And They Bravely Ran Away, Away [closed for now]

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

He grinned back. "I've heard that curiosity killed the cat. Fortunately, I'm not a cat." The grin slid away, turning his expression serious. "But we need to know what happened. Where that came from. And I can't think of a better way then visiting."

She was taking a longer look at the image of Gallifrey, Gallifrey. Would they think of her the abomination like Robin was? A freeborn, a muddled blood Time Lord?

"The trick here, I think, is to assume that this impossible planet is Gallifrey, and that it is occupied by Time Lords. That might mean that what I'm about to do is utter overkill. But I doubt it."

Chewing his lip in concentration, he began to alter the structure of the propulsive artron field. "We can't go straight in," he said. "They'd spot that for sure. Nothing natural moves in a straight line in the Vortex. So we'll spiral in, move like flotsam, and just happen to head for the Untempered Schism."

A grin bore on her face, mirth lighting her eyes. He was right, this world was new and not supposed to be there at all. Worrying is something she'd save for later, right new there was a new impossible world before them. She had seen medieval Germany, France and Jehanne D'Arc, aliens and Danu knows what in between. But this, this about topped it. A whole planet!

"How are we going to blend in when we get there, love?"

[The Meddler]

He watched the doubts fade from her face to be replaced by excitement, and he grinned.

"How are we going to blend in when we get there, love?"

Concentrating on the swirling rhythm of the Vortex, his words were distracted. "Robes," he said. "We'll need to dress like Time Lords." A pause, as he adjusted their course. "Well, I'll need to dress like a Time Lord. You'll need to dress like a Time Lord Aspirant - that's just the robe itself, without the cap or headdress. That way, we can pass off your lack of knowledge about Time Lord customs as the ignorance of youth. You're not even thirty yet, so they'll assume you're still really learning to think clearly."

More adjustments. "Prydonian robes. We'll be in scarlet and orange. I'll have the device of house Arpexia on my sash as well. If questioned, we'll say you're contemplating a career as a chronal architect, and so you've been apprenticed to me for a semester to see what the work is like."

The turbulence outside became worse, and the Meddler depressed a few of the jury-rigged buttons on the console. "Engramatic emulators on - that'll keep the casts off, unless this Gallifrey has made them far more sensitive."

Outside, there was an effect like the eye of a hurricane and a tiny dot of real light.

"As for my disability..?" He shrugged. "A mixture of bravado and trying not to call attention to myself always worked pretty well. Just remind me not to stab myself in the leg..."

Several minutes of silence followed, as he steered the TARDIS manually through the noosphere of Gallifrey. Finally, he seemed satisfied. Making a few minute adjustments to the console, he activated the materialization sequence.

The view outside was of a vast square, paved with precious and semiprecious stones and dominated by three statues - one of a man, one of a woman, one of an armored figure of indeterminate gender - supporting something that seemed to be made of lace and smoke. Around the edge of the square, megalithic fairytale buildings of jet and marble and granite and less identifiable materials rose like mountains. People moved across the square individually or in small groups, dressed in kimono-like robes in every color of the rainbow.

The Meddler stared for a moment, shocked. "I didn't dare believe..." he whispered, rubbing at one suddenly damp eye. "And I can't. Not yet."

He shook it off. "C'mon," he smiled, "Let's get into costume."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"And here I never thought you'd get me in that ridiculous costume, but once again I stand corrected. Well, at least I don't have to wear the collar. " She said with mirth, she was just teasing him.

You're not even thirty yet, so they'll assume you're still really learning to think clearly.

"And I get to act like a retard as an added bonus, profit!" She said with a laugh.

She just nodded and agreed with what he proposed, really, he was the expert here. When the TARDIS materialised and he had a look through the on board camera what was outside she looked at his expression more then what was out there. From his expression she could gauge what was going to happen better.

His shocked expression was what made her look at the screen too, and she was more surprised at what she saw. Expressive colours, precious gems.. this was Gallifrey?

"I didn't dare believe..." he whispered, rubbing at one suddenly damp eye. "And I can't. Not yet."

He shook it off. "C'mon," he smiled, "Let's get into costume."

"I.. is that.." She looked between Robin and the screen a few times, not sure at what she exactly wanted to say. She had expected things from Gallifrey, but not exactly this.

Robin was already going for the wardrobes, she decided to run after him.

___________________________________


Well, this was new.

