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Solus 3.(Earth) The time capsule had landed in a remote part of London. A favourite place to hunt for metals to process witin his craft’s disintegration systems.. TURN into essential structural essentials..
Nickel, Cobalt, Aluminium.. Gold ? No Gold.. though some old computer boards had GOLD on them that could be salvaged.. enough to provide his needs for the repairs he had in mind.
Ah yes indeed.. a scrapyard as these HUMAN(a) called it.. Avoiding them was something he had never really given much thought to..
As a lover of what was known throughout the Qiverse as Renais.. ancient clothing and other reliquaries were much in demand?
Could be traded off on the future Human(a) off world colonies AND those races who liked similar items,
Races who had allowed the Human(a) to build an off world colony on their world OR had at some time joined them.
A bartering system existed.. Currency including later Cryptonium were too varied..
Clothing, he loved Renais old style SOLUS 3 (Earth) where he could find it and trips that he took to visit this world at TIMES allowed him to boost his wardrobe... also of course finding some ‘collectibles’ .
The easy disguise of the T was without issue. True the ‘C’ circuits were being little testy at times and the gold he would acquire today would help to redo some of the repairs necessary. Fusive reactive tools helped make the bonding the plating work well.
Electrolysis for ‘plating’; the former had been TIME consuming. Bartering for some new tools far more advanced had worked well.
The power systems were also getting low on the energy it took to keep it powered.
Here on Solus 3 (Earth) there was NOTHING available.
Primitives ah yes that was a truth, they were re science, re the means to have alternate power systems of such power did NOT exist.
Future wise YES but at what point in TIME.. he was unsure and also the security at protecting such were NOT to be trifled with.
Shoot first ask questions later were often the response.. Programmed hostility GENETICALLY into their forms..
Sometimes controlled other times could as they often did and this race of primitives seemed to excel at it.. HOSTILITY that ended up in wars, destruction, slavery.
The T had been programmed to transform into this ‘P box’ with some slight variations depending on the actual ERA..
WHAT was its original form re the T?
Could be anything as its sensors detected what it deemed appropriate..
HOWEVER the original simple form was liken to a box shape with a door.. including an inner door as we would know it..
A force field could be activated and was automatically activated in space or as necessary re any HOSTILITY that would compromise its integrity OR that of its occupants.
HE if HE could be relevant was NOT an isolationist. Totally INTROVERT as some might like to intimate was NOT Nodu.. He enjoyed company was sociable and had some extrovert tendencies often like by those around him.
Picking up some good traits not without some BAD ones he was more than aware of his liking the craft he had put together ..
From an original design that was a proven design capable of traveling across space BUT in its original form NOT capable of traversing TIME itself.
THAT attribute was forbidden.. To violate it meant running the risk of those of his race who would seek to follow to seize the craft.. Destroy it ? Often NO but render it incapable of any form of travel; yes.
Finishing off the necessary work he was pleased with how easy it had been.
Some cleaning before finally assembling the unit.. using a sonic cleaner polished it up.
Now installing it.. to test it.. THEN he noticed to his shock and one might say horror; the realisation that the power required to restore the craft back to its original form was depleted to the level that certain functions CLEARLY present ones.. were TURNED OFF.
That happened automatically .. he had NO way to override it without ensuring the power levels were restored.. and now he knew, it would require an enormous amount to do so.
NOT doing so.. what could happen was something best NOT dwelt upon.
He realized that he had NO warning system..
Cursing that he had neglected that and future wise once IF EVER he restored the system that a warning maybe a BELL?
IT would have to remain as is.. There was one place he knew he could find a new power source.. The planet ‘Calija’ one might say a stones throw. a short distance the T could handle with some relative ease.
Plus he knew the planet that race.. very similar in form and apparently liking the Renais goods he traded.. IN NO TIME not absolutely true.. at all.
He had entered the planet and one might say landed in an isolated area not too isolated but enough NOT to warrant attention from those passing by..
