Chapter 7
Asteroid KS-159, located in the Gamatra Sector was where the Braxiatel Collection was to have been.
Though not yet.
Harry looked at the image of the asteroid on the scanner and frowned. Without returning to Gallifrey he wanted to find another source of information about his ship which was still in Marie's hold.
The Monks of Felsecar had long memories and would still remember his and Marie's departure on his last visit. He intended to find a suitable gift to apologise to them at some point, gifts of an unusual text usually compensated for any indiscretions that one committed within the library's walls. Even the great offence of materialising a TARDIS within their walls could be compensated for.
Harry was sure the that they did not know of the Corsair's book that had been on their shelves, so the theft of that could go unmentioned.
The Braxiatel Collection was a collection created by a cousin of the House of Lungbarrow. Irving Braxiatel was, Harry had discovered a brother of his brother. Although his brother seemed reluctant to speak of his much older brother who had taught at the Academy.
He had guessed the coordinates as well as the temporal ones. The problem, Harry mused looking at the asteroid was that he had heard of the Braxiatel Collection when he'd been at the Academy, though they had never allowed even a field trip to it and there was very little in the archival library of it. Now as he looked at the uninhabited asteroid he wondered why very little information existed of the Braxiatel Collection.
Walking around the console Harry let his hand hover over the drift compensators and wondered to himself whether or not to set Marie to drift forwards through time to a point when KS-159 was settled and and the Braxiatel Collection create. Doing so would create a time track that could be followed.
For the moment he decided not to. It wasn't something urgent, not something he desperately needed to find out.
Instead he dematerialised Marie; allowing her drift in the vortex he walked over to the kitchen area and made an infusion of the leaves in boiling water. The 'tea' that Iris Wildthyme had left him. It was something the food machine quite failed to produce accurately, and something he had realised he would at some point need to visit Earth to obtain, or one of its colony worlds if the 'tea' was still produced.
Harry fancied if he had made more of a study of biological systems at the Academy he could have broken down the dried leaves' structure right down to its biodata and recreated it in one of Marie's laboratories. But that would, as the Patrexes would say take the 'poetry out of life'. The randomisation of the leaves, the randomness introduced by the multitude of factors was what made it such a unique invigorating experience.
"Marie." Harry said as he walked back over to the console, holding the mug of the hot liquid. "Head for Bonjaxx's Bar, let's see if the Corsair has returned."
"Yes Harry."
-/
Harry walked into Bonjaxx's Bar, looking around it seemed he'd arrived during a night cycle that the station was passing through. The lighting was dimmed slightly suggestive of a night-time cycle of a planet. There were very few beings inside the bar, although as he walked in Dalek Zeg drifted over silently to him. In its manipulator arm was a message, on first glance it appeared to by by a Time Lord Hypercube. But then as he took it in his hand he found it was of a paper construction.
"Thank you Zeg." Harry said to the being.
"Harry Potter." Was all Zeg said as it looked at him and glided away.
Harry could feel, now with the cube of paper in his hands there was a mild psychic impression coming from within it.
Deciding rather than to attempt to open it here within the bar he instead returned to Marie and dematerialised her before he sat down and opened it.
This time he was seated and braced, just in case there was something left by the Corsair that would so affect him like the book that had been left on Felsecar for him.
He had told Marie to monitor his bio-signs, just in case.
Carefully opening the box, it was less of a psychic assault and more like a gentle breeze of a psychic message.
A planet name and temporal coordinates.
-/ - \\-
Miasimia Goria.
Harry looked at in on the scanner. It was a relatively verdant world, with some large cities, it appeared to be what Galactic law would classify as a Level 2 possibly Level 3 planet from what he could see of the scans Marie was doing.
"Any sign of the Corsair's TARDIS."
"His TARDIS currently alludes me. Scans of it when we first encountered the Corsair did not reveal specifically what type of TARDIS his was." There was a hint of annoyance in Marie's voice.
Harry nodded as he moved around the console trying to focus in on the planet and look for something that he might recognise, there were a few vortex spores leading to the planet, that suggested at least 2 TARDISes had travelled here recently.
