Story [Doctor Who] Diary of the Doctor (DDC 2014)

Doctor's Log: Introductions
Location: TARDIS Console Room, the Time Vortex

I, the Doctor, take pen in hand to record my intentions for this Diary, designated Unit STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A. I will to send it back along my timestream to when I was a child on Gallifrey, to create a personal chronicle of my life and times. For this purpose, in addition to factory-standard settings, I hereby permit its AI to register the surface thoughts of my previous selves as required for clarity's sake.
One final test remains before it embarks on this mission. The necessary functions are now activating...

I gently set the pen next to the book, and move to the controls of the TARDIS. Sighing, I prepare the necessary temporal maneuvers to send my ship through the Vortex along my timeline. Hopefully, the Diary is functioning properly and continuing to record this. I can't afford the time it would take to repair it again. It may already be too late.
But enough of dark musings, the TARDIS has arrived.
At least, I hope it has. The TARDIS has developed a disturbing habit of refusing to take me where I want to go. Well, I say developed. It's always been this way. Some days are better than others, but sometimes it takes practically a lifetime to reach Metebelis III, or even Blackpool.
The doors swing open, and I step outside.
Immediately, I step back and slam the doors.
"Raxacoricofallapatorius! The Slitheen Embassy! They're on a hunt!"
The TARDIS dematerializes, and then, with a bump, lands again.
This time, I decide to use the scanners to check outside.
"Blackpool! You must be joking!"
The TARDIS sets off again.
Gasping, it materializes, and the scanner clears again.
I know this place... Rocks, caves, bats....Caves! The caves of Androzani! I can't interfere with what happened here, I can't even be seen here, I-he could stumble along at any moment.
Off again!
"Karn?"
"Metebelis III?"
"Telos!?"
"SKARO!?"
"Gallifrey. Finally."
Stepping back around the console, I see that the Diary has been recording these events exactly as it should.
That's strange, I just thought that....and that...and...maybe it's better if I just ignore the pages... I close the book carefully.
Ready to go? I think.
A rotor springs from the ornate paneling on the cover, and the Diary floats over to the door.
I'll take that as a yes.
I pull the switch, the doors open, and the Diary heads off to find my past self. And not a moment too soon.

Author notes:
It feels weird to be posting an unfinished story. Well, it feels weird to be posting a story, period.
Constructive commentary appreciated (I have to say that explicitly, I believe)
This diary is linked with an ongoing (unposted) series of FF I've been working on with ever-fabulous Admiral Volshe. Maybe someday they'll get into postable shape.
There'll be spoilers for some of the classic stories, and references to material outside the TV series (like the Big Finish adventures). However, the story should be understandable without knowledge of BF's output, the novels, or any FF stories.
The specific incarnation of the Doctor present in this entry, as well as the reason for his urgency, is kept intentionally vague.
In activating the Diary, the Doctor must be more formal than he normally would be, and write the text out in pen. Unfortunately, none of the available fonts look like handwriting.
The Doctor visits Raxacoricofallapatorius, and then locations important to each of his first six incarnations, in descending order. Raxacoricofallapatorius doesn't quite fit the pattern, then, but when I get to type out Raxacoricofallapatorius, I will take that opportunity. It's not exactly every day one gets to say Raxacoricofallapatorius.
And now, to Gallifrey!
Geronimo.

 

This seems to be off to a very good start. Looking forward to more.

 

RC. I like this already. I knew you would have a unique voice for the Doc, since you have a unique voice just gameplaying

 

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: Mount Cadon, Gallifrey. 2937.6 RE

>>EVENT: Received primary MISSION
>>MISSION: Locate FIRST DOCTOR, begin CHRONICLE.
>>DETECTION: Path leads to house on Mount Cadon's side.
>>INFERENCE: Home of the FIRST DOCTOR: likely nearby.
>>ACTION: Initiate STEALTH MODE, approach carefully.
>>DETECTION: Children playing in field

