70. Meeting the Ancestors.
1. Gallifreyan Induction.
The Doctor loved Gallifrey, even though those in charge when he first left Gallifrey with his Tardis (seen in TV episode The Name of the Doctor) had been brutal and corrupt, he loved the people there, as well as the place.
Many years later, the Master had destroyed the people utterly (TV episode The Timeless Children), and for years the Doctor had grieved about that and had finally found a way to rescue some of them from under the Master's nose (ref. 9).
His re-planted Gallifrey had ensured that interference from the past was strictly controlled, yet some of those he left in charge of the re-planted new Gallifrey had necessarily been a part of the old Gallifrey under the Division, and may have had some expectation of certain things continuing... .
Every Gallifreyan he meets is a potential mine of information about how the re-planted Gallifrey is doing.
When the Doctor greets fellow-Gallifreyan Simeon for the first time (ref. 33), he brings the conversation around to Simeon's past.
"Simeon, tell me, do Gallifreyans still have ancient traditions they must follow?" He's keen to hear what's changed on Gallifrey since its re-planting.
"Yes, there are a few, but one sticks in my mind," Simeon says. "I'd like your take on what happened."
"Tell me more," the Doctor invites, suddenly all ears.
"It happened when I was quite young..."
Simeon's Story.
Young Simeon stands and waits; he's apprehensive. He must take his turn.
He watches as other Gallifreyans of his tender age must step forward to join a short queue.
All young Gallifreyans must participate in this Induction ceremony.
He's heard a little about it; snippets of information squeezed out of last year's inductees at school. .
His parents have told him he will meet his ancestors and have shown him their family trees.
His teachers have told him that it's a breeze compared to what it had been before the Doctor re-planted Gallifrey (ref. 9). But then, some of them look so old! .
Simeon has heard a lot about this Doctor, whoever he is, his name cropping up here and there in the school curriculum.
What has this Doctor done that was so important to him, and to all on Gallifrey? A touch of re-planting? . His mind wanders, distracting him from the tense reality of the present moment.
"Simeon Stanley Ground."
His name is read out from a scroll containing all the names of the inductees for that year.
He reluctantly steps forwards and a beagle conducts him to the end of the line. Quite why a Gallifreyan dog is used for the task eludes him. He has heard that their fuse is short if they aren't obeyed! .
What is ahead of him, he has no foreknowledge. Last year's inductees have remained silent about this.
They had mentioned the queue... They had spilled the beans about the queue! . The agonising wait for the unknown! . After that there had seemed to be a strict secrecy! .
He understands that now – in his turn he's had to sign the secrecy contract! .
After a short wait in the queue, he arrives at the front of the queue. Heavy black curtains conceal the next step. A beagle blocks the way, backing up only when the way forwards is ready.
Simeon steps through between the curtains.
Beyond, a path leads forwards, initially bordered by garden flowers, but as he progresses, followed closely by another beagle to encourage him on his way, it grows darker and stars can be seen overhead and gradually all around him leaving only the path.
He has studied astronomy, like all of his peers, and he can identify that he must have passed through a portal along the pathway at some point. He is nowhere near Gallifrey! (Ref. TV episode Heaven Sent shows such Gallifreyan knowledge.) .
A beagle bounds past him in the other direction, doubtless to take its place to encourage the next inductee to keep going. .
His own beagle prods him in the back as he must have slowed down. .
The path he's now walking along seems to be only lit by the stars which now encompass the path completely with nothing to prevent him from falling off! He daren't look down, or even near to the edge of the path. .
As he walks, he strays towards the edge, but some force along this path presses him back towards the central upright position.
At last, he can see one of the Gallifreyan High Council members, Eroden, waiting for him. He's standing by what seems to be a well with its cover removed, surrounded by a very low wall.
As he approaches, Simeon wonders about what's visible down the well. He wonders if this is the test that sent the Master mad. He was made to look into the raw Time Vortex through the Untempered Schism, and after that he was changed. That was when he was said to go mad!
Simeon is scared as he approaches the well. He wants some way of avoiding the fate of the Master!
"Look in," Eroden says compellingly.
It's an instruction. Simeon pauses by the low wall and cautiously looks over. The wall seems far too low to be more than a tripping hazard. . Maybe if he focusses on this he might avoid looking in? .
"Look well at the sight of the entire raw Time Vortex through the Untempered Schism!"
Eroden places a steadying hand on Simeon's shoulder.
Had he wobbled? Had he leaned too far over? . Maybe his re-focussing on his possible wobble might save him?
As Simeon looks, the Time Vortex swirls and he feels he might fall into the well. He re-focusses on not falling in! .
"Do not fear it, I'm holding you," Eroden says, his hand merely resting lightly on Simeon's shoulder.
"Pass! You may relax and step away now." Eroden has sensed that Simeon has looked in at the Time Vortex.
Simeon recalls the purpose of the induction is to bond him with the deeper concept of Gallifreyan time travel, and he certainly feels bonded! He knows that time travel is what makes Gallifrey special – different from every other civilisation in the Universe. The part of him that longs for fulfilment feels very fulfilled suddenly!
As Simeon steps away, he looks at Eroden. He seems impossibly old, but then, that's the nature of all Gallifreyans who have time travelled. It's also from a schoolboy's perspective! .
He wonders if he might ask a question.
"Eroden, how old were you when Gallifrey was annihilated?"
"Me? I was your age now. I had recently been inducted." He smiles paternally.
"So, this induction is of your design?"
"Yes, my re-design, but as of all these things, you are to talk to no-one."
Simeon, already having signed a secrecy declaration, can already appreciate the need for secrecy in these matters.
He expects that the current induction isn't anything like as impressive as it used to be. He's very wary of even thinking about that - it might just change in a place with time machines!
"Naturally, Sir," he says.
"Now you must go to meet your ancestors!"
Anywhere else and it might have sounded like a death threat, but for Gallifreyans... .
Time travel permits all sorts of things.