Harry tapped the sensor controls trying to focus in on the vortex spore. "What do you think Marie? Is that from the Corsair's TARDIS?" Harry asked.
Marie paused for the slightest of microspan. "It does not appear to me. From the temporal wake that remains in the vortex it is from something above a Type 44. Its path suggests frequent travel."
Harry agreed as he moved around the console. From the scans there appeared to be several odd energy readings that were outside the the levels for even a Level 3 planet.
Focusing in on the readings he typed in coordinates that was close to the location and then dematerialised Marie.
It was a relatively small hop in terms of travel, no time travel just a quick jump through the vortex.
Harry checked as Marie materialised, her chameleon circuit ensuring she blended in with the local humanoids. They were close enough to his appearance for him to pass without issue.
"What clothing would be appropriate Marie?" Harry asked as he walked over to the alcove of clothing where Marie helpfully had illuminated serval items of clothing, and of course in the neighbouring alcove weapons. Any unknown environment it seemed she wanted him armed.
Pulling on a harness to hold the staser close to his upper body; the clothing that he would be wearing would make having it on his thigh somewhat obvious, even with a perception field.
Within the weapons alcove he took a small energy scanner, pushing it into the pocket of the high cut jacket and he stepped out of Marie and looked around.
The specific landing he'd left to Marie, she'd chosen a secluded alleyway, but he could hear the noise and bustle of the nearby town.
"Look around for evidence of the Corsair, I will seek out the other energy sources." Harry paused. "Return here if you find nothing." Harry paused again and looked at Marie. "No weapons Marie, if there's trouble engage your HADS find me."
Marie looked at him and nodded. "I understand Harry."
"Good." Harry said and left her. He had no desire for this planet to gain new impact craters from Marie firing her weapons. Giving her strict orders seemed to help with what she might do.
-/
Walking through the town Harry found himself relaxing around the people who were moving between place to place. It was unlike Gallifrey, but the movement of people, the direction they had, he found...comforting. That drive, the knowing. When he had been a student at the Academy, he enjoyed his time of free research, of reading and discovering Gallifrey's lost history. It had been exciting, but now with the whole universe, even Gallifrey's own past open to him he found his boundaries didn't exist, and Gallifrey, his house and Chapter out of reach.
One day he hoped he could go back. One day. One day soon he hoped.
Carefully glancing at the energy scanner as he made his way through the town, he found that he was following several of the younger members of the society. It seemed to some form of education precinct.
He could feel Marie's telepathic influence translating the text signs around him into meaningful words, one of which was an 'archive of books'. Something which he decided would give him a better overview of this planet than wildly searching with his energy scanner. At least for now, there was, from that position of the sun in the sky plenty of daylight left. Assuming that this planet utilised a day-night social structure that almost all level 2 and 3 planets utilised.
It was interesting which planets didn't. There was a thesis he'd read from a Time Lord of the Scendeles Chapter that posited that the Vampire Wars had spread the Vampire ideology the universe over, and those planets that didn't follow the day-night social structure were evidence of a planet untouched by the psychic fallout from those wars. The thesis was lacking in a lot of research, especially research involving a TARDIS. Something they would have needed to do, as the Academy and Gallifreyan archives were somewhat lacking in information about the Vampire wars.
He knew, he'd checked.
Making his way through the Archive of Books it was expected, though not very enlightening. Several publications of a social dynamic nature, some natural history and biology befitting a planet transitioning from level 2 to level 3.
Nothing, to him that suggested why a there would be several vortex spores from TARDISes leading to this planet.
Although, Harry thought as he made his way around, he was not an expert in this form of research.
What was interesting that this archive had in common with Gallifrey and the Library of Felsecar was its layout. There was it seemed only so many ways books could be presented to be used by individuals. On shelves. It did make for convenient spots for him to look at his energy scanner and the shape of the building; a pleasing octagonal shape meant he could walk around its perimeter checking as he went.
Finally as he nearly returned to his starting point it lit up with energy which was not the product of not even a level 3 planet.