She looked at herself in the ceiling length mirror in the wardrobe, Robin rummaging somewhere behind her in one of the large wardrobes. She had assembled her clothes soon enough, they pretty basic since she was still studying so to say. She wore an inner dress of deep orange coloured silks and a longer outer dress of burgundy red velvet, set off with some copper trims at the sleeves, under the bustline and around the hem. It was all gathered under her bust line like an empire style dress. She was surprised she actually looked regal in this. She made a twirl, she decided against some elaborate hairstyle and instead left her hair down. She was just an apprentice after all.

That classic complexion once again came out. She more looked like she belonged in some painting from the beginning of the 19th century.

"Are you done yet, Robin? What am I supposed to call you anyway?" She called to him.

[The Meddler]

"Are you done yet, Robin? What am I supposed to call you anyway?" She called to him.

"What?" The Meddler stepped around the corner. Layers was the operative word for his costume - a burnt orange undershirt and loose-fitting pumpkin trousers which bloused into black boots. Over that he wore a carnelian tunic, held closed by a belt-like dark-orange sash. Completing the image was an open-fronted cloak-like maroon robe, long-sleeved and knee-length, with elaborate mandalas embroidered on the left and right breast. His skullcap was maroon as well, with copper trim. He still carried the ivory cane.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of her. "You look... magnificent."

It took him a moment to find words again. "What should you call me?" He considered the question. "The Meddler is potentially dangerous. But we need a name you won't fumble or forget."

He tapped his fingers against his cane, thoughtfully. "How about... Robinanabosakedjakoshare? It even has the virtue of letting you get away with calling me 'Robin', although that would be considered almost shockingly informal for an Aspirant."

---

Having first made certain they would be unobserved, he stepped from the TARDIS onto the gold pavement of the square. Subtle tensions drained away as he did. For the first time since he'd fled the end of the War, he stood in a place where the gravity was right. Where the air smelled and felt the way it should. Where the golden light from the amber sky touched everything with the proper extra bit of yellow.

"Ah, Dreamweaver," he said, enraptured. "This, this is Gallifrey. And we stand in the great Square of Geometry, the very heart of the Shining City." He pointed at the statues of the three humanoids - nearly a hundred meters tall. "There, the Monument of the Three - Rassilon, Omega, and Pythia." His hand moved towards the building of onyx and obsidian. "The Great Library, repository of a billion years of the knowledge of the Time Lords."

He continued, naming and briefly describing buildings, until he was pointing at a massive edifice of white marble and gold, resembling the Athenian dream of Olympus. "The..." His voice faltered. "The Halls of Eileithyia," he whispered. "The place where we all are born."

Emotions flickered across his face, too fast to read. "It was aflame, the last time I saw it. The Cybermen... the Cybermen had destroyed the Looms, burned the children in their Creches, murdered the Acolytes..."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

She too stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. Okay she had to agree that he looked majestic in that, even though she had to snerk a little at the skull cap. She stared for a while longer, stupidly before he snapped her from her thoughts.

"What should you call me?" He considered the question. "The Meddler is potentially dangerous. But we need a name you won't fumble or forget."

He tapped his fingers against his cane, thoughtfully. "How about... Robinanabosakedjakoshare? It even has the virtue of letting you get away with calling me 'Robin', although that would be considered almost shockingly informal for an Aspirant."

She looked at him blankly for a moment "Robin-saywhatnow?" She sputtered finally. It took a few slow repeats by him before she finally got a hang of the name "Please don't tell me you all have such names? No wonder you all go by aliases.."

She suddenly gave him a sly grin "And if I slip and by accident kiss you, you can always say I'm your whore!" She said cheerily, sniggering. She bit her lip in mirth, this was going to be a grand disaster if they didn't watch out.

"I just hope they won't notice my glamour. I think being a ball of energy would attract a bit too much attention.."

_________________________________________________

The first step outside was already amazing. Were they actually standing on actual gold? But what stunned her most was the emotions coming off the man she loved beside her. Green eyes looked up at the side of his face as he looked over the square, a sense of home coming from him. She couldn't help but smile, for his sake.

"Ah, Dreamweaver," he said, enraptured. "This, this is Gallifrey. And we stand in the great Square of Geometry, the very heart of the Shining City." He pointed at the statues of the three humanoids - nearly a hundred meters tall. "There, the Monument of the Three - Rassilon, Omega, and Pythia." His hand moved towards the building of onyx and obsidian. "The Great Library, repository of a billion years of the knowledge of the Time Lords."

