Chapter 550: Time Vortex
"So, what is the plan?" asked the Doctor after entering the Tardis. Now that he was in his home court, he felt more relieved.
"First, you have to show us how you travel through time. Our technology cannot adapt to this place, and we cannot use forceful means."
"Alright, anywhere specific?"
"Ancient Greece," said Edward casually. The Doctor immediately began to press buttons and move things around. However, the Tardis immediately began to shake uncontrollably.
"What's going on?" asked the Doctor as he locked a screen before him. "Are we dragging your city?"
"Yes, it's my ship, so it must tag along."
The doctor was speechless before continuing with his work. He pressed more buttons to input to the Tardis their newly added weight. Soon, the group found themselves in a tunnel, and Edward's eyes lit up. A screen materialized before him as data collected from Netheril was sent directly.
"Is this the Time Vortex? How fascinating," said Edward, immediately engrossed in the data. "A dimensional plane where time and space met, intersecting at an angle determined by non-euclidean geometry.
"Its essence should be an infinite amount of time energy. The dimension exists 'outside' of time, hence not bound by its rules and restrictions."
Edward seemed not to pay attention to his surroundings.
"No, it's not just time and space. Light, darkness, matter, and energy constantly change, bind, and divide. This place is like a corridor that runs through all of creation. If you find the right pathway, you can traverse anywhere and any time in the universe."
Edward was genuinely intrigued by this Time Vortex and its intricacies. In his homeworld, time is more like a river that requires subtle manipulation to go upward or downward against powerful currents.
However, in this world, time is like a web full of pathways that are hard to navigate. Additionally, time and space are two interconnected concepts in this world, but they are more divided in the Harry Potter World.
The Time Vortex reminded Edward of the Warp from Warhammer 40k. However, unlike the Warp, which is a dimension made of psychic power, the Time Vortex is made of Time Energy.
'With this method, it should not be a problem to pass the Time Game,' Morgana suddenly said in his mind.
'Maybe.' She was correct since this was a new, innovative method of using Time. However, he did know whether some science and technology civilizations did not invent a method that was very similar. Plus, Edward wanted to survive and deal a blow to his opponent.
Edward heard a cough and saw the doctor and Clara looking at him oddly.
"Sorry about that."
'I understand since there are a few things more interesting than unraveling the truth of the universe. But don't forget our objective."
He wanted to finish this chapter of his life and move on and no longer be influenced by the events of the Time War.
"Give me a few days before we can proceed with the plan," said Edward. "Is there a room I can stay in?"
"Yes.' The doctor led him to a room in the Tardis before returning to the deck.
"Is this person trustworthy?" asked Clara.
"To an extent. So far, he has not shown us any great malice."
By the looks of things, this person seemed to be a scientist at heart but was forced into a terrible situation due to the actions of the Time Lords in ancient times.
"That's true. But I have a feeling he's very dangerous."
"Of course, he's dangerous. Do you think I'm not dangerous?" calmly retorted the doctor as he placed his sonic screwdriver in a holder in the main room. After running a diagnostic, he frowned before rerunning it.
Inside Edward's room:
'Do you think he's believing the persona I built?'
"There should be no problem since there is some truth to the lie,' replied Morgana.
'Anyway, we only need to continue until we get what we want.' He never planned to conflict with the Doctor, which would delay his voyage and complicate things.
The next day, Edward walked to the control room.
"This is the schematic for our plan," said Edward as he showed the doctor a holographic screen with moving parts. The doctor took a look for a few minutes before finally feeling relieved. The device did what Edward said–used Clara as a medium to access his timeline and found Gallifrey.
"There is room for improvement," suggested the Doctor.
"Please," indicated Edward. Then, he watched how the last Time Lord drastically improved in his device. He took this opportunity to learn and improve the Empire's science and technology.
"Great work," praised Edward.
"Oh, this? This is nothing," replied the doctor coyly.
"You can print the device yourself," said Edward. Before we start, we have to take precautionary measures."
"For what? There is no problem with the device."
"In my experience, things like this often go awry. So, we must take preventive measures."
"Like what?"
"You should be fine," added Edward. "But Ms Oswald is human and prone to accidents. Firstly, we must find a way to protect her mind or psyche. She will have access to countless versions of herself scattered across time. If something goes wrong, her mind might be broken, turning her into a schizophrenic patient."
"That's true, but the chances of that happening are very low."
"Do you want to take the risk?"
"Yes, don't take the risk," added Clara.
"I can link her mind to the Tardis' core; it should protect her from any complications."
"Good. Do you have nanobots?"
"Do you want to protect her body from injuries in case of an emergency?"
"That's correct."
"I don't have it on board now, but I can manufacture some," replied the doctor.
"How long will it take?"
"Biotechnology is not my strongest suit, so it should take some time."
"If you trust me, you can use mine," uttered Edward as a syringe appeared in his hand and handed it to the Doctor. The latter used his sonic screwdriver to scan this thing.
"What potent nanites."
"Is that a good thing?"
"With it, you will be almost immortal."
"This is my gift to repay you for all the trouble," added Edward. However, he soon saw the hesitation on her face.
"Don't refuse. In the future, if you meet someone you like and something happens to him, you only need to give him a blood injection, and everything will be fine."
"Wait, what does that mean?"
"You don't have to worry about it. Anyway, the future is always changing–especially with my presence. So, things might not proceed as I saw them."
Clara thanked Edward after staring at him for a few seconds. She then gazed at the doctor, awaiting his decision.
"Clara, immortality is not a simple thing. Living for a long time can be a curse."
"With this, can I travel with you for a long time?"
"Yes, but…"
"That's more than enough for me," smiled Clara. "Plus, can't I just remove them if I want to?"
"Alright."
The doctor no longer hesitated and injected her with the nanites. Afterward, he began building the device for their plan; he could not wait to see Gallifrey after so long.
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