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Hilton Head Island
North America
Terra
17th December, 3051

Smoke drifted lazily across the battlefield, shrouding the carcasses of savaged Mechs that lay on the churned ground. Within the smoke dark shapes moved. They were smaller than a Mech but larger than the new battlearmour that was becoming more common in the armies of the Inner Sphere.

The metal creature emerged from the smoke and revealed its feral visage to any survivors that might have been paying attention. The machine was bipedal with arms and closely resembled a Mech but for its size. A thick, metal hide protected the machine and the barrel of a single energy weapon rested snugly against its right arm.

Inside the cockpit of the Protomech Star Captain Vlad Ward of Clan Wolf surveyed the war torn field around him. His Red Wolf ProtoMech had acquitted itself extremely well against the war machines of the ComGuard, Vlad had, at first, been dismissive of the small machine but upon seeing it in action during the Trials for Operation Revival he had agreed that its efficiency at dispatching the enemy could not be undervalued.

He was still amazed at how easily the single weapon of his Red Wolf tore through the armour of enemy machines, disrupting and destroying internal components with but a few bursts. IlKhan Leo Showers had certainly spoken the truth when he announced to the Clans that the time of their return was at hand. The Inner Sphere armies had been swept aside in the Clans advance.

Vlad strode his Red Wolf around a rock outcropping and saw the imposing form of Khan Ulric Kerensky’s Gargoyle OmniMech five hundred meters distant. He set his machine into a brisk trot that quickly ate up the ground between them. He took up a position behind and to the left of his Khans machine.

“Star Captain Ward, congratulations on your victory. The single handed defeat of an assault lance has earned you much honour.”

“Thank you, my Khan.” Vlad replied. “My honour is in aiding Clan Wolf to be the first to claim our objectives on Terra. We shall be hailed as the ilClan.”
Ulric smiled within the cockpit of his Gargoyle. “Indeed we shall and you shall earn your place in the Remembrance, Star Colonel Ward.”

Vlad’s expression turned to one of confusion. ”My Khan, I have not yet competed in a Trial of Position to replace Star Colonel Hall.”

Ulric’s reply came back with a certainty that Vlad could not ignore. “You have proven your ability on the field of battle today, Vlad Ward. You have faced your Trial and emerged victorious.”

“Thank you, Khan Kerensky. I will serve you to the death.”

Unseen by Vlad, Ulric’s smile turned to a grin of pure malice. “No, Star Colonel Ward. Your service will be to Clan Wolf. A newer, more powerful Clan Wolf, one that will surpass even the Founder’s great vision.”

Security Detention Centre
Mount Davion
New Avalon
Federated Suns
23rd December, 3051

The Doctor sat up from the bunk as the door of his cell opened and a tall, dark haired man walked in. The two men stared at each other for a moment, measuring the other up before the newcomer spoke.

“My name is Justin Allard. I understand you are a Doctor of some sort.”

“It took you long enough to get here.” The Doctor retorted angrily. “The fate of mankind could be at stake and you keep me locked up here for…. How long have I been here?”

Justin looked at the chronograph adorning his wrist. “About nine hours.”

The Doctor jumped to his feet. “Nine hours? We’ll have to work fast. I need a brief historical overview from you, something like the last five hundred years should suffice.”

Justin was taken a little aback by this mans bizarre behaviour. “Five hundred years?”

“You’re right, not long enough. Never mind, we don’t have time for anything more. Now, it’s 3051 so the Third Great Earth Empire is in effect, yes?”

Justin regained some of his composure. “There have been no Great Earth Empires, Doctor. Perhaps you mean the Star League?”

The Doctor stopped with a stunned look on his face. “No. No, it can’t be. Of course, Davion, the Star League, I read about this in the Chronicles of Alternate Universes in the Gallifreyan archives. But how…?”

“Doctor, please sit down. Perhaps we can start again.” The Doctor sat, still stunned, so Justin continued. “Now, can you tell me where you’re from?”

The Doctor looked up at Justin. “Hmmm? Oh, yes, Gallifrey, in the constellation of Kasterborous.” He answered absently.

“Is that somewhere in the deep Periphery?”

The Doctor snorted. “You might say that. So I must be on New Avalon, yes? It makes sense if the Davion Palace Guard apprehended me. Let me think, it’s called the Inner Sphere in this Universe, isn’t it?”