"It looks like something from a storybook.."She said softly. It was true, she had not seen such wealth all gathered in one place. No wonder everything seemed so dull to Robin, if this is where one would originate from. The Seelie Court came close.. but most of it was a glamour, an illusion. This place didn't have such things, looking down her eyes widened to see small emeralds between the golden cobblestones.

"The..." His voice faltered. "The Halls of Eileithyia," he whispered. "The place where we all are born."

Her eyes followed his lead, looking at the great marble building. She did not look as impressed as she did for the other buildings. Really, to her it seemed more like a baby factory in a marble cover. She more preferred the individuality of free births.

Emotions flickered across his face, too fast to read. "It was aflame, the last time I saw it. The Cybermen... the Cybermen had destroyed the Looms, burned the children in their Creches, murdered the Acolytes..."

"Yet here it is.." She finished for him. Then, she took him by the sleeve and urged him on. "Come on, I want to see what's out there Robin. That's what we're here for., you should know the way." She gave him a smile.

[The Meddler]

She looked at him blankly for a moment "Robin-saywhatnow?" She sputtered finally.

"Robinanabosakedjakoshare," he repeated casually. Then he repeated it, emphasizing the syllables. "Ro. Bina. Nan. Bosa. Kedja. Kosh. Ha. Re."

It took a few slow repeats by him before she finally got a hang of the name. "Please don't tell me you all have such names? No wonder you all go by aliases.."

He smiled. "The titles are something of an affectation. Most Time Lords used their full names, although contractions and nicknames are common in formal situations. And even at your age, you shouldn't be questioned if you introduce yourself as the Dreamweaver - it's not uncommon for Time Lords who use them to have chosen a title by the age of forty."

She suddenly gave him a sly grin "And if I slip and by accident kiss you, you can always say I'm your whore!" She said cheerily, sniggering. She bit her lip in mirth, this was going to be a grand disaster if they didn't watch out.

"That would be a terribly bad idea," he told her. "A certain level of reserve and decorum is expected in public." And then his arms were around her, one hand tangled in her hair, as he pushed her back against the mirrored surface of the wall and kissed her thoroughly and greedily. "Now, in private..." he said when he finally came up for air, "There's a whole lot you can get away with in private..."

"I just hope they won't notice my glamour. I think being a ball of energy would attract a bit too much attention.."

"You can get a way with a little glamour," he assured her. "It's not uncommon - particularly among Aspirants and younger Time Lords - to see fashions inspired by other worlds and civilizations."

---

"It looks like something from a storybook.." She said softly, as he began to point out locations.

He stopped for a moment at her words, and at the surprise in her voice. "It is something out of a storybook," he said. One of the Culturesmiths explained it, back when I took Introductory Comparative Xenoanthropology. When we laid the foundations of history, the echoes of Gallfrey ended up reverberating through the noosphere of the Spiral Politic."

The Meddler gestured around. "We made ourselves an Archetype. The Time Lords and Gallifrey itself have subtly influenced the religions and philosophies and cultures of the universe for a trillion years."

He turned to point out the Halls of Eileithyia, and his voice faltered.

"Yet here it is.." She finished for him. Then, she took him by the sleeve and urged him on. "Come on, I want to see what's out there Robin. That's what we're here for., you should know the way." She gave him a smile.

He smiled back. "Yes, I do. And we're starting with the Great Library." Gripping his ivory cane like a scepter, he gestured for her to follow as he began to walk across the square.

"If any place on Gallifrey will have the resources to tell me how and where this Gallifrey came from, it will be the Great Library." He smiled. "I also want to get copies of a full course of study at the Prydonian Academy - and trust me when I tell you that, had you been Initiated in a traditional manner, you would have been a Prydonian. And then..?"

He shrugged, and gave her a conspiratorial wink. "Then, if nobody's noticed that I'm an abomination and you're an exotic half-breed, then we can figure out where next to visit."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

She was still slightly dazed from the kiss as they stood on the square, the image still vivid in her mind. Preferably she had just wrapped her legs around his waist and..

She shook her head and looked over to Robin who was already walking towards the Library, she muttered something under her breath, how she was an addict but then followed him wordlessly, her back straight and her chin slightly tilted. She may be young, but she still had her pride. Or what was left of it in this place.