The 'District of Bio-realms' was he assumed to be biological sciences.
The building from which the energy was coming from was another octagonal shape.
Looking again to the energy scanner to guide him he climbed the inclined path up to the building and through its atrium towards a larger set of double doors.
While the doors were locked his Molenski Univarius had a blade that could slide between the the lock and catch mechanism that held the door locked. It was surprisingly simple to gain access and shut the door behind him.
Inside the rooms he was surprised, though not overly so by the advanced equipment present. Advanced for a level 3 civilisation. Genetic analysers, biodata extractors and several other pieces of equipment that he wasn't precisely sure of its purpose, but based on the equipment here it was likely of a biological analysis purpose. As he continued to look around the room he felt, rather than saw the presence of a TARDIS. Its chameleon circuit having been operated he hadn't noticed it when he'd first walked into the room, but now as he allowed his senses to attune to the room he'd noticed the tall cupboard in the room.
Approaching it he reached out with his telepathic senses, feeling for it. It acknowledged his presence as a Time Lord, thought nothing more than that. An indication of a strong bond with its pilot. No secrets would be forthcoming, nor entry to it, not easily and especially without any TARDIS keys that he might use to force entry.
"Stop and turn around. Slowly." Said a voice from behind him.
Harry was annoyed that he had not heard anyone approach him nor enter the room. Although he was not used to needing to be aware of such things. He was not like his brother, sneaking out of the House or out of the Capitol to go and see the Shabogans. His brother was always annoying Quences with his antics.
Harry hadn't wanted or needed to sneak around anywhere, and as Koschei had demonstrated to him, the need to sneak around could always be covered by other abilities.
"Do not make any sudden moves." Continued the voice, it was a voice he was sure he recognised.
Turning around he realised who it was. "Ushas?"
The woman before him laughed. "Harry Potter. What are you doing here?"
As he explained he was passing in the local space time and noticed vortex spores leading to the planet, he did not tell her that he had been following the Corsair's instructions, Ushas looked at him skeptically.
"You were just passing. Harry Potter, you are hardly as irresponsible as your brother." She looked down at him. "Nor did I consider you to leave Gallifrey." She eyed him. "Unless you are working for the High Council?"
Harry shook his head.
"I would have detected your TARDIS landing here." She looked past him to what he assumed was her TARDIS. "You were sensing it weren't you? When I arrived." She watched him curiously.
Harry confirmed he was. "But only to confirm that it is a TARDIS. I would not attempt to gain entry to it."
She watched him again. "No. I don't believe you would Harry Potter." She walked over to one of the desks, placing the weapon she was holding down and turning around to look at him. "Now Harry Potter what do you intend to do?"
"Nothing." He paused. "Although I think I need not caution the problems of this technology to a level 2 civilisation."
She looked at hime carefully. "No, you should not Harry Potter. I am not a simple time meddler. My research is important, something the High Council did not appreciate."
"Your mice and the Lord President." Harry surmised, it had been something his brother had found most amusing, though the Lord President did not so much. It had triggered a regeneration. However the Public Register Video had suggested that story had just been a front and the High Council had been pushing the Lord President to regenerate for some time.
Ushas smiled fondly. "A pity I was forced to dispose of those before departing. No matter. I have found much more useful experimental subjects."
Harry inclined his head but did not ask her further questions, instead he made to leave, but paused. "Would I be able to visit you again Ushas? The universe is large and you have skills I do not." Harry said, thinking of those individuals on Earth with their impressive psychic powers. It was not something he thought to investigate now. But Ushas was far more highly skilled in the biological sciences than he was. It was not a field of study he had thought to pursue at the Academy, beyond that of the essential subjects.
She smiled at him. "Of course Harry Potter. Your knowledge and abilities intrigued me, much more so than your brother or others in our year." She paused as he turned to leave. "Harry Potter. Ushas was a name I left on Gallifrey. I am now the Rani." She said confidently.
Harry nodded. "My brother continues to call himself the Doctor." He exhaled. "I unlike him will continue to be Harry Potter, I think for the future."
"Continuity Harry Potter is regarded in some Time Lords." The Rani observed.