“In this universe?” Justin frowned.

“Yes, yes. I’ll get to that later. But if I remember the writings correctly the Clans never made it to Earth….ah, Terra. The ComGuard defeated them at Tukayyid in 3052. Which means….”

Justin was suddenly intrigued by this mans rambling. “Which means?”

The Doctor looked up smiling. “I was right! You do need my help! Is Hanse Davion still alive?”

Justin was again shocked at the question. “Yes.”

“Good. I need to speak to him immediately.”

“I’m sorry Doctor I can not allow a potential threat anywhere near the First Prince.”

The Doctor leaned in closer to Justin and immediately sensed the man tense up, ready to react to any danger. His tone became deadly serious.
“If you don’t get me an audience with Hanse Davion he will, very soon, be the Federated Suns Last Prince.”

“Threatening his Highness will not help your plight, Doctor.”

“I’m not the threat here, Mr Allard, the threat is out there. It’s the Clans and whatever it is that has enabled them to so drastically change history. And I can assure you, that threat is heading here and if we don’t act soon there will be no way to stop it.”

Security Detention Centre
Mount Davion
New Avalon
Federated Suns
24th December, 3051

Hanse Davion stared at the empty chair on the other side of the reinforced plexiglass wall waiting for the detainee to be brought in. He was not in the habit of personally visiting prisoners but there was something about this man that intrigued him and he could not figure out why.

He was not kept waiting long before the door in the back wall of the other room was opened and the prisoner was escorted in. His guard lead him to the empty chair where he sat down then retired out the door to the rear of the room.

The Doctors face showed excitement as he recognized the man on the other side of the clear wall.

“Hanse Davion! What an honour, Sir!”

Hanse smiled. “Thank you, but you have me at a bit of a disadvantage, Mr…?”

“Doctor will do.” The prisoner responded.

“Doctor who?” enquired Hanse.

“If you wish, though I normally use Smith. It raises fewer questions.”

“Indeed.” Hanse raised an eyebrow. “Doctor, you have been here the best part of two days yet we can not deduce how you, or that blue box of yours, got into the Palace. Perhaps you can enlighten me?”

“Ah, now that one’s easy. That blue box, as you refer to it, is my TARDIS. It materialized in that room in which I was found. Sorry about the water damage.”

Hanse waved away the apology. “Materialised, Doctor? You mean it appeared from out of thin air?”

“Now you’re getting it!” the Doctor smiled as a teacher would to a student who had suddenly understood a simple lesson.

“And where, exactly, did you come from?” Hanse continued, deciding to humour the man.

“That’s a very good question because from where I came, technically, it should be impossible to get here.”

“Really, Doctor? So you shouldn’t even be here at all?” Hanse’s tone was bordering on extremely sarcastic.

“That’s right. There are strict rules, you know, very strict rules governing the ability to travel between dimensional existences. Whatever pulled the TARDIS through must be very powerful, very powerful indeed.”

Hanse held up a cylindrical device that had been taken from the Doctor’s pockets when he was taken into custody.

“Can you explain this to me, Doctor? Is it a weapon?”

“A weapon? No, well, it depends on your physical make up but normally no. It’s my sonic screwdriver.”

“A screwdriver?” Hanse didn’t look impressed.

“Well, it’s more than just a screwdriver. It can….well, it does…..well,” the Doctor deflated a little. “Yes, it’s a screwdriver.”

“So apart from your mysterious blue box and a,” Hanse looked at the object again, skeptically, “screwdriver, what evidence can you produce to prove that you come from another dimension?”

“Hmmmm. I see your point, Hanse. Perhaps I can offer this…” The Doctor stopped suddenly gasping and clutching at his chest. A pained expression twisted his face and he dropped from the chair onto the floor and lay still.

“Guards! Quickly!” Hanse shouted.

Two guards burst into the room where the Doctor lay.

“Get that man to the infirmary now!” I want you alive Doctor. There are too many questions that you have yet to answer.

New Avalon Institute of Science
New Avalon
Federated Suns
27th December, 3051

The Doctor was studying some battlerom footage of the assault on Terra when Hanse walked into the study that the Doctor had adopted as his own.

“Hanse!” Exclaimed the Doctor as the First Prince walked into the room. Hanse still hadn’t got used to this mans casual approach but did find it strangely comforting.

