Game: The Matter of Time

Even as the Daleks descend upon the taranium-filled planet of Lyceus, a major repository world of the long-vanished Letheans, a number of factions struggle to recover what little they can for their own purposes. Against the ultimate foe, even Nestenes, Time Agents, and Menopterans are forced to work together.

GMed by Holbenilord.

The Nestene's Arrival
''The Greater Consciousness transfers your mission objectives and what little the Nestenes know about Lyceus to you psychically. It dispatches you on a plasvax flitter, small enough to evade detection from this distance, to the planet.''

''Plummeting through scarlet clouds and passing by multi-hued flashes of lightning, your ship's sensors are reading inconsistent things. The ship's clock has stopped, but still jumps forward random distances once in a while. The ground below is a patchwork of bronze, neon yellow, and charcoal grey. Dark shapes flit between the irregular squares.''

''You land in the centre of a field made from bronze, and squirm out onto its surface. Mile-tall plumes of steam shoot up from holes in the ground a few miles away. There are glowing obelisks in all directions. One of the planet's suns is setting in the west and the other is rising in the East.''

1
(1AP) I walk off and start searching for taranium.

2
''It's likely to be deep underground. You come to a number of shacks made from copper plates, but inside there are only skeletons. In the distance, an obelisk retracts into the fields, and somewhat closer, one rises from the metal. You can feel an extremely strange psychic signature, so different to what you normally look for that you almost missed it. It is coming from behind an obelisk a mile to the East.''

3
(2AP) It's a shame my Psionics don't include teleportation. Hopefully movement is narrative enough for me to travel that mile in one turn :P

4
''As you approach, you feel more, quite powerful, but different psychic signatures in the sky. A number of spacecraft, shapred like clusters of crystals bunched around a central pointed spear, are entering the atmosphere up above. They will reach the ground in a few minutes.''

Another obelisk rises by the one you are heading towards.

5
Do the spaceships match any from existing Nestene records?

6
''They are Kroton Dynatropes, part of a Warspear. The records advise you to abandon the planet immediately.''

7
(3AP) Then I contact the Greater Consciousness and request to leave the planet.

8
''Your psychic signals experience strange distortions as they leave the planet, speeding up and becoming too fast to understand. Your are stuck here.''

A Dynatrope decelerates to a hover a hundred metres above you, flanked by eight others.

9
(4AP) I have a look around for places I can hide, ideally searching for a passage leading underground.

10
''You have definitely been detected. A number of Krotons in Agility Shells drop from above and hit the ground around you, each forming a small crater in the metal but remaining unharmed.''

"Nest-ene-life-form-has-been-cap-tured. Req-uest-ing-ad-vised-res-ponse."

It listens to a quick communique from the ships above, and then rotates its head slowly at you.

"You-will-acc-omp-an-y-us-to-the-tar-a-ni-um."

''The Dynatrope directly above then fires a massive beam of light into the planet, excavating a hole a hundred metres deep and (after the smoke clears) revealing a network of halls within, now choked with ash. The Krotons escort you down into the planet.''

''Another group of Krotons in plasmic shells heads over to the obelisk. You hear them faintly: "Rec-ov-er-ing-dam-aged-Dal-ek-shell."''

11
(5AP) I follow them into the planet, and ask about the Dalek the other Krotons mentioned.

12
"A-dam-aged-Dal-ek-scout-was-loc-a-ted-on-the-plan-et. It-is-be-ing-rec-ov-ered. You-do-not-need-to-know-any-more."

''As you enter the halls, one of the Krotons speaks up again. "Bio-log-ic-al-sig-nat-ures-det-ect-ed! Prof-ile-sim-il-ar-to-the-spec-ies-known-as-hum-an!"''

''A number of corpse-like individuals with blue crystal growths on their skin are running out from the far door, firing energy beams from their eyes at the Krotons. The beams are easily dissipated by the Kroton shells, and the return fire cuts straight through the attackers.''

Another group bursts through the wall and gets between you and the Krotons.

13
(6AP) I make a psychic shield and use an eldritch storm on them.

14
''Only a few die; the crystals appear to absorb much of the energy from your attack. Five surround you.''

15
(7AP) Curious. I use two more eldritch storms, and if any are still alive, I fire at one with the Ion Bolter.

16
''The survivors of the first attack also survive the second attack. One is killed by your Ion Bolter, but the others grab your tentacles and begin to drag you out of the hall.''

The Krotons are all busily engaged with the horde.

17
(8AP) I try the double-storm once more, but I presume I cannot use weapons as they are holding my tentacles.

18
''Again it fails to work. They carry you off into the next room and throw you down a wide shaft. You hit the bottom, suffering 20 (blt) damage, but manage to get back up. You wriggle out and find a ball of yellow-orange light floating at the centre of this new hall. It is the only source of illumination.''