"Indeed." Harry nodded as he paused at the door. "Rani." He smiled slightly and left the room.
-/
Harry walked slowly back to the village, pausing and walking and enjoying the remains of the afternoon as the planet drifted into evening.
Marie was waiting where they had arrived. He didn't bother conversing with her out here, merely nodding at her to allow him access and walked into the control room. Dematerialising her, placing her in temporal orbit of the planet.
"Well Marie?" He asked as he removed his staser and coat, replacing them each to their own alcoves.
"I made several sweeps of the local area around where I landed. There was several TARDIS traces indicative of a materialisation recently. But none currently on the planet." She reported from the scanner screen.
Harry nodded as he prepared his memories of meeting Ushas, the Rani. "There was a Time Lady on the planet, Ushas. The Rani. I found her TARDIS." He said as he walked over to the console and placed his palms against the telepathic circuits. He felt the brief touch as Marie retrieved the memory of the Rani's TARDIS for her database. "We may visit Miasimia Goria again." He continued. "Is there any trace of the Corsair's TARDIS?"
There was a brief hesitation from Marie, as she seemed to consider the local space-time. "No vortex spores specific to the Corsair's TARDIS."
Harry exhaled. "We need I think some easy information for your databases." Harry was sure Marie made a noise or irritation. That she had some empty areas on her database was of some annoyance to her.
Walking over to the console he tried to recall his study of Galactic Law. It had been on his mind since purchasing his ship from the Megara and now again on Miasimia Goria. As he had his hands hovering over the coordinate entry panel the communications panel lit up.
"What is it Marie?" Harry asked annoyed he had been caught in thought.
"A message from the Corsair enquiring of our status." She reported.
Harry exhaled. "Tell him we'll meet him at Bonjaxx's Bar." He said and then added. "Take your time getting there Marie. I think I will bathe first, I wish consider my thoughts."
"Yes Harry."
-/
Harry reemerged into the control room as Marie was landing, he had taken some time to consider his request to the Corsair again.
He knew Marie still had some reticence regarding his request and their involvement with the CIA.
But he wanted to return to Gallifrey. He also wanted to protect the planet. His home. He could not simple wander as his brother and Iris Wildthyme seemed to do, nor could he simply stop and research, not on some other planet as Ushas, rather the Rani was doing. The Corsair's life of something of a mix of these did appeal.
The ability to return home, to return with full permission, not having to sneak through the Transduction Barriers was something he wished to do. The latter was something he had considered also. There were ways to do it, and with Marie's skills he was quite sure they could do it. But it was something he did not wish to do.
He wanted to be able to move around the Panopticon and not be concerned of the Chancellory Guard.
Stepping out or Marie he found she'd materialised in the same spot at the last time.
"Have a look around and catalogue any other vessels that are here Marie, then return and wait here." Harry paused. "Or elsewhere, if anyone suddenly appears." He added as an afterthought. Looking at the TARDIS cradles there were two currently occupied. One was the Corsair's TARDIS the other he wasn't sure.
Turning away from Marie Harry didn't warn her about not using her weapons, she had told him that was an isolated incident, and now she was at complete operating capacity not likely to do anything dangerous.
Not without his order at least.
The Corsair waved him over to where he was seated.
"Zeg tells me you've been looking for me." The Corsair said as Harry took a said opposite him.
"Yes." Harry said as Zeg glided past. He ordered a vessel of an ale. "I have." Harry said after he'd ordered his drink. "I would like to work independently with the CIA." Harry continued.
The Corsair nodded. "Then I should give you some tips when you meet. I'll tell them to look for you."
-/ - \\-
A/N:
A brief detour before Harry decides the course he wants to follow.
Harry isn't like his brother, he doesn't want to wander the universe getting into trouble. Or become a time meddler like Mortimus, or an experimental scientist like Ushas or whatever the Master's up to at the moment.
Harry has a much stronger connection to Gallifrey, and key among this is he isn't a renegade, or rather he's not been declared one by the High Council. He's also got much more passion for Gallifrey than his brother has.