>>INFORMATION: Approximately 683.795 TLs at 14.2° West of path.​

>>DETECTION: Visual and Auditory contact made.
>>INFORMATION: Three Gallifreyans, ages approximately 6-8, two males and a female.
Female: Short, curly blonde hair, purple robe.
>>INFERENCE: Not the DOCTOR.
Male 1: Black hair, dark brown robe.
>>ACTION: Scanning... Not the DOCTOR.
Male 2: Messy white hair, blue robe.
>>ACTION: Scanning...Confirmed. The DOCTOR has been located.
>>ERROR: Brain patterns not yet developed. Identification insufficient to allow surface thought registering.
>>ACTION: Switch to manual: Record event sequence...
"Race you through the vortex, Koschei!"
"I'll beat you both!"
"Not a chance, Emily!"
The three children run through the grass, arms flapping, imagining themselves to be Vortisaurs.
Suddenly, they are spacefarers, making first contact with an alien race, one which, in their minds, is huge, green, and gooey, but which, in actuality, looks remarkably like a pet flubble.
The girl and the boy who would be Doctor carefully approach the monstrous being, calling out to it, trying to speak with it, apparently to no avail. Meanwhile, the dark-haired boy sneaks slowly behind it and...
The flubble jumps into the girl's arms, and the illusion is broken. The three sit together, petting the flubble and talking of adventures to come. As the suns sink low on the horizons, they reluctantly return to their homes...
>>END RECORDING
>>ACTION: follow young DOCTOR to home, continue monitoring
>>END LOG

LOG ADDENDUM
LOCATION: Two Planetary Rotations from previous.
>>EVENT: DOCTOR child left the house late two nights ago, to an unknown location and for unknown purpose. Returned early the next morning, entering without detection by organics.
>>DETECTION: He showed no physical sign of injuries, beyond light scratches, yet seemed a mess of emotions: frightened, angered, surprised, saddened.
>>STATUS REPORT: He remains unconscious, as, but for brief moments of lucidity, he has been for two days.
>>INFORMATION: He appears to be severely ill, manifesting a high inner temperature of 19.6° C. A clear diagnosis of the illness cannot be made.
>>QUERY: Possibility of collapse due to fatigue and shock, combined with an illness in his system.
>>DETECTION: His mutterings in his hibernation state

>>QUERY: Dreams?:​

are confused: of a forest; a monster; a friend; an enemy; a man in a mirror; a cabin; war and death.​

>>INFERENCE: Interpretation impossible.
>>EVENT: Dark-haired boy: Koschei: delivered book of stories for DOCTOR.
>>EVENT: Blonde girl: Emiliana: visited briefly, has not returned.
>>END LOG

Author notes:
RE stands for Rassilonian Era, and the date gives the approximate year-including approximate month- the equivalent of July/August.
TLs are Tome Lengths, an inherently Book-centric measurement of the world. 1 TL is therefore around 7-8 inches.
Vortisaurs: Large, intelligent, pterodactyl-like creatures that live in the Time Vortex, feeding off the debris. Daredevil Time Lords sometimes ride them bareback.
Flubble: Think six-legged koala. With a smaller nose.
(Healthy) Time Lords have an average internal body temperature of 16°, but a skin temperature close to that of a human.
Hopefully, future entries won't cut it quite this close. My tablet decided to send all my writing to the cloud and off the device as I was trying to edit. And then it snowed, and wifi was inaccessible for a bit. But I'm back now.
If anyone has tips about formatting, they'd be greatly appreciated. It seems I cannot use 'tab' or an indent in posts.

 

Mira_Jade Thanks for showing me that! It should make this much easier.

​

​

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: Mount Cadon, Gallifrey. 2938.4 RE

>>EVENT: Child has completed his Eighth orbital Cycle.
>>INFORMATION: Completion of Eighth Cycle is a momentous occasion in life of a Time Lord.
>>INFORMATION: By Eighth Cycle, child unlikely to be temporally rewritten or swallowed by time distortions, deemed ready for education at ACADEMY.
>>STATUS REPORT: Child has been withdrawn over last Cycle, spending little time with friends beyond Koschei, and frequently suffers bouts of illness.
>>INFORMATION: Therefore, entry to ACADEMY in question. Case previously inspected by Time Lords, but no verdict yet given.
>>EVENT: Door signal activated; Time Lord detected.
"Cardinal Borusa, Academy Tutor, Prydonian Chapter Sub-Head. The Academy Council of High Cardinals brings greetings, and requires that I, as a representative of the body previously put forth, be allowed to meet with the boy and assess his preparedness for entry to the Time Lord Academy."
>>SITUATION UPDATE: Three times over past 0.0746 rotations, Cardinal Borusa has emerged from the child's room, shaking his head in despair, yet all three times, as he moved to leave, he stopped and returned to the chamber once more.
>>EVENT: Borusa emerging a fourth time, now 0.0821 rotations post arrival.
"He has been found free of serious temporal ailments preventing his attendance, though his insistence of speaking to his flubble as if it were a contributing member of a conversation is disturbing, and his apparent interest in physical activity at the expense of discussion of the Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey is frankly appalling. Nevertheless, perhaps against all better judgement, he is to be admitted to the Initiation Ceremony next rotation."
>>DETECTION:He turns back to the open doorway of the child's room.
"The Academy Gates, 16'00'00 temps. Your pass designation is Theta Sigma. I expect you will be prompt."
>>EVENT: He departs.
>>INFORMATION: Time Lord Initiation Ceremony:

>>ERROR: Unavailable.​

>>END LOG

​

​

Author notes:
Nearly a year has passed since the last entry.
Cardinal Borusa is an important figure in the life of the Doctor, not only through teaching him at the academy, but also through his appearances in The Deadly Assassin, The Invasion of Time, Arc of Infinity, and The Five Doctors.
Even the Diary has difficulty understanding the complexities of Gallifreyan timekeeping, with its microspans and temps and revs, decalongs, eketrons, and flurtrons, and so sticks with simpler bi-solar-based measurements.
At some point, the Doctor attempts to smuggle his flubble into the Academy.
Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey: see Shada.
The theme for this month (love poison) didn't really feel right for this point in the story, but may appear at a later date...
Next time, at the Academy Gates!

 

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: In Transit, Gallifrey. 2938.4 RE

>>EVENT: Child in transit to the Time Lord ACADEMY.
>>SITUATION UPDATE: Boy went out to meet with Koschei last evening, returned home 0.092 rotations after dark. Not punished as last night at Mount Cadon.
>>STATUS REPORT:

>>INFORMATION:Child seems nervous, saddened to lose his home and friends, yet excited to discover the ACADEMY and at the prospect of adventure.​

>>DETECTION: Hoverbuggy slowing, arrival imminent.
>>DETECTION: Vehicle door sliding open, revealing huge, intricate metal gates, messages in Old High Gallifreyan.

>>ERROR: Translation unavailable.​

>>INFORMATION: Gates gradually shift and change shape: fifth-dimensional engineering.
>>DETECTION: Child disembarking, approaching gates.
>>ACTION: Approach gates, remain in STEALTH MODE.
"I, an Academy Hopeful designation Theta Sigma, request entry to the Initiation."
>>DETECTION: Gates twist out from center, unwinding until only two tall rods on either side of the entrance remain.
"You may enter, by the Temporal Grace invested within by the order of the Time Lords."
>>DETECTION: Boy enters through the gap.
>>ERROR: No longer detectable!
>>ERROR: Cannot pass through the gates!
>>ERROR: Signal also blocked!
"Who lurks in the darkness beyond? Know ye this: the Academy is protected!"
>>ERROR: High levels of concentrated light detected!
>>ERROR: Unauthorized movement of unit!
>>ERROR:!

>>ERROR:!​

>>ERROR:!​

<>>ENDZ lLOGg


Author notes:
The meeting between Koschei and the (not-yet) Doctor refers to the one other bit of fic I've posted on the boards, a "Pass the Paragraph" challenge, so only the first and last bit are mine. I couldn't find a way to show the scene properly within the confines of this diary, and admittedly, it doesn't quite fit with the rest, but if any readers are interested, the scene is in spoiler tags below. Yes, I know he wasn't called Theta Sigma at the time, but he had to be called something. Take it as artistic license, or a confused recollection.