"If any place on Gallifrey will have the resources to tell me how and where this Gallifrey came from, it will be the Great Library." He smiled. "I also want to get copies of a full course of study at the Prydonian Academy - and trust me when I tell you that, had you been Initiated in a traditional manner, you would have been a Prydonian. And then..?"

"Your TARDIS does not translate Gallifreyan, so you might have to help me here. Though from what this square already looks like, I'm frightened to know what the size of your library is" She said softly. She fidgeted with her fingers under the long sleeves of her flowing robe as she followed him, keeping note to stay just slightly behind him, he was her tutor after all but close enough for them to converse privately. "I guess you will explain what the Prydonians are when we get inside..?" she whispered.

"Then, if nobody's noticed that I'm an abomination and you're an exotic half-breed, then we can figure out where next to visit."

"Just remembers, these people are Time Lords, just like you are. Don't underestimate them. I've ended on an experimentation table before, I do not wish to have the experience repeated"

With that, she followed him inside.

[The Meddler]

"Your TARDIS does not translate Gallifreyan, so you might have to help me here. Though from what this square already looks like, I'm frightened to know what the size of your library is" She said softly.

"Ah, yes. We'll throw a few primers on Gallifreyan linguistics in the mix as well - you'll need to understand Middle Script at bare minimum, for any of the interesting subjects anyway.." He strolled along the square. "And the Great Library is as big as it needs to be. Dimensional transcendence isn't just for TARDISes, after all."

They walked for another minute.

"I guess you will explain what the Prydonians are when we get inside..?" she whispered.

"One of the Academies," the Meddler answered. "Known for being clever and devious and able to think 'outside the box'." A pause. "Or, if you want a different opinion, so crooked they can walk upright through a corkscrew."

He laughed. "The Doctor and the Master were Prydonians. I was a Prydonian." Another laugh. "All the Deca were Prydonians, when you get right down to it."

"Just remembers, these people are Time Lords, just like you are. Don't underestimate them. I've ended on an experimentation table before, I do not wish to have the experience repeated"

"Not like me," he said with a cheery wave of the hand. "But I take your point, and I assure you that I've survived multiple visits to Gallifrey by not underestimating them. This is just going to be a quick in and out, gather some information and the texts we need for your education."

They mounted the One Hundred Steps leading to the Gates of Understanding. "In fact, in all seriousness, we should probably return to the TARDIS once we have that information. And then sneak out and review it on some distant world."

The Gates opened, and they stepped through. Inside, the Great Library resembled a Conservatory far more than a library. Plants with foliage in every color of the rainbow and a million shades grew in riotous profusion. A bridge, reminiscent of the bridges found in Japanese gardens, led over a stream onto a gravel (no, not gravel - precious and semiprecious stones from a million worlds) path with multiple branchings. A massive tree, something like a bonsai redwood, squatted on a low hillock in the center, surrounded by thin tendrils of mist and laden with fruit. Robed Time Lords strolled the paths, lost in contemplation or pausing to examine the foliage of one plant or another.

There was a musical crunching sound as the Meddler's booted feet trod the gemstones. "We'll make for the central repository," he said, pointing towards the massive tree in the center. "Ask the Librarian for a work on recent history - hopefully we won't need more than about the past three thousand years to work out the major divergence points." He passed her a gold hairpin, set with amber and citrene. "There's more than enough storage in that to handle what you'll be asking for, so feel free to request other documents if anything comes to mind. Just assure the Librarian you won't need the original texts."

They approached the tree, which loomed above them like a canopy. As they stepped within its shadow, the Meddler turned to one side and began examining a holly bush with every indication of interest. Just then, something blue-black with yellow and orange diamonds slithered down the trunk of the tree. It was over four meters in length, thick as a man's forearm, and had slitted yellow eyes.

"Greetingsss," it hissed, scarlet forked tongue lashing in and out of its mouth as it spoke, "I am Librarian ssspeaker unit number ssseventeen. How may I assssisssst you, Assspirant?"

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"So there are several academies? What were they? Sounds like the housing faculties of Harry Potter in a way.." She whispered. She snerked of the thought of Robin being in Slytherin. "Are there other Time Lords I know that are not Prydonian?"

She looked at the staircase they were ascending, it almost felt like one was walking up to heaven's gates from the stories that she read, very surreal.

"In fact, in all seriousness, we should probably return to the TARDIS once we have that information. And then sneak out and review it on some distant world."

