"I know it's asking a lot from you Loran, but no one would go through the effort sending me this message," Paul gestures as he discussed his troubles with Loran at the library as he helped him return the books to their rightful places.
Benefits of being one-quarter Time Lord, Paul was able to lift the heavy books as Loran guided him to the shelves where they went.
Sticking each book in the opened shelf, Loran goes, "Child, you're risking your place here with this wild chase of yours. Nothing happened at the dinner aside from those children and their pranks. Why, it's a miracle nothing else happened!"
He was quite annoyed that Paul made it seem like something was going to happen that he was prepared for the absolute worst, imagine his relief that it didn't, but now he looked like a fool, and Paul expressed his sincere apologies for it.
"It's not children playing pranks, Loran, I doubt they know about the Machine or my family, someone here does enough to know how to contact me," Paul argues with him.
Seeing how earnest he was, Loran exhaled sharply before leading Paul to the main desk where he stood up on a stool looking over the desk.
"This must not leave the library, under any circumstances, do you hear me?" Loran jabbed him in the chest with two fingers.
Nodding as his chestnut hair stiffly moved, Paul insisted he wouldn't say anything.
Exhaling sharply as he shifted in his spot, Loran revealed that he knew more than he let on, but pled ignorance out of fear of retribution from the Council if they found out he knew things they didn't want to let out into the unknown, so it was.
"Loran, you yourself said it, if they're in danger, the President, the Prime, you know what'll happen, don't you, what about your son?" Paul reminded him of the consequences of withholding information.
Swatting the air, Loran stated he's aware, he lived thousands of years long enough to know the consequences of his actions, believe him, he lived through the trials that occurred, especially for those who didn't deserve the Council's wrath.
Hunkering down in his spot, Loran asked if Paul knew of creatures with touches that can send victims through vacuums of time to feast on their energy.
His eyes widening, Paul stiffly nodded as he goes, "Of course. Devils they are, hardly kind assassins, I'm sure you know this, but what do they have to do with this?"
Running a hand through his platinum hair, Loran elaborated, "There used to be a punishment for Lords of Time, it's no longer in practice, gods, even before the Time War because of what it does to those who underwent it when they were convicted by the Council."
Eying him with curiosity, Paul could see where it was going as Loran kept his voice low and mindful as he expressed that he felt that there were some still lingering around somewhere on Gallifrey.
Perhaps closer than Paul would have liked.
"Why would they do this?" Paul questioned the barbaric practice and Loran sighs as he explained that it was a different time.
Gesturing, Loran told a story how the Council wanted to make their point without killing the guilty, those punished instead made "useful" by turning them into warriors that could protect the Council when the time came, but of course, as Paul knew, it didn't end the way they hoped.
It was a black spot for Time Lord history, but the Council censured it because they didn't want to be reminded of its existence and the humiliation they faced when everyone learnt of it.
Given how Paul encountered them in different worlds, it didn't surprise Loran, considering how they can still do things that he and Paul could, but with terrifying effects since their minds became twisted from the process.
"I heard that someone dispatched them, for what reason I could not tell you, but I guess something happened, because they never brought it up, again," Loran whispered how someone with intimate knowledge of the Weeping Angels used them for their own uses.
Stunned, Paul questioned how they were successful in communicating with them, much less not become victims themselves, but Loran shrugged as he told Paul that he didn't know for certain, only that it's possible.
"They denoted these… Angeli Temporis… with special markings that made them easier to stand out, bind them to their duties," Loran guessed at the end.
These markings were the old testaments that the Council at the time followed.
Loran gave the general summary for Paul, at the end he exhaled, before the curious Paul inquired who would know of their existence and knew how to give them orders, but Loran couldn't answer.
Paul understood why he couldn't and told him not to tell him anything more if it risked his exile, just point him in the direction of something that can give him the answers, before Loran mustered that those answers he seeks would be in the restricted areas, not even Loran could go down there.
"But someone can?" Paul pointed at him.
Shrugging, Loran musters that it was possible.
It'd have to be someone about as old as him or tact enough they found out, but Loran warned that these Weeping Angels were much more different than what Paul and Taylor encountered, they were warriors.
Much more aggressive, even in their petrified states, they adapt and learn, they were dangerous even then, that was also part of why the practice of turning convicted Time Lords into them was quickly dropped.
Loran was a child when this happened and it stayed with him for years, that he at different points in his life refused to join the Council, back before it became into what Paul knew from his grandfather until now, when everyone was elected.
Now, with them resurfacing and the message from Paul, Loran isn't sure what to think.
"Why would someone risk exile or worst unleashing them?" Paul questioned the optics.
Pondering his question, Loran goes that the only reason someone would risk everything unleashing the Weeping Angels was because there's a threat that needed to be resolved, by any means necessary.
He couldn't tell for sure, but he made Paul swear on his two hearts that he wouldn't tell a soul, how Memphis doesn't know what happened, either.
"I promise. Thank you, Loran, you've been a good deal of help for me," Paul thanked the old Time Lord for giving him information he wouldn't find anywhere else.
Slowly nodding, Loran exhaled sharply how he wished the younger Time Lords knew the things he did, but the Council censured everything they deemed a threat to the integrity of the government body and the people.
Overhead, Paul heard rapid footsteps coming into the library, Loran helped him hide as he acted his usual self, asking if a student's bringing in a late return.
"Father!" Memphis rushed to the counter.
Seeing his son shaken, Loran asked what was wrong, before Memphis answers, "There's been a murder, it's one of the children!"
Shaken by the news, Loran asked when did it happen, but Memphis didn't answer as he insisted Loran head to the Chambers, everyone's going there.
Nodding, Loran stated he will be in the Chambers at once, before he noticed Memphis looking around, perplexed, asking what was wrong, before Memphis shrugged it off as he insisted Loran hurry.
Running off, Loran's left to quickly collect his things as Paul emerged from his hiding spot before sharing looks with Loran.
To Be Continued... Trial & Tribulation