19
(9AP) I look around for a way out.

20
''You can't see any. The light begins to pulsate and move closer to you. Two of the crystal-infested humans watch you from the shadows.''

21
(10AP) I back away from the light.

22
''You find yourself back at the bottom of the shaft. The light speaks. "You are a powerful psychic. I find myself incapable of breaching your defences. Please lower them."''

23
(11AP) "Seeing as you can communicate with me anyway, why should I lower my defenses? Who and what are you?"

24
"I watched the rise of the Time Lords and the death of Magic. I lived through the Dark Times and fought alongside gods and demons. I faced the Doctor three times and lived. I am the Mandragora Helix! Lower your defences and surrender to me!"

25
(12AP) "If you're such a powerful psychic yourself, I fail to see why you need one regular Nestene to lower their defences for you."

26
"I find myself in a difficult situation. Your crystalline friends up above are tearing through my servants and I am out of replacements. Autons would do nicely."

27
(13AP) "So you want Autons? Maybe the Greater Consciousness will teach you to animate your own."

28
"This is no time for quips. Your barriers must be lowered."

It extends towards you.

29
(14AP) "That wouldn't be beneficial for me, so naturally I'm not going to do it."

30
"You are making this very hard for yourself. The easiest way out is surrender."

The possessed humans move in closer, teeth bared.

31
(15AP) "What are they going to do? I thought you needed me to produce your Autons?"

32
"Restrain you while I- wait a moment-"

''It draws back slightly and then three beams of electric blue shoot from the darkness, disintegrating the two possessed and the last hitting the Helix Intelligence in its exact centre. The light wavers for a moment, dimming slightly. "What is the meaning of-"''

"EX-TER-MIN-ATE."

Another beam causes the light to implode on itself.

''The Dalek glides out from the shadows towards you. Its armour is slightly tarnished and one of its light-dissipators has broken off from its dome, but it still moves menacingly in your direction.''

"EX-TER-MIN-ATE."

33
(16AP) Uh-oh. I perform two eldritch storms. (And so I am hoping it is a Time War Dalek or something with lower resistance, or I might be in trouble :/)

34
''It stands there and allows the psychic energy to blaze through it, screaming electronically for the entire duration. It seems to have adapted to psychic lightning.Arcs of eldritch power are flowing out from its base into the floor, dissipating the energy away. It then slowly, painfully, raises its gunstick to point at your head.''

"EX-TER-MIN-ATE!"

''Even as it does so, four Krotons drop down beside you and open fire on the Dalek. Shards of ultrahard crystal smash into its casing, taking chunks out and sending them flying, knocking the Dalek back slightly and causing its shot to go a few centimetres wide of your head.''

The Krotons advance, still firing, and then one pushes its lattice cannon into the creature's eyestalk and blasts its dome off.

"Sec-ure-this-cas-ing-and-scan-the-ar-e-a."

35
(17AP) I let them scan the area, hoping they can find a way out.

36
''Two of the Krotons take the casing back up to the ship, and are replaced by two others from above. They fan out and find a tunnel into a larger hall, which they lead you into. Inside, suits of medieval armour are set along the walls and a Multi-form watches from the ceiling. It hisses at your group.''

''The Krotons scan it and then carry on. "The-ent-it-y-is-not-a-maj-or-threat."''

''It looks at you directly. "Nessstene, let usss go together. I am here to sssearch for taranium, isss thisss alssso your goal?"''

37
(18AP) "You don't exactly look trustworthy. Why should I go with you, if I am even interested in looking for this taranium stuff?"

38
''It hesitates for a moment. It then shapeshifts into a human female. "I can teleport you out if things get tough."''

39
(19AP) Have the Krotons gone ahead? Surely they would have noticed and reacted if they hadn't.

"You can, but I'm also interested in if you will. Where would you start searching anyway?"

40
They noticed and didn't care.

"There are too many dangerous things around to wander off. Let's stick behind the Krotons; their scanners are better than ours anyway."

41
(20AP) "Well, if you're going to tag along I suppose there's no point in stopping you."

I follow the Krotons.

42
''They head into the next area, which is a platform overlooking a deep hole into the rock. At the bottom, you can see the glint of taranium, some 500m away.''

''Up from the shaft come flying a number of winged spheres, completely black in colour and with their wings made from long blades. They appear featureless until suddenly each opens their single blue eye and scans your group.''

''One zips over to float over your head. "OFFSPRING OF SHUB-NIGGURATH, WHY HAVE YOU COME? YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF OURS."''

43
(21AP) "Who and what are you? I've never seen or heard of you before."

44
"YOU ARE BORN OF THAT ENTITY. THERE IS NO DENYING IT. THE LETHEANS BATTLED THE OLD ONES WHEN THE UNIVERSE WAS NEW."