“Doctor, I trust you are being treated well after our, shall we say, rocky start?”

The Doctor waved his hand dismissively. “I completely understand your caution and there was no harm done, eh? Well, apart from temporarily stopping one of my hearts.”

Hanse grimaced at the thought, wondering what that had put this man through. “Yes, it was quite an effective ploy in the end. It certainly opened our eyes to the truth…and our minds.”

“I’m glad. It’s quite refreshing having one’s mind opened.”

Hanse pointed to the vid-screen. “What do you think?”

“I think,” replied the Doctor in a serious tone, “that you have a very serious problem on your hands. For a start, these small Mechs, Protomechs they will be called. They shouldn’t have even been invented yet, let alone whipping this ComGuard senseless.”

Hanse shook his head. “It’s hard to hear you talk of time so casually, Doctor, even knowing that you’re from the future of another universe.”

The Doctor nodded sympathetically. “I know but you need to be aware of the gravity of this situation. Something has been playing with time here and that takes some serious power. I’ve only seen this scale of temporal dislocation a few times myself. Fortunately that’s an advantage as it narrows down the list of possible causes. On another note the weapon that Protomech is carrying is only too familiar to me.”

Hanse smiled hopefully. If he knew what he was fighting then he could plan for it.

“What is it, Doctor?”

“What it is, Hanse, is a very long story and one that I will share with Justin on the way to Terra.”

“You want to go to Terra?” Hanse exclaimed with surprise.

“No, Hanse, but I have to. That is where I will find the answers. Tell Justin he will need a Mech, preferably one with ballistic weapons. They’ll be far more effective than energy.”

Hanse nodded. “I will make the arrangements immediately. As part of Operation Chronos you will have access to my personal command circuit of jumpships, Doctor. They will take you as close to Terra as possible. You will then need to find a way in aboard a commercial vessel. It should help to allay suspicion of your purpose there.”

The Doctor stood up from his desk and switched off the holo-viewer.

“Thank you, Hanse. This will help immensely.”

Grand Hyatt Hotel
Unity City
North America
Terra
2nd February, 3052

Justin sat at the table in the dining area of his hotel room as the Doctor grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator.

“So if the Dalek shouldn’t exist here, how did it get here?” Justin asked as the time traveler joined him at the table.

“I would imagine the same way I did. It fell through a tear in the fabric of both universes, somewhere that links the two, and it fell onto one of the Clan worlds.”

Justin took the offered water and twisted open the top. “But you arrived a little over a month ago on New Avalon. It must have been here a lot longer to have influenced the Clans so much.”

The Doctor tapped his chin thoughtfully. “It’s a funny old thing, time. Always linear, well for you lot, but seldom constant. Besides when I came through the TARDIS was in flight. That could account for a massive difference.”

Justin nodded, pretending to understand what the Doctor was talking about.

“And this Dalek is what has changed our time line, not to mention incapacitated your TARDIS?”

The Doctor thought back to just prior to his departure from New Avalon. He had hoped to take the TARDIS to Terra but he had found his beloved time machine dark and lifeless inside.

“Hmmm, the introduction of Dalek technology could certainly have sped up the Clan Invasion but you make a good point about the TARDIS. Not even the Daleks have the ability to disable a TARDIS. In fact Daleks have yet to discover how to open a dimensional tear.”

Justin placed his bottle gently on the table. “So you’re saying there’s something else at work here, something that brought you and the Dalek to our universe and disabled your machine?”

“Yes. Frightening, isn’t it, to discover that there’s something out there immeasurably more powerful that your entire armed forces put together.”

Justin paused for just a second as a thought crossed his mind. “Then why hasn’t this….thing tried something like this before?”

“That’s a very good question. The archives say that there are different kinds of universes. Some, like the one I come from, have entities that evolved since the beginning of time to become incredibly powerful. These are known as Eternals, or sometimes Guardians, white and black. They affect the evolution of species, creating a diverse range of life forms, both good and malevolent, throughout the universe. Your universe is what’s known as a grey universe. There are no forces of white and black waging an eternal war, just you, humans. It could be said that you are your own white and black guardians.”

Enlightenment shone on Justin’s face. “This is why we haven’t encountered any other intelligent life. There are no Eternals at work here that have created it.”

The Doctor smiled. “Exactly, just a one in a billion fluke combination of events that lead to you.”