"Knowing you, you can never get enough information though, that might be the flaw in your reasoning"

The Dreamweaver looked around her like a child that had just come in a dream world as they entered the library. Everything was so exquisitely grandeur that she didn't know what exactly to look at first. She had always loved nature, an inherited love for being a Sidhe, but these types of flora she had never seen before. She couldn't help but have the tips of her fingers ghost over one of the leafs of a tree they just passed, it was all equally amazing. The energy coming off these plants was almost triple as powerful as any plant from earth could ever do.

"We'll make for the central repository," he said, pointing towards the massive tree in the center. "Ask the Librarian for a work on recent history - hopefully we won't need more than about the past three thousand years to work out the major divergence points."

"Again, I don't speak Gallifreyan? Won't that be a problem? Won't it grow suspicious of me being so foreign?" Juts then, he gave her a golden pin with amber and citrins in it, she took a good look at it, where had he gotten this? She looked at him, had he taken it from a desk somewhere or had he been carrying this all along "Where did you get it? It's beautiful" She said in a hushed voice.

When they approached the tree, she had expected another Time Lord to be the librarian. The last she had expected was a blue-black creature encrusted with yellow and orange glittering diamonds. It looked like a snake and it looked at her with slitted yellow eyes in interest. She was taken back, looking at Robin for a moment in confirmation if this was normal, her cheeks blushing lightly from then shock. What, what was that creature? Why did this remind her of the snake from the biblical story Adam and Eve?

"Greetingsss," it hissed, scarlet forked tongue lashing in and out of its mouth as it spoke, "I am Librarian ssspeaker unit number ssseventeen. How may I assssisssst you, Assspirant?"

"I.. am.." She stuttered at first, then took a deep breath "I'd like to have a history of the past three hundred years on Gallifrey. I won't need the original scripts, just copies.. please?" She said, trying to sound certain.

Again, she looked at Robin. She was a bit at loss with the situation.

[The Meddler]

"So there are several academies? What were they? Sounds like the housing faculties of Harry Potter in a way.." She whispered.

"Something like that," he agreed. "There were the Arcalians, the Ceruleans, the Dromeians, the Patrexi, the Scendles, and the Dvora."

"Are there other Time Lords I know that are not Prydonian?"

The Meddler considered that. "I know you've met the Doctor and Alec, both of whom are fellow Prydonians. As is Xandavier, if I remember correctly. And you've met the Phantom, who I don't know well enough - I suspect she's Arcalian, but I don't know. And I don't actually know what Academy the Specialist graduated from - she would have graduated nearly eight centuries before I was Loomed. Well, if I'd..." He stopped himself. "You know what I mean. What other Time Lords have you met?"

---

The gemstones of the path ground musically together as they approached the central repository.

"Again, I don't speak Gallifreyan? Won't that be a problem? Won't it grow suspicious of me being so foreign?"

He thought about that. "If it comes up, tell the Librarian you're engaged in immersive lingusitics training. It's a relatively common practice among Aspirants with an interest in temporal engineering or culturesmithing."

Juts then, he gave her a golden pin with amber and citrins in it, she took a good look at it, where had he gotten this? She looked at him, had he taken it from a desk somewhere or had he been carrying this all along "Where did you get it? It's beautiful" She said in a hushed voice.

He flushed a little. "I... I had the TARDIS run it off. I figured you'd need a data storage device anyway, and I thought the design would suit you and compliment your assumed Academy colors." He gave her a lopsided grin. "I'd meant to give it to you before we left the ship, but between you and... well... Gallifrey, I sort of forgot."

---

"I.. am.." She stuttered at first, then took a deep breath "I'd like to have a history of the past three hundred years on Gallifrey. I won't need the original scripts, just copies.. please?" She said, trying to sound certain.

"Thousand," the Meddler hissed under his breath, wishing he was telepathic still. "Three thousand years..."

Resolutly, he manipulated the leaves of the holly bush, accessing the Library archives. It wouldn't do to interfere, that would just call attention to himself.

Meanwhile, speaker unit seventeen regarded the Dreamweaver with an inscrutable ophidian expression. "Of a cccertainty, Assspirant." It paused, considering her with unblinking eyes. "Thisss musssst be your firsssst vissssit to the Great Library? Yessss..."

It's eyes went blank for a moment. "One moment..."

