Chapter 09
Harry was the first to admit he had underestimated the 'Third Zoners', the term used by their trading partners.
With more than nine planets within their zone of influence it had been difficult establishing intelligence within the area. The information he had been provided with on Gallifrey seemed quite lacking in its detail of the Third Zone. His initial reading had been insightful, Gustous R Thripstead's writings on the zone had been quite valuable in allowing him a beginning to start his researches.
The information provided by the Celestial Intervention Agency had suggested he begin at Space Station Camera, the Third Zone's largest space station. However upon querying Marie, considering her previous life in that other universe suggested an intelligence gathering role he had decided to pursue some background research to understand and identify the underlying history and psychology of the Third Zone.
The construction of Space Station Camera was a collaborative effort by most of the governments within the Third Zone, although notably not the Androgums, who were barely a Level 4 planet with their civilisation mostly servicing the other planets within the Third Zone.
The Third Zone had made great advances in technology, and now having been here for some time Harry began to understand the CIA's concerns.
He only knew of the Third Zone's pursuit of time travel because it had managed to avoid Zygma experiments that were usually a path that time active species passed through on their way to develop workable time travel. Even the Navarinos had experimented with Zygma beam experiments before they diverted their attentions to simpler and easier to maintain time engines.
The Third Zoners had developed advanced transmat technology, although not the mastery of open ended transmats that the Time Lords had, but still a well developed transmat system and technology for this level of civilisation. Their level of genetic augmentation was curious, but it seemed spurred by their access to the Androgums whom Harry was not sure were willing or unwilling participants in the Third Zoners' experiments. This element was not something that concerned him, he could not interfere with such a participant part of their society.
He could however investigate Kartz and Reimer's developments with their time capsule. Marie had noted temporal damage when they'd materialised within the Third Zone. During their time here Marie had been gathering large amounts of temporal readings, data he was sure those on Gallifrey within the CIA or those within the Capitol would find of use. The data collected was somewhat outside the focus of his knowledge. But even with his education, which he had gained good marks at the Academy he knew the data was worrying.
Kartz and Reimer had made great advances in developing a travel capsule, but by taking an alternative route with time travel capsule development Harry wondered if they might lead to greater damage to the continuum than had they developed Zygma technology. Which did create some turbulence in the time vortex mostly due to the quantum pressure differences created by the Zygma energy beam wake it was not a lasting turbulent feature that was added to the vortex from Zygma experiments. It was this feature that historically lead to cultures developing other forms of time travel, based on their previous experiments. Damaging and permanent temporal experiments lead to a dead end in temporal development, preventing cultures from progressing beyond their chosen path of temporal development.
As he walked down another side street, his feet squelching in the mix of water and blood Harry drew in a deep breath of the somewhat fetid air. He had discovered that plied with a significant amount of Vragg the Androgums became quite talkative concerning some of the occurrences on Space Station Camera. Many of them seemed to desire to work there, even though they might be subject to genetic experimentation whilst present on the space station.
Turning down another side street he found a woman standing against the wall, she projected a degree of disinterest with the general environment and was dressed practically neutrally and had been unnoticed by all.
Harry didn't say anything to the woman, he simply stepped within her as she parted her arms allowing him entry.
Once within Marie Harry lowered the hood he had over his hair and face. It had been the most simple method of hiding his identity whilst researching around the Third Zone. While a hologram or other forms of technology could have also obscured his identity the hooded garment with a specially engineered Tinclavic weave had proved the most efficient method of doing so without any apparent technology to be detected.
"Is it better to dematerialise, wait and then rematerialise or dematerialise and go straight to Space Station Camera?" Harry asked of Marie. He wished to cleanse himself and rest before they attended to Space Station Camera, it had been several day night cycles on this planet since he had returned to Marie.
"The destabilisation in the continuum is not currently significant, however if those on Space Station Camera are monitoring the vortex or possibly the general continuum; they may detect a TARDIS's materialisation." Marie reported.
Harry nodded. "We will wait here then until I'm ready to depart for Space Station Camera," Harry said as he walked out of the control room.
-/ - \\-
Marie had materialised in a storage facility close to Kartz and Reimer's section on board Space Station Camera. There had been a small amount of turbulence as they'd materialised. But it was nothing compared to what he felt when he stepped out.
It caught Harry's breath for a moment. "They must be harvesting chronons to fuel their temporal experiments," he said wrinkling his nose, it felt like the air was thick with dead Chronomites.
Walking forward looking around carefully it was not complicated to locate Kartz and Reimer's primary work area. He had instructed Marie to follow him, just in case something happened to him. The general environment was concerning all of his temporal senses.
When he came upon Kartz and Reimer's primary work area it was somewhat disappointing and worrisome looking upon it.
"I recognise this as the beginnings of a capsule, but this level of..." Harry trailed off, he was sure he had heard something, but the level of chronons in the general vicinity was disturbing his senses, he'd never faced such intense exposure like this before. It was not like gazing into the vortex, or being near other chronon fields. This felt...industrial.