NOW to hunt for a suitable power source.. certainly one or two would help.. flying the T into a netron cloud cluster would automatically recharge it. but..
First and foremost he HAD to replenish the existing power to be able to do that.
YES indeed .. good news.. as an Arcan he had special skills. An experienced astro physicist with more than extensive capabilities re what he was seeking and how to install it into the T USE IT?
Searching for what he could consider relevant re meeting his needs?
A Netron Cymiaan CELESTIAL CLOCK device.. SOO RARE.. the news was unreal.
The female as we would know IT was not unknown to Nodu.. Trading goods had been in the past met with a lot of appreciation.
SILKS, SATINS not produced but ORIGINALS were soo rare as to be in themselves of great value. NOT that anyone could use the CELESTIAL CLOCK but having it was still of immense value..
Ah we could say Nodu attempted to restrain his enthusiasm.. not wanting to give off the urgency the necessity for such an item ..increasing its value.. CONSIDERABLY..
Transfixed. The first time, he had ever met one of ITs, he had to say ‘IT’ because he did not know of anything re that race. Its gender or ? 
Some Human(a) origins but that too could be insulting to some. In truth Human(a) were not with those ‘Efru’ (Ears).
Let us remember that ALL life forns were via the most commonly found across the Qiverse..
Via PROGENESIS using the power of a PROGESTOR and a LIFE FORM that NONE ever provoked, interfered with or suffer the consequences of their divine powers..
As for the clothing, the dress. Stunning and no doubt Renais.. very VERY expensive elaborate Renais.
HIS was simpler not totally original but a good replication of the original..
From a reputable supplier and collected from a merchant on this world..
There was an instant rapport at the sight of that Renais.cloth.
Many he had seen here were definitely NOT buying other than their own clothing, dress IF they actually used such ..
Symbiotic covering of lifeforms was nothing unusual. One flick of the switch and the outfit could change. Theirs were mostly modern constructs. Here now..
The ‘glassy stare’, made him feel as though IT was also curious? Form was what he had come to recognise as ‘AFem’ (Female). His thoughts were interrupted..
“You, are Nodu of the Arcan?” He nodded. “You are.”
“Yie of the Caijia.” IT smiles, SMILED interrupting him.
The object in her hands grasped tightly, irradiated by a band of colour.
The inner core of it almost blinding as the light intensity flared.
How appropriate that I have a device that only the Arcan are permitted to have.
Her voice had an edge to it.. a mix of I have it, it is UNIQUE whilst realizing that in truth that only applies to an Arcan..
TO her it was next to useless as the original owner that had surrendered it had soon come to understand in the aftermath of seeing it seized by her people.. of having been conned by the one who had sold them such.
Sold a sparkly shiny device.. OK for an ornamental light source but nothing else. 
The spiel has been impressive re what was possible.
From such a device missing out of course the need for an Arcan .. with the means to use it.. devices and such ..
“Do you know if it works.?” Nodu cursed muttering to himself.. what a stupid question.
Of course she woud not..
I have no devices for running diagnostics and as you know, such TESTING, unless it is someone like you. is illegal.
He, had her, follow him, to the strange if not peculiar shaped craft?
Stepping into it, she, was astonished, by its interior ah yes the quantum physics she knew all too well of relative dimensions.
This she had to admit was what she had heard, rumours that the Arcan were capable of but now here now.. the revelation of actually seeing it .. was astonishing
Opening up a hatch way he took the CELESTIAL CLOCK off her to place it inside as it flared bright in fact so intense the light they both stepped back as the hatch closed the light dying away.
Absorption. the energy being swallowed up like some gluttonous whatever it was ..systems coming back into life.. OO that much better.. a clear sign of relief on the part of Nodu.
Nodu kicked the unit.. low volume one might say under his breath barely audlible, some cursing.. maybe relieving some of the tension passing through the conduit the time dispersion to here. wondering what would happen if the power failed..