Watching the data blocks transfer to his own storage device, the Meddler tried not to crane his head around. What was going on?

"Follow me," hissed the serpent, sliding musically along one of the paths. It lead her to an arbor with two low chairs within easy reach of the foliage. A woman - another Time Lord - waited there. She appeared to be somewhere between forty and sixty, with dark red hair wrapped into elaborate braids and lively hazel eyes and a pleasant - if slightly distracted - expression. She wore silver sandals and a white underrobe with a silver belt, and over that a robe of metallic cloth that shimmered in blues and greens like the feathers of a peacock.

She held out her hands and clasped the Dreamweaver's in greeting. "Unit seventeen tells me that this is your first visit to the Great Library," she said warmly. "Your Mentor must have forgotten how difficult it is to make use of the nodes for the first time."

She gestured to a seat. "I am the Archivist, Loremistress of the Great Library." She smiled. "I have a little time in my schedule, so I thought I would orient you myself."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

The Meddler explain how many academy's there were, quite a lot actually. Yet to her, the Prydonian seemed to be the most dominant one. She had to agree, she liked her robes. She smiled as she once thought she actually matched in with her ginger hair.

"You know what I mean. What other Time Lords have you met?"

"Well, when I just fell through the rift, there was this guy called The Professor. Never saw him again though. The Doctor, I believe that was his tenth incarnation? He was more interested in the fact the Professor's sonic screwdriver had an orange diode then the fact I was half dying on the ground, if I recall right" She said with a lopsided grin "Then you, of course. My dear brother Alec, Phantom during our time in France and Tirol. Doctors 11th incarnation, he even became more of a show off. The Specialist.. and.. Xandavier. And well, those at the Specialist gathering, but I didn't recognise half of them."

_________________________________________

He explained to her how just to play along if they would ever ask about her lack of Gallifreyan language. Then, when the pin was given to her she was surprised by how beautiful it were. Robin seemed to flush, and she smiled. She pinned it in her hair, just behind her ear, tucked away to be used later. "Thank you, that was very considerate" She said with a wink.

_____________________________________________


She wanted to smack herself mentally for getting the years wrong. Three thousand. She wanted to panic a little, looking to Robin for guidance but he was busying himself with a bush. She felt eyes on her and she was a bit taken back when she saw the snake like creature take her in with an inscrutable expression.

"Of a cccertainty, Assspirant." It paused, considering her with unblinking eyes. "Thisss musssst be your firsssst vissssit to the Great Library? Yessss..."

She nodded shamefully "I'm afraid so, yes." She said quietly.

"Follow me," hissed the serpent, sliding musically along one of the paths.

She startled for a moment, not knowing what to do, but eventually decided to follow the snake before it disappeared from sight. She had no idea if Robin was following her or not.

There, she found a woman sitting, long dark red hair in robes of silver, white and shimmering greens and reds. She looked like a greek goddess. Her breath caught in her throat, taken back by the woman's beauty, was she certainly not at the Seelie Court? She rubbed her eyes for a moment.

She held out her hands and clasped the Dreamweaver's in greeting. "Unit seventeen tells me that this is your first visit to the Great Library," she said warmly. "Your Mentor must have forgotten how difficult it is to make use of the nodes for the first time."

Her hand was cool around hers, she nodded uncertainly before she finally spoke "Yes.. I.. I think I got the numbers wrong. I meant the last three thousand years of the history of Gallifrey.. I'm so sorry" She gushed. Where was Robin?

She gestured to a seat. "I am the Archivist, Loremistress of the Great Library." She smiled. "I have a little time in my schedule, so I thought I would orient you myself."

Her eyes widened, the Archivist? She saw that woman barely twenty four hours ago and she was almost bleeding to death. She decided to take a seat, before she'd lose her footing. What was going on here?

She steeled her face though, nodding again.

"That would be very much appreciated, Ma'am."

But this woman looked fine, did this mean there were two archivists now? Was that why they were hunting Robin and all the other Time Lords down? There couldn't be two of the same existing at the same time could there?

She fidgeted, where the hell was Robin?!

[The Meddler]

The Meddler watched as the servitor node led the Dreamweaver away, and swore under his breath. He hadn't expected that, and he should have. Of course the Library's mind would have picked up on the fact that this was her first visit.

He checked his transfer status. Only 22% complete. He needed this material - she needed it. But he didn't think she was ready to bluff her way past a Time Lord, not when she was posing as one.