Justin’s expression darkened. “But now an Eternal is meddling in our universe.”

“It’s highly likely,” replied the Doctor, “or at least an agent of one. I wonder how it got here?”

“Eternal or not, no one messes with my universe.“ Justin shot the Doctor a look of resolute determination. “Let’s deal to it.”

Kirby’s Storage Yard
Unity City
North America
Terra
4th February, 3052

Justin showed his storage ticket to the man at the desk who nodded sagely, as if a great mystery had been solved, then grabbed a key and handed it to Justin.

“Hope you got a big truck.” Kirby added with a laugh.

Justin took the key, smiling at Kirby’s attempted humour, and then left the office to rejoin the Doctor outside.

They walked in silence down to the large storage facility near the back of the yard where Justin opened a small side door using the key Kirby had given him. They walked into the cavernous building and saw the massive cargo pod standing upright in the middle of the floor.

The Doctor walked up to the pod and extracted his sonic screwdriver from an inside jacket pocket. Activating the device, he ran its green light over the control panel near the base of the pod and the front of the vast container clicked open and was pushed wide by pneumatic arms.

Inside stood the dark, menacing shape of a Centurion Battlemech.

Justin shook his head. “Just how did you get Yen-lo-Wang past all the security checks?”

The Doctor waved his sonic screwdriver in front of Justin’s face. “This to change the scanner resonance of the cargo pods material and,” he pointed to a small glowing device attached to the Mechs left foot, “that. A perception filter so, if anyone did actually open the pod, they would see, as their scans showed them, a pod full of zero-g toilets.”

Justin was amazed. “That tiny thing can do that?”

The Doctor winked. “Clever, isn’t it?”

“Then why don’t we see toilets?” Justin wondered out loud.

“Well, we’re expecting to see your war machine. The perception filter hides things, shows us what we’re expecting to see.”

“I see.” said Justin though he still didn’t really understand it.

The Doctor put a hand on Justin’s shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this, Justin? It’s very likely a one way trip.”

Justin shrugged. “How I see it there’s no other way, besides, this is what I was born to do. I just hope your little filter thing keeps doing its job.”

“Oh, it will,” the Doctor assured him, “but it won’t fool the Dalek. Its sensor globes will detect your machine for what it really is. When the fighting starts you can expect the filter to be the first thing it targets.”

Justin nodded with a grim expression. “I understand, Doctor.”

“I wish there was another way, Justin.”

“So do I, but if this will help end the Clans reign of terror here then I have to do it.” Justin extended his hand. “It’s been a pleasure, Doctor.”

The Doctor shook Justin’s hand somberly. “The pleasure has been mine, Mr Allard.”

With that Justin began the climb up to the cockpit of Yen-lo-Wang.

Office of the First Lord
Unity City
North America
Terra
5th February, 3052

Khan Elias Crichell stood between the twin chairs set in front of the First Lords desk, anger reddening his face.

“The Wolf Khan’s impudence knows no bounds, ilKhan! Why should we keep this man alive after his desecration of the Great Repository?”

Leo Showers’ expression shared the Jade Falcon Khans frustration yet he kept his voice calm. “Khan Kerensky was adamant that keeping Justin Allard alive was crucial based on intelligence he obtained whilst on New Avalon. As much as I share your sentiments, Khan Crichell, I wish to review this intelligence myself upon the Wolf Khan’s return.”

Elias snarled. “And meanwhile we must leave this dezgra act unavenged? Justice for the destruction wrought on our repository and the injuries to the Guardian must take precedence over Ulric’s trivial flights of fancy!”

The ilKhan’s expression turned dark. “You would do well to show a little more respect when speaking of another Khan, especially one who was so instrumental in the conquest of Terra. Were Ulric here I have no doubt you would be facing him in a circle of equals right now.”

Elias waved off the rebuke. “I would relish the opportunity. However, if it is the ilKhans wish to indulge in the Wolf Khan’s conspiracy theories then I have no choice but to defer to your decision. Know that I will be petitioning the Grand Council for the public execution of Allard, however. With your leave, ilKhan Showers?”

Leo Showers nodded once and Elias Crichell spun on his heel and stalked from the room. That one will bear watching closely, he thought to himself, and, when Ulric returns, perhaps we can arrange that circle of equals…

* * * *

Justin sat on the solitary bunk in the cell that had been his home for the last 21 hours. Even when he had been left alone sleep had been elusive but the near constant stream of Clansmen and women who had come to abuse and spit at him had made any kind of rest impossible. He was grateful for the bars that separated him from his tormentors, however. Without them he was certain that he would be dead by now.