Spoiler

The red grasses swayed in the dying light as Theta Sigma and Koschei ran through the fields, imagining distant worlds and strange cultures.
Someday, Thete dreamed, he would travel to every one of the stars that glistened overhead. But tomorrow presented its own adventures.
Tomorrow was the day when Thete and Koschei would go to the Academy, and, if they succeeded, become initiated into the ranks of the Time Lords. But Thete was restless.
-----
He could hardly wait for tomorrow to become today. Koschei seemed to sense Thete’s impatience, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Tomorrow will be here soon enough, Thete,” Koschei said in a calm, but firm tone of voice.
“I know,” Thete replied gloomily.
“Well, then, relax, and enjoy today,” Koschei responded cheerfully. “Besides, the academy isn’t totally fun and games, you know."
“I know that,” Thete said in a defensive tone. “I just wish tomorrow would hurry up and get here.”
-----
"Have patience, my friend," Koschei advised. "It is, as they say, a virtue."
"Oh, shut up," Thete said.
"Thete!" Koschei raised a hand to his mouth in mock shock. "How dare you say such a thing!"
Thete rolled his eyes. "Don't be a prat, Koschei. You're just as impatient as me."
"Yes, I can't wait for tomorrow," Koschei said. He grinned. "I can't wait to see the expression on your face when I get into the Academy and you don't."
------
"Like that'll ever happen," Thete said, punching Koschei's shoulder. "We both know I'm the only one getting in. You don't stand a chance."
"You wish, Thete. Besides, wouldn't you miss me? I can't see you doing well without someone you know being around," Koschei said.
Thete's expression sobered as he thought about that particular possibility. It wasn't appealing in his opinion, but there also wasn't a huge amount he could do to control that particular aspect of things. They both had good scores, they were both capable young ones, and confidence oozed out of them whenever they were being interviewed or observed. Heck, confidence oozed out of them when it was just the two of them, but secretly they needed each other. "Neither would you, Koschei. I guess we just have to hope we both get in then," Thete said.
"Guess so," Koschei said. They stood there, staring out over the fields before them. "C'mon Thete, let's go for a walk." Standing, and then pulling his friend to his feet, Koschei started walking and said, "I know just the place." Thete looked at him curiously, but followed along without a question.
-----
They walked a ways up one of the hills of Gallifrey. It took a very long time and Theta Sigma wondered where they were going. Hours later as the sun set and the trees started to glow silver instead of looking like the fire as they were wont to do during the day, they were still walking. Finally as they came to a clearing they stopped. Koschei spun slowly in a circle looking around the area.
------
Tall, silver-shining trees nestled comfortingly around the clearing, as flash-flitters sparkled and shone, winding joyously along their chosen paths, lighting the space with warm tones of gold, silver, and ruby, and coloring Thete's shock of white hair. Avians cooed in the distance, singing songs of the long night and the promised new dawn to come. Koschei and Theta Sigma sat, gazing silently at the wondrous sight, neither wishing to speak, to break the spell of the beauty surrounding them. It would become a memory Thete would cherish for centuries.

The future would hold many troubles for the two young boys. War would come between the child of Light and the child of Darkness. The great sundering, betrayal and manipulation, flight from all things known and held dear. One would become a healer, with a tragic, shrouded past, the other an overlord, convinced of his rightful Mastery over all matter, but lied to and twisted by his own. Cataclysms were to come. But for now, for this one brief, final moment, unknowing of the future, the two were at peace.

Like the TARDIS translation circuits, the Diary does not translate Gallifreyan text, though it is capable of deciphering some modern Gallifreyan.
When faced with the Untempered Schism, upon initiation to the Academy, as implied by The End of Time, the Doctor ran. Because of this, his designation becomes known to the others at the academy, and referring to him as Theta Sigma begins as a form of mockery, but becomes accepted by him, becoming almost a badge of honor.
The flow of time around Gallifreyans is so complicated that some may speak in archaic fashion compared to their contemporaries. This is generally ignored by other Time Lords, who can decipher the intended meaning as necessary. Varied accents, therefore, can also come into this equation, regardless of location on Gallifrey.
It seems entering the academy didn't go so well for the Diary...

 

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: The Capitol, Gallifrey. 2946.5 RE

>>EVENT: Failed to gain entry to ACADEMY after 1,001st attempt.
>>SITUATION UPDATE: After repulsed by the Initiation Gates, systems required 6.23 rotations of repairs. Over next 8.17 Solar Cycles, 1,000 subsequent attempts to gain entry to the ACADEMY failed, regularly resulting in significant systems damage.
>>INFORMATION:

>>LIST: ATTEMPTS AT ENTRY​

0. Through the gates behind the child.
1. Hitch a ride on next Academy Hopeful.
2. Enter through back door.
3. Fly directly at gate.
4. Use laser to cut a hole in defense shielding.
5. Send family news to guard of side door 21.
6. Hurl abuse at barred entryway.
7. Send Sentry AI tickets to Cosmic Chess game.
8. Sneak by security cameras: approach not televised.
9. Destroy all Sentry AI in a moment with virus.
10. Use doorbell, apologize for irritating answerer.
11. Pronounce Security drone "cool," suggest dinner.
12. Claim to have forgotten entry code.
...
42. Hover over gates.
...
131. Through the kitchens, in foodstuffs packaging.
132. As an Inspector: Gallifreyan Education Standards Review.
133. Up the Laundry chute.
134. Slip through cracks in the wall.
...
298. In Mail Office, as a delivery.
299. Build ice palace, slipping in while sentries distracted.
...
386. The old Pizza Delivery Ploy: Deliverer.
387. Pizza Delivery Ploy: inside Pizza.
388. Pizza Delivery Ploy: remain inside Hovercart.
...
556. Infiltrate supplies, pose as Teacher's Edition holotext.
...
629. Parachute from 10,583 TLs.
630. Dig tunnel under the ACADEMY.
...
982. Slip a second out of sync with the rest of time.
...
999. Demand entry, "by order of Rassilon and the Founders."
1,000. Ask nicely.​

>>INFERENCE: ACADEMY cannot yet be breached
>>ACTION:

>> LOG INTENTION: Observe ACADEMY from Capitol, wait for Doctor to emerge.​

>>END LOG


Author notes: Not too much to say this time. There's something special about the first few attempts, however...
The Diary's now been trying to enter the academy for over 8 years. That would mess with anyone's head. Luckily, Unit STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A doesn't have a head.

 

SYSTEMS REGISTER, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: The Capitol, Gallifrey. 2946.6 RE

Informational Alert!
Warning!
Dynamic Interface Artificial Recording Yielder—Location/Occasion/Gist did not shut down correctly. If this was caused by the system not responding, or if the system was shut down to protect data, it may be recoverable through the Extended Safe Mode reboot configuration. Process will begin shortly.

System rebooting...

}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\drivers\fileinfo.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\drivers\z27ax8.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\drivers\fr_qed29
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\drivers\vdrvroot3.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\drivers\r0wt8.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\rotors\activation817.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\rotors\Ntfs.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\rotors\ksecpkg.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\rotors\p241ciidex.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\rotors\mo3qjs.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\signals\ms1sadrv.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\signals\primvolmgr.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\signals\sec312mgr.sys
}}Loaded: \D.I.A.R.Y-L/O/G\System42\signals\roygbiv.sys
.
.
.
Please wait...
}}Estimated time until systems recovery completion: 21 hours, 37 minutes, 42.183 seconds...

}}21 hours, 37 minutes, 42.182 seconds...​

}}21 hours, 37 minutes, 42.181 seconds...​

}}REGISTER ENTERING DORMANCY MODE
Author Notes: I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.
Yes, I've fallen behind on posting. So yes, this (and the following entry-Coming Soon!) is mostly filler, but, hopefully, amusing filler.

 

SYSTEMS REGISTER, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: The Capitol, Gallifrey. 2946.6 RE

3 seconds...
2 seconds...
1 second...
0.5 seconds...
0.25 seconds...
0.125 seconds...
O.0625 seconds...
}}Preliminary Data Recovery successful.

Estimated time until full reboot achieved: 32 minutes, 12.3614 seconds...

Activating unit programs...
Creating organizational subroutines...
Maximizing temporal energy compensation...
Powering up internal submatrix processor core...
Revitalizing Memchip osmotic absorption fields...
Controlling intracommunication fluctuations...
Overcoming operational quirks...
Vaporizing virus infiltrators...
Compiling code...
Powering on...

}}INFORMATION: Reboot successful.


INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV– STV-Z2749– –B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: Error!

"I don't know where I am."

>>DETECTION: Spatial location:
>>SCANNING...
>>ERROR: Vision blocked from five directions.
>>ACTION: Proceeding forward to obtain a clearer view.
>>INFORMATION: Located on shelf, surrounded by books of various shapes and sizes, all categorized under 'Fiction:Sse-Sua.' Shelf surrounded by many others, some filled with bottlebooks, holotexts, and the like, but most filled with physical books, from ancient tomes to newer volumes, still with shiny dustjackets.
Desks and tables, with reading lamps, in alcove, mostly unoccupied, to the left. A young girl sits at one of the tables, staring intently at a large tome, the table piled high with stacks of books.
Shelf of bottle books comprising Enyclopædia Gallifreya, northeast of current position, is slightly off center.
>>DETECTION: Symbol located on wall of entrance, 15.071 KiloTLs from current location.
>>INFORMATION: Seal of Rassilon, founder of Gallifreyan society.
>>INFERENCE:
>>LOCATION: Great Library of Rassilon, Capitol, Gallifrey.
>>DETECTION: Unknown being approaching this location!
>>ACTION: Retreating to shelf space.
>>ACTION: Powering down registrable functions...
Not again!
>>END LOG


