1798-B couldn't make any sense of.
He played with the small switched on the pad for a moment, and then the symbols translated into two words.

1798-B sat back rubbed the back of his neck, in an almost human gesture, with great interest.
This subject was known through much of the known universe.
Almost an enigma like Pulchandtra. This would prove a fitting way to round his career off.

1798-B looked at the name blinking up at him. The glow of the screen reflected the cold sparkle in his eyes.

The Doctor.

PROLOGUE ENDS.