Justin heard footsteps approaching one the cold, hard concrete floor once again and was quite prepared to shrug off the insults and threats that were bound to come. He was, therefore, surprised to see the Doctor appeared beyond the bars dressed in a lab coat and carrying a clipboard.

“Doctor!” exclaimed Justin.

The Doctor held up a hand and with a wink responded. “I am Doctor John of the scientist caste. We wish to know how your Mech managed to evade our sensors for so long. You will write your answer on this paper.”

The Doctor slid the clipboard and a pen through the meal tray slot in the bars. Justin took the proffered objects and immediately noticed a message written on the page.

It read, Play along and don’t worry, I’m working on a way to get you out of here.

Justin quickly scribbled a few words down and practically threw the clipboard back through the slot. The Doctor grabbed it before it clattered to the floor and glanced at the writing.

“Well, you didn’t have to play along that well.” He mumbled then louder said, “And my pen, thank you!”

Justin was about to pass it back when they were interrupted by another voice.

“What are you doing here? Do you have permission to speak with this prisoner?” Khan Elias Crichell strode down the passage to stand before the Doctor. “Well?”

The Doctor drew himself up to his full height which was still significantly shorter than the Clan Khan. He produced a think black wallet and flipped it open to reveal a blank piece of paper within.

“I am Doctor John of the scientist caste and was asked here to gain information on whatever was used to shield this prisoners Mech from our sensors.”

Khan Crichell glanced at the paper as if he was reading something that wasn’t there. “Very well, and may I see the results?”

The Doctor hugged the clipboard closer, aware of the incriminating evidence written upon it. “I’m afraid he wasn’t very forthcoming, Sir.”

Khan Crichell winced at the man’s speech. “It seems your methods of interrogation leave as much to be desired as your vocabulary. Your use of contractions disgusts me. Report to my office in one hour for punishment duty.”

The Doctor suddenly looked worried. “As you wish, Sir.”

Elias turned to the man in the cell then. “As for you, ilKhan Showers may have seen fit to spare your life for the moment but I assure you, when Ulric Kerensky returns from New Avalon and it comes time for you to die, I shall oversee it personally and I will take great pleasure in your suffering.”

The Jade Falcon Khan turned on his heel and left the detention block.

“Oh dear, what have I got myself into?” the Doctor asked no one in particular. He gave Justin a hopeful smile as he withdrew his sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket. He fiddled with some settings and pressed a button which elicited a faint, shrill whine from the device. “That should deal with any audio surveillance for the moment.”

“What’s the plan, Doctor?” Justin asked.

“The plan is we stay here. Don’t worry, I will get you out before anything happens but I need to find out what’s going on here. If I knew when Ulric left New Avalon I might have a better idea of time frames.”

Justin smiled. “I might be able to help with that, Doctor. Give me back that clipboard and I’ll give you some names and transmission codes to use. If you can get to an HPG station you should be able to get a message out.”

“That will work beautifully, thank you. I should be able to pass myself off as a ComStar technician.”

“What is in that wallet, Doctor? How did you fool that Khan?”

The Doctor replaced the screwdriver and plucked the wallet from his pocket again then opened it to show Justin a blank piece of paper. “Psychic paper. I made him believe he was looking at the credentials of one of the senior scientists.”

The paper seemed to swirl for a moment then the image of a scientist caste Clansman’s ID appeared where before there was nothing.

“That’s incredible.” Justin uttered in awe.

“It’s certainly got me out of a few sticky situations, now I just need to think of a way out of this punishment duty.”

Justin looked worried. “If you don’t show up it’ll raise suspicion.”

“True, but I can’t spare the time simply because I contracted a couple of words.”

Justin pondered the Doctor’s dilemma for a moment. “Then tell him what he wants to hear.”

The Doctor looked puzzled. “I beg your pardon?”

“Tell him about the perception filter. Make him believe the NAIS have created a new electronic warfare device that can hide an entire BattleMech from their sensors, from their eyes even.”

The Doctor smiled. “Justin, you’re a genius! Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here soon, I promise.”

With those last words the Doctor turned and left the detention area.