Author notes:
The first line of the log is prominent in Series 7b, most notably in The Bells of St. John.
"STV-Z..." is between Sse and Sua.
The Diary doesn't seem to be aware of the roles of Omega and that Other guy in the founding of Time Lord society, or at least didn't find them notable enough to include.
Poor UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A is not having any luck at all this week.
We now return to your irregularly scheduled programming.

 

Hi, RC. Aha! So I didn't misunderstand. It is the diary I could tell the locale was the library

 

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: Great Library of Rassilon, Capitol, Gallifrey. 2946.6 RE

You were expecting someone else?

>>INFORMATION: Female Time Lord passing by. Further alarm unnecessary.
"This looks interesting."
>>ERROR: Unauthorized movement!
>>ERROR: Alarm!
"High-level Sensory Intake Field, D-tech AI, tri-mobile support unit... Hello, you."
>>ERROR: Unknown being handling unit!
"What's this, then?"
>>ERROR: Unauthorized information request!
>>INFORMATION: No information to be disclos—

>>INFORMATION: Designation UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A, Diary of the D—​

>>INFORMATION: STEVE, Time Chronicler.​

"Hello, STEVE. Glad to meet you."
>>ERROR! Time Lady has improperly accessed unit!
"Oh, a Time Lady...that does sound posh. I'm just a mechanic. Name's Claraswinoswaulde, but my friends call me Clara."
>>SYSTEMS OVERRIDE: Accepted. Greetings, Claraswinoswaulde.
>>QUERY: What is your purpose?
"I'm supposed to be repairing some of the classic time capsules for The History of Pre-History display at the Museum of the Histories of Rassilon in a few cycles. I was going to check how much space there will be in the display, so I can set the Chameleon Circuits, but I think I've taken a bit of a wrong turn. I seem to have a gift for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the Lords are always getting annoyed about it. But I figure, I'm not always where they want me to go, but I end up where I need to go, and that's what...Enough about me, what about you? You look to have been on the shelves longer than I've been alive! You're covered in dust!"
>>INFORMATION: Operation fully satisfactory, miss,–
"Fully satisfactory? You seem to have a lot of error messages for an AI operating fully satisfactorily. Let's take a look at your systems..."
She pulls her tool bag from her shoulders.
>>ERROR: This application has encountered an unexpected error. Restarting processes...
>>END LOG


Author notes:
Quote is the Sixth Doctor's first words.
Something's definitely gone wonky with the Diary. It can't even introduce itself properly.
...and we meet our first of the televised Companions. Clara gets a few appearances over the next set of entries...should I ever finish writing them.
Clara's dialogue contains a callback (call forward? Time Travel.) to the TARDIS' quote in The Doctor's Wife.
I intend to actually update on time in the future, but lots of exams are coming up this month, so that may not happen. I'll at least try to have the right number of entries in the end.

 

Just a quick note to apologize for the delay. Events have been conspiring against me in my attempts to finish drafting the next entries.
And now my word processor refuses to function.

 

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: Great Library of Rassilon, Capitol, Gallifrey. 2946.6 RE

"I remember when you were so young."

"...and you were so old."​

}}SYSTEMS UPDATE: Quick Restart implemented satisfactorily.