Vented release of tension.. aggravation maybe some frustration at knowing he had little control sometimes over this whatever it was in its inner belly ..
As for the actual form it was as ..
He cursed.. trying to attempt to activate the device to enable that had caused him to realize it was NOT working. IT would he finally resigned himself to .. accepting; wait..
So Yie was an accomplished astro physicist. THEY between them had a lot to talk about nd sure enough TIME melted away to the point it was getting dark outside?
The planets surface area he had landed in was somewhat isolated and we have known from earlier that it was indeed an ISOLATED area.. NOT the place to be in darkness to travel. back to where she had come from.
We have to remember that strange ‘critters’ existed even on this planet.. Rats ah yes RATS have existed for millenia.. Their variations, could be something one did NOT chose to encounter in the darkness.
LOOK if you want we can go to another area rest up. some refreshments AND relax until light? Yie smiled as now he saw he EARS?
Not the first time he had seen such .. but it did amuse him as she seemingly raised her hands to them fingers on them seeming somewhat embarrassed ?
A while later they were indeed partaking of refreshments. Relaxing.. ?
They were certainly relaxed, at ease. Adding to that the chamber they were in, being comfortably furnished.
IT changes.. Nodu paused as he looked at her smiled.. The interior, can be a little unpredictable and the sections sometimes can change.. kind of doing its own thing.
The power source, the CELESTIAL CLOCK you saw me put inside.. feeds a sentient life form. It is what is part of this whole craft.. one might say harnessing all of the silicate based properties.
Just as we see SILICATE based LIFE FORMS and similar though the CARBON based that exist also exist in large numbers across the Qiverse.
SO, pausing.. where have you been.. Stuck on Calija..
The response was he sensed, with an air of some despair.. a cry of feeling trapped.. ?
YOU are soo lucky - you have the means to go wherever you want.. to have the freedom to just take off. she paused, eyes on him and not staring but it was pretty obvious with the undertone behind her words.. a kind of sadness.
True as with many worlds the conformity, the population resigned to routine and ROUTINE being just that the same monotony.. to the point of BORING.. soul consuming MONOTONY?
Relaxing later reclining in some special ‘Rem’ sleep modules, Soothing one might say to the soul. Some comfort though the desire that inner longing to be somewhere else..
Even Nodu had to admit deep down his original desires were to break free to be FREE to roam albeit not as a TIME TRAVELLER.
If he gave that some thought he might have wondered HOW in fact the craft did just that what it was NOT originally built to do.. True the sentient lifeform had been curiously attentive to his ‘desires’.. ..
NOW unknown to Nodu AND Yie that sentient ‘ life form’ much appreciative of the hard work and effort of both of them in securing it a most generous FEED.. ?
Yie it like ’her’.. not that IT was any way empathic.. NO.. BUT its consciousness accepted that there was some fun to be had with these two..
Nodu it had reasoned, was becoming too self absorbed.. not totally introverted but still some quality company ?
Whether IT, considered that, for what was to transpire a price had to be paid .. one might never know.. the means to alter the appearance of the’craft’ now longer worked..
IT remained as was.. a strange looking whatever the heck it was to some..
NOR could the outside COLOUR be changed..
Ah yes, the kicking of the console, the seeming lack of respect.. IT would have some payback. As for them now fast asleep.. ah yes.. asleep.. 
The nemnodes it had interfaced with on both of them.. the desire for some adventure some thrills, spills,.. the central console lit up.. lights flashing the central unit moving..
Waking up the two of them had used the cleansing facilities..sat to refresh themselves.
Finally reaching the exit and Nodu noting nothing had changed which mean’t he had work to do on repairs to..
His voice died away as they opened the other hatch.. stared out.. oh my.. Yie looked around and then back to Nodu..
A look of genuine astonishment on his face told her he had NOT planned this..
THIS IS nothig to do with the BBC, BBD productions an or their agents, associates,
draft copy for illustrative purposes only all rights reserved.. Jess Corbin - Jess Corbin Associates
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