He felt an agony of indecision for an instant, then removed the storage node and nestled it in the branches of the holly. Then he followed the serpent and the Dreamweaver as casually as he could.

---

"That would be very much appreciated, Ma'am."

The Archivist smiled reassuringly, taking her quick, wide-eyed glance to mean something else. "No need for such formality at this moment. I reserve that for when I'm acting as Loremistress, or in an official capacity with my Lord Husband." She took the younger woman's hand, and patted it gently. "Please, just call me the Archivist."

And then she gave Sisi's hand a quick, curious look. "You're not a full-blooded Gallifreyan, are you?" She smiled reassuringly. "No, no, don't worry. My Lord Husband isn't either, and I'm not one of those Traditionalist snobs. But what should I call you? Aspirant is so formal."

---

Stealth was difficult on the musical gemstones of the path, but the Meddler did the best he could. While trying not to look like he was being stealthy. It was difficult, but it was the sort of thing he had done nearly every time he'd visited Gallifrey in the past.

'Walk casual,' to misquote an Earth science fiction movie he'd quite enjoyed.

As he started to take the next turn the serpent had led the Dreamweaver down, he noticed a small degree of excitement near the door.

"No, please," a familiar voice was saying, "No need to fuss. We're just here as patrons."

He looked, and what he saw made his hearts skip a beat.

The woman at the door was tall and slim and regal, with long white hair and robes of white satin, embroidered with intricate patterns in gold and silver thread. The Specialist, and the sight of her drove a spike of guilt into his heart.

But why doesn't she look pregnant..? he wondered, Those robes aren't that loose...

"Yes, don't mind us. Just picking up some reference materials."

The second voice made his mouth go dry. It belonged to a relatively short man, large nosed and smiling, with lanky brown hair. He wore robes of black, embroidered with intricate gold and silver patterns.

It was him. It was his first incarnation.

My Lord the Meddler is well known to be the Master of the Orrey of Vertumnus. The words from the impossible TARDIS returned.

He ducked low as the other Meddler glanced in his direction. "We are in trouble," he hissed to himself. "Deep trouble."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

She just sat back, not knowing what to make of the situation. She became increasingly more worried over the fact that Robin wasn't here and she didn't know what to do.

"No need for such formality at this moment. I reserve that for when I'm acting as Loremistress, or in an official capacity with my Lord Husband." She took the younger woman's hand, and patted it gently. "Please, just call me the Archivist."

I know you are called the Archivist, I saw you dying a mere 24 hours ago! she thought to herself desperately, but on the outside she just smiled and nodded.

And then she gave Sisi's hand a quick, curious look. "You're not a full-blooded Gallifreyan, are you?"

Her eyes widened, what.. how did this woman know? She put her glamour down like a brick wall, how had this woman managed to look through it? Should she run for it now?

She smiled reassuringly. "No, no, don't worry. My Lord Husband isn't either, and I'm not one of those Traditionalist snobs. But what should I call you? Aspirant is so formal."

She relaxed, if only just a bit. She took in the woman before her again, she seemed kind but she had trouble trusting anyone on this planet, a planet that wasn't supposed to be there and was trying to take out all of it's 'original' inhabitants in the process. She doubted if she should give the woman her real name, but lies usually caught up to ones self. She had a title now, didn't she? Might as well use it.

"My name is the Dreamweaver" She answered quietly.

She didn't answer the question of her heritage.

"I'm sorry to ask.. but where did my Master go? I'm a bit at loss without him, I only just started my training." Really, where was that man?!

[The Meddler]

"My name is the Dreamweaver" She answered quietly.

"A lovely title," the Archivist said with a warm smile. "It likes you well."

"I'm sorry to ask.. but where did my Master go? I'm a bit at loss without him, I only just started my training." Really, where was that man?!

The warm smile widened to one of sheer pleasure. "I thought that might be why you seemed so distracted!" She leaned closer. "The Time Lord that kept looking at you, while you were speaking to the servitor? I'm sure he's still there, waiting." Her voice turned conspiratorial. "My own Lord Husband still looks at me like that, after six hundred years."

She sat back up. "Now, let me show you how to access the data repositories of the Great Library."

He hand brushed across the leaves of a rose bush, and thousands of hair-thin beams of rainbow light shone from the leaves and stems across her face and hands.