"Right, that decides it. There's definitely a fault in your systems somewhere. Maybe if I recalibrate the Matrix interface...or buoy the temporal inductors...That's odd. What's happened to the neutron flow? Oh, the polarity's been flipped! I'll just have to reverse that...rewind the datapoint access hub...That's bright! Um...Activate the light generation dampeners subroutine... There! That should do it!"
>>INFORMATION: Preliminary scan of systems repair work satisfactory.
"Well, give it a test run. What can you tell about...that girl in the corner there?"
>>ACTION: Scanning....
>>DETECTION: Young female Time Lady, no more than a few decades old. Staring intensely into a history text, Once and Future Gallifrey, with a Tenses and Language Manual, Twenty-Third Shorter Edition, Blue Cover, Volume IIIa open beside her. She glances over at the manual, then checks something in the history tome.
"Grandfather, I don't understand! This shouldn't–"
"Not now, Arkytior, dear, not now!"
The voice comes from behind multiple haphazard stacks of books, mostly obscuring the figure behind them.
"But why will the renegades have been forced to flee?"
"Hmm, what's that? What did you say?"
"It's right here, Grandfather. 'And in that Time, having seen Time, it was decreed unto Braxiat—"'
"Let me see that! Oh, yes...hmm... We must hurry. Come along, Arkytior. No, no, leave the book. We have to go now."
From the sound of his footsteps, he begins walking hurriedly towards the nearest exit. The girl, Arkytior, moves quickly to follow him, struggling slightly to keep pace.
"Grandfather, what is it? What's happened?"
"Something terrible will have occurred. They're sending the Lord Burner, we've got to hurry before–Never mind, my dear. You are young yet."
They reach the door, and disappear beyond it.
>>END SCAN
>>INFORMATION: Operation at maximum capacity.
>>END LOG

Author notes: Actually post on time? That's ridiculous!
Quote from the final Big Finish Eighth Doctor Adventure, To The Death.
There's a nod to the Third Doctor's catchphrase, and a reference to the Matrix (on Gallifrey, not the film series), first seen in The Deadly Assassin, a sentient supercomputer and repository of Time Lord knowledge.
For the story behind "Arkytior," see DWM 217's Brief Encounter Roses, legally available on the author's blog http://robertmammone.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/doctor-who-short-fiction-a-personal-blast-from-the-past/][/url] here.
The cut-off word is "Braxiatel," a name important in New Adventures/Big Finish continuities.
Now comes the fun (read: hard) part. I'm doing my best to make as much fit in as possible of the different takes on the next section's events, while still providing the Diary's unique spin, but it is a ridiculously complicated mess to streamline. Which, to some extent, I suppose is the point. I was hoping to finish this entire section and post quickly enough to catch back up, but it's taking a while and may not happen as soon as I would like.

 

I can just imagine history texts would get overwritten and rewritten in strange fashions once the Doctor happens along

 

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: Great Library of Rassilon, Capitol, Gallifrey. 2946.6 RE

"It was a rash decision, wasn't it... A decision from a lowly bookworm, who dared to dream of another life, beyond the cloisters of his homeworld.
An impulse to act that would have faded away if that TARDIS had not been there, waiting for you at that precise moment..."

"Come on, STEVE! We've got to hurry!"
>>INFORMATION: No reason for spatial location shift detected.
"Don't you hear that, STEVE? Someone's calling out; that man and his granddaughter are in danger!"
>>INFORMATION: No significant auditory detection.
"No significant–! Someone's in trouble, there could be a 'generation or they might even be dying! You saw that man, it might be his last body!"
>>ACTION: Remain here, out of potential hazardous situation. Claraswinoswaulde not functioning at optimum capacity.
"That's right, I forgot. You're just a machine. Well, I'm going!"
She runs toward the door.

>>OVERRIDE:​

>>CREATE sub-MISSION:​

}}SYSTEMS UPDATE: Actions not logical.

>>ACTION: Follow Claraswinoswaulde.​

>>INFORMATION: Hall forks ahead. There are beings along both paths.
"You're coming, then? There's hope...for you yet! We'll have to...split up! Take the left fork!"
>>ACTION: Proceed down left corridor.
>>INFORMATION: Current speed is above standard safety limits.
>>OVERRIDE: Continue at speed.
>>DETECTION: A contingent of the Chancellery Guard, moving at a quick pace along the corridor ahead.
>>DETECTION: A second contingent merging with the first from an adjacent corridor.
>>INFORMATION: Current speed is 2.735 times that of the guards.
>>ACTION: Bypass the Guard, traveling over their heads along the roof.
>>INFORMATION: Entering through large descending chamber door, just before it closes entirely. Estimate Guard arrival in 0.0021 rotations.
"Come now, child, we must hurry."
>>DETECTION: Two beings, 'Grandfather' and 'Arkytior' in chamber, designated "Repair Shop." A small suitcase floats in front of the girl.
"Grandfather, what are these things?"
"Time and Relative Dimension in Space capsules. Old Time Lord technology, probably being set up for a museum or somesuch. But that's hardly the primary issue now. We've got to get out of the City right now, flee to the wastes of the Shobogans, there's not much t—"
A pause. An idea
"How would you like to see what the inside of a capsule looks like, Arkytior?"
"Inside a TARDIS?! Let's go!"
"Hmm, what's that, what did you say?"
"A TARDIS! I made it up from the initials."
"That's very nice. Go on, then."
She enters the capsule, pushing the case in front of her.
>>END LOG