"It is notable," Marie said in a level tone.
"I think-" Harry began, about to suggest that they should depart when the door that they had left open thudded shut and an alarm went off.
"Oh." Harry said and looked to Marie and shook his head gently. They would see what happened, he did not wish to create a major temporal event by discharging time torpedoes in this environment.
-/
Harry stood looking out a window at the star field outside the station. It was a window which did not face any of the major space lanes that led into the Third Zone.
They had been deposited in here to wait for Joinson Dastari.
Harry had taken the time that they had been given to attempt to re-attune his senses, to feel his way through the chronon backwash on the station and acclimatise himself to the chronon count here.
He now felt better capable in this environment, but it was something he had not been expecting to need to do, he had been expecting a somewhat more controlled environment than this, controlled in terms of Kartz and Reimer's experiments.
While he gazed out the window the doors opened, Harry saw Marie look at the man who entered but didn't give him much pause or attention. She remained by the door, almost impassive.
"I am Joinson Dastari, Head of Projects here on Space Station Camera," he said sitting down gesturing for Harry and Marie to take a seat opposite him. Harry did so, Marie did not, it seemed to irk Joinson Dastari but he did not press his concern.
Harry also remained silent, curious of what Joinson Dastari knew of them, if anything.
"Our security and computers have no records of you arriving on Camera." He paused smiling. "But then you are Time Lords, we expected that we would attract the attention of you at some point."
"Kartz and Reimer's temporal experiments," Harry said leaning back into the chair.
Joinson Dastari smiled carefully. "So you do have knowledge of them."
"We were found in their work space," Harry commented idly.
"The Time Lords have been made aware of the valuable research here?" He wondered.
Harry remained silent, unsure what he should say, he was not here representing the High Council.
"We are merely investigating the Third Zone. Its location in the Mutter's Spiral places it in an interesting tactical and temporal location." Harry finally said, all of which was true. Though it could be said the same for a lot of the Mutter's Spiral.
"And you and your associate?" Joinson Dastari leaned forward to him and looked towards Marie. "You have done something to Kartz and Reimer's experiments?"
Harry shook his head. "We have simply observed. Time Lords do not interfere." Harry said, although he knew this was not entirely correct, it was what was established to be known of the Time Lords.
Joison Dastari watched him and Marie for a moment. "If your mission was to observe you should have announced yourself to me, as Head of Projects."
Harry nodded, it seemed to be what the man wanted. "Perhaps," Harry paused. "We did not wish to disturb your work or disrupt Kartz and Reimer's experiments by arriving."
"Somewhere unnoticed? Your TARDIS arrived?" He enquired curiously.
Harry smiled, Joison Dastari did not suspect that Marie was a TARDIS, he had simply come to the conclusion that Marie was another Time Lord.
"Of course not. We arrived on the planet near by." Harry paused. "We could not risk having a TARDIS arrive so close to your researches."
Dastari attempted to appear jovial but there it was thin against the minor hostility and general neutrality he was attempting to suppress. "Of course. Now," he said standing. "I think it's time for you to leave our research establishment. The Time Lords do not have diplomatic immunity to simply walk into a Third Zone facility." He smiled. "There is an Androgum transport craft leaving shortly."
-/
Harry had accepted several cups of the intensely sweet alcoholic beverage from the Androgum passengers on the transport ship, better to accept their hospitality and not be asked questions than be required to enlighten on their reasons for being escorted off of Space Station Camera.
However after his sixth cup of the liquid Harry was beginning to feel the affects of the alcoholic beverage. More so than he thought he should. It was after two further large cups during which he began to feel somewhat light headed that he realised he did not have as much control of his biology as he would usually.
It must have been the intense nature of Kartz and Reimer's experiments and the significant chronon leakage and destabilisation of the surrounding vortex to affect control of a Time Lord's biology.
This Harry thought to himself while he stepped back, feigning a need to expel waste fluids from his body.
It was only as he made his way to the rear of the transport ship that he found the walls somewhat soft underhand, and then realised it was Marie holding him up.
"I think Marie the effects of Kartz and Reimer's experiments have inhibited my ability..." he began.
"Indeed," she said.
"I want to leave now I think." Harry said, forcing, attempting to control his body as the alcohol wrought havoc with his biology.
Stumbling inside he felt somewhat better, now within the Marie's dimensions. Marie appeared near by the console.
"You were concerned that Dastari might be monitoring our departure," Marie reminded him.
"And your thoughts?" Harry asked, supporting himself on the side of the console. HIs legs feeling somewhat weak and unable to support his body.
"I obscured your entrance," She reported. "My sensors have been compromised by the local space time disruptions in this area."
"Dastari already thinks we're spies," Harry considered. "Dematerialise, just drift I need to..." Harry trailed off as he stumbled off towards his bedroom, or possibly the ablution chambers.
-/
A/N:
Kartz and Reimer, the Third Zone and Dastari are all from The Two Doctors, although these events happen before the Second Doctor is sent.