Chapter 1

A chime rang out from the circular control console in the middle of the roundel walled room of the old man's time capsule. The flat screen monitor mounted next to the glass column in the middle of the console flickered to life depicting a snowy expanse.

"Nothing like a nice walk in the brisk air," said the old man in a gravelly voice as he hit the control that opened the console room doors.

He emerged from the blue box labeled "Police Public Call Box '' on the snowy plain, and immediately buttoned up the old, leather coat he wore. Tightening his red herringbone scarf, he said, "Brisk is a bit of an understatement! It's down right frigid!"

"You're telling me!" Called a voice from behind the police box. A tall, handsome man in a blue greatcoat stepped forward. "Captain, good to see you again."

"Group Captain," said the old man. "What are you doing on this frozen hell."

"Callis Four, 5000 AD? I'm trying to find a colony that hasn't been heard from in over a year."

"Any suspicions?"

"Not yet. I just got here by vortex manipulator."

"Travel without a capsule. What a dreadful way to travel!"

"Needs must, Captain."

"I'm not a Captain. I'm not even a soldier. I just fight this War with the Daleks however I can, and of my own volition," said the old man as they walked across the frozen landscape.

"You're the Captain of your TARDIS."

"I don't even have a crew to captain."

"I might have some spare time. I'd make a great first lieutenant."

"First lieutenant? Aren't you ambitious? You'll have to with your way up from crewman!" Chuckled the old man. "Seriously, though, I travel alone now. I don't have the freedom to worry about companions."

"Sounds lonely."

"War is lonely. What's that?" Asked the old man indicating a building on the horizon. "Is that the colony?"

"Huge industrial complex," said the Group Captain. "That would be it. Shall we?"

The two time travelers walked for an hour through the frigid snowfields. The complex was enormous. Factories towered into the sky, great plumes of smoke rising from their countless chimneys.

As they approached an entrance in a building near the edge of the colony, eight soldiers in artic survival gear bearing energy weapons intercepted them.

"Identify yourselves!" Shouted one of the soldiers.

"Captain Jack Harkness," said the Captain.

"And you, old man?" Demanded the soldier.

"No one," replied the old man.

"That won't do!" Shouted the soldier raising his rifle.

"He's Captain Nemo," said Jack, "of the IISS TARDIS."

"Sir," said another soldier showing her leader her scanner.

"You're not human," said the leader.

"Is that a crime?" Asked the old man. "Most people in the Universe aren't human you know. It's a big Universe. Humanity is only one species."

"Whatever! You're clear to enter."

"Thank you. That's very kind."

Once inside the grim corridor of the building, the old man turned to Jack, and asked, "Captain Nemo? Really?"

"You said you were no one," replied Jack with a smile.

"It'll do, I suppose," said the old man as he led Jack down the corridor which opened out onto a street beneath a steel sky. "Your colony seems quite fine, though it's all a bit dirty, with a dreadful amount of smog. Captain? Where the devil has he gone off to?"

The old man turned around, but Jack was nowhere in sight.