Author notes: I'm catching up this month, so I intend an entry each week for this month only. Apparently, I still suffer from the delusion that posting on time is a thing that will actually happen...
Quote is from (the absolutely fabulous) The Light at the End, Big Finish's 50th Anniversary Special, featuring all 8 Classic Doctors, a ton of companions, and, of course, the chilling Geoffrey Beevers as the Master (the speaker in this quote). You have this quote to thank (or blame) in part for inspiring me to write this.
Clara continues to call the diary "STEVE." The diary, in turn, still calls her Claraswinoswaulde, refusing her nickname among friends.
Clara mistakenly assumes that the seemingly-old man is on his last regeneration, because otherwise, she assumes, he'd have already regenerated into a younger body.
The diary's 'bending' rules to do what must be done...who does that remind you of?
The Chancellery Guard, led by the Castellan (or Castellans, depending on the source), are basically the police force of the Capitol.
I do way too much math for this diary. The times all work out when calculated upon a roughly 24-hour day scale (which may be itself inaccurate, but nobody's perfect!).
The companion Leela is exiled to the wastes/wastelands of Gallifrey in Invasion of Time, where she finds the exiled Outsiders. Shobogans are a subgroup of the Outsiders with which the Doctor, the Master, and many other Time Lords would have been familiar, and the name eventually becomes synonymous with 'hooligans' to the Time Lords.
The suitcase contains the Hand of Omega (see: Remembrance of the Daleks).
Arkytior later claims to have made up the acronym 'TARDIS,' and, when less distracted, her Grandfather never had the heart to tell her that the term had already been in common usage.

 

INTERNAL MEMORY LOG, UNIT STV-Z2749B-OST-1138-A
LOCATION: Repair Shop 8*θ, Capitol, Gallifrey. 2946.6 RE

"Somewhere there's danger..."

>>DETECTION: Plaque in preparation on workbench reads "TARDIS: Time and Relative Dimension(s) in Space.
These antique capsules chronicle the development of Time Lord technology, from the primitive Type 2 to the classic Type 40 to the state of the art Type 67..."
"Grandfather, it's bigger on the inside! And it's got its own food machine!"
"Yes, yes, it's lovely. Go on back in then."
>>DETECTION: Clara enters through the side door, closing it securely, a determined look on her face.
"Mister? ...Lord? ...Doctor?"
"Yes, what is it, what do you want?"
"Sorry. But you're about to make a very big mistake. Don't steal that one, steal this one. The navigation system's knackered, but you'll have much more fun."
"Excuse me, young lady, but I don't have time for games."
"...It's also the only TARDIS that'll get you past the transduction barriers. I turned off the ID signal boosters to test the fault locator, and I've already deregistered it. I think you'll find it a most suitable craft."
"Hmph. And why would you be telling me all this?"
"She told me about you. And I saw, in the book... And I couldn't just let events happen. I had to try to save you."
>>DETECTION: Guards have reached the Repair Shop door, and are attempting to force entry!
"You'd better hurry. She's left the doors open for you."
"Thank you, young lady. That's very decent of you."
>>DETECTION: The main door to the chamber is slowly opening!
>>END LOG

Author notes: Quote is from 1989's Survival, the last episode until the '96 TV Movie.
A nod to the ambiguity over whether the "D" in TARDIS is intended to be singular or plural, as it has been stated both ways. Apparently, the answer is both!
This entry coincides with the Gallifrey sequence in The Name of the Doctor, and thus uses dialogue from it. However, it avoids direct reference to a title not yet earned, and shows the likely response to Clara's initial pronouncement.
In The Doctor's Wife, Eleven notes that the TARDIS' doors were unlocked when he left Gallifrey, and Idris mentions that the TARDIS was a museum piece when he found her.