---

The Meddler crouched low, still staring at the other Meddler and the not-pregnant Specialist, probabilities and calculations flaming through his mind. They were coming straight - well, as straight as anyone could on the meandering paths of the Great Library - towards the Central Repository.

Straight towards him.

It's likely, he thought, that they would have no idea who I am. But, either one of them will be able to sense what I am, without stopping to look hard at me.

There was no trace of the Grandfather Paradox on the other Meddler. That made things worse, really. It made it unlikely that his doppelganger would be sympathetic.

What went differently? he thought, Did pretty well for yourself, you did. Why aren't you the Grandfather Paradox? How did you end up with the Specialist, and Master of the Orrey of Vertumnus?

He shook his head. He was woolgathering, when he needed to be working.

::Éibhleann,:: he called.

::Aye, Robin? Things look a wee bit tense right now,:: the ring answered.

::They do. I need to borrow some of your power, get a look at my data transfer. Recover the device if it's ready.::

::I nae possess such talents, Robin.::

::You're a being of pure psychic energy right now, Éibhleann. You're limited by what you think you can do.::

::What?::

::Let me borrow some of your power, and take notes. I may be about to make you a Queen.::

---

"Photorganic interfaces," the Archivist said, her fingers stroking gently at the leaves. "Every plant in the Library is a terminal - the larger, the more access. The original architect of the Great Library wanted something more elegant, more suited to the great gathering of wisdom here, than mere buttons."

She reached out and waved her hand across the fronds of a purple frond-like plant. More of the beams of light radiated out. "The beams stimulate the sensory centers of your brain, allowing you to experience the information you request through as many senses as you require to absorb the material - usually, it will take the form of a sensory copy of the original text you requested, although you can expand it to live through demonstrations of events or concepts."

The Archivist withdrew her hands from the beams of light, and they faded away. "The servitor indicated you needed copies of the texts you requested. Just tell the terminal, and it will transfer the data to your archive block."

She gestured at the plants. "Go on, try for yourself."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

When she had inquired about Robin, she got a response she did not expect.

"I thought that might be why you seemed so distracted!" She leaned closer. "The Time Lord that kept looking at you, while you were speaking to the servitor? I'm sure he's still there, waiting." Her voice turned conspiratorial. "My own Lord Husband still looks at me like that, after six hundred years."

She blinked, a blush creeping on her cheeks. Was it that obvious? "He's.. he's my tutor." She said in response, though a bit unsure. She wasn't sure it would do them any good if anyone here found out Robin and her had such a close relationship.

She was glad when the subject was changed.

She sat back up. "Now, let me show you how to access the data repositories of the Great Library."

The Dreamweaver watched with fascinated eyes as the other woman's hand gently touched the plant, small hair fine beams of rainbow coloured light coming from it's leafs which shone on her face and hand. Information transfer by energy, absolutely brilliant! she thought excitedly, but where was all the information stored? At a main data root? Her question was answered before she could even ask it.

"Photorganic interfaces," the Archivist said, her fingers stroking gently at the leaves. "Every plant in the Library is a terminal - the larger, the more access. The original architect of the Great Library wanted something more elegant, more suited to the great gathering of wisdom here, than mere buttons."

"That's brilliant" She gushed, being a Sidhe she had a genetic close connection to nature and this was something completely new. This gave a whole new level of understanding and care for flora.

She reached out and waved her hand across the fronds of a purple frond-like plant. More of the beams of light radiated out. "The beams stimulate the sensory centres of your brain, allowing you to experience the information you request through as many senses as you require to absorb the material - usually, it will take the form of a sensory copy of the original text you requested, although you can expand it to live through demonstrations of events or concepts."

She nodded, her eyes on the purple plant she was touching, a glow radiating off it. It was so utterly beautiful. She seemed almost entranced, she had to remind her to keep her glamour in place.

The servitor indicated you needed copies of the texts you requested. Just tell the terminal, and it will transfer the data to your archive block."

She gestured at the plants. "Go on, try for yourself."

She looked at the woman, shocked but utterly fascinated with the plant in front of her. Would it be safe for her to do so? Wouldn't it give her away, she had no idea how she would react to the information transfer. She didn't want to give away what she was, not yet anyway. Just then she thought of the pin and took it out of her hair, holding it up for the Archivist to see.

"My Master gave me this, he wanted me to put the information in this, I believe he wanted to view it with me when I'd see it the first time."

A little white lie wouldn't hurt anyone.