The Krotons begin to descend, but are blocked by several spheres.

45
(22AP) "I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't suppose you'd care to explain?"

46
"WHO BIRTHED YOU? WHAT IS YOUR ANCESTRY?"

47
(23AP) "I don't know. I'm just a Nestene. I don't even have a proper name. I'm just the Third. Of what, I'm not sure."

48
"ON THE PLANET POLYMOS, SHUB-NIGGURATH GAVE BIRTH TO AN ENTITY THAT COULD FORM PSYCHIC BONDS WITH PLASTIC. IT DESTROYED THE CIVILISATION OF THE PLANET AND BIRTHED CHILDREN OF ITS OWN. YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE."

49
(24AP) "Yes, that's what a Nestene is. I still don't see what it has to do with you."

50
"THE LETHEANS FOUGHT THE OLD ONES AND THEIR OFFSPRING. OUR WAR SPANNED DIMENSIONS AND AEONS. YOU ARE OUR ENEMY, AND SO WE FIGHT YOU. THE WAR NEVER ENDS."

51
(27AP - turns out I never gave myself the starting 2) "Wait... so you're a Lethean, and I'm an old one? Is that what you're saying?"

52
"WE ARE NOT LETHEANS. THE LETHEANS ARE GONE. WE ARE REMNANTS. YOU REPRESENT THE OLD ONES, YES."

53
(28AP) "OK, I think I understand now. So I can't just pop down there, pick up some taranium and go? I'll have to kill you all too?"

54
"YOU CAN CERTAINLY POP DOWN THERE. IT IS RETURNING THAT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE."

It grabs you in a tractor field and throws you into the Core.

The Time Agent's Arrival
''While irritated at the Agency's failure to retrieve the Doctor, the Time Lords are giving you another chance. "He is falling into our trap regardless," Rassilon had said. "Perhaps you will succeed this time. Go to the planet of Lyceus and recover a Lethean artifact called an Alethogram. You will be unable to use it but we may be able to find a purpose for this device."''

''And so you materialise a few metres under the surface of the planet, in a large hall with pipes made from a dozen different metals covering the walls and ceiling. There are three exits. White light comes from the left one, the middle one is emitting the sounds of machinery, and the rightmost one has a bar across it.''

1
As I am unlikely to comprehend the machinery, I go through the left door. (Out of curiosity, does my Vortex Manipulator work here?"

2
It would work, but local distortions would mean that unless you were aiming back along the journey you just took from the Agency HQ, you would go somewhere completely unpredictable.

''You enter a room with whitewashed walls and ceiling and a metal-grille floor. A number of hover-lamps illuminate the room. There is a skeleton at the far end of the room, clutching an undeployed 51st century Drone.''

Behind it is a portcullis.

3
Is the portcullis open or closed? If it be open, I walk through. If it be shut, I set to work cutting it open with my laser screwdriver.

4
''It is closed, but your laser screwdriver makes light work of it. You step through into a room lined with stonework, using rocks of many different colours. There are three sets of Sontaran Battle Armour splayed out on the floor with skeletons poking out and joints damaged. There are two sets of stairs; this appears to be the midden level as one would take you up and one goes down.''

5
I head up.

6
''You enter the room and find a body, not as far decomposed as the others, with blue crystals on its very bleached skin. There is a circlet around its head. At the end of the room is an inactive dimensional portal device, which looks like it has been attacked with an axe.''

7
Frowning at this oddity, I return downwards, this time taking the stairs that lead below.

8
''As you enter the lower room, you find yourself facing three lifts- though the lift cars themselves have been removed and they are now straight drops down into the planet. More blue-crystal bleached-skin bodies lie around the room, as well as a dead roboman.''

9
I gingerly pick up one of the blue crystals, and scan it with the laser screwdriver.

10
''Touching it shocks your hand. When it falls back to the floor, it begins growing slightly.''

11
I kick it down one of the shafts, listening for the fall.

12
It clangs on the floor about 5m below you.

13
I look down the shaft. "Geronimo, as the A's ise man said." With that, I leap below.

14
''You take 5 (blt) damage from the impact, but are otherwise okay. A macra sits there, staring at you as you pick yourself up.''

15
Keeping my particle gun at the ready, I hesitantly wave at the macra. "Hello! Might thou assist a lone traveller in his quest?"

16
''"How would I benefit?" It croaks.''

17
I slowly approach it. "I have little to trade, but I am sure we can come to an arrangement of some form or another. Pray tell, what is thy purpose for being on this world?"

18
''It waves a pincer. "Crashed here. You?"''

19
"I was sent here by the Time Agency. If thou would be so kind as to assist me in my quest, I could bring you home."

20
"Alright. What do you need? I can point you to the enormous ball of shining metal."

21
I scratch my chin thoughtfully. "Could be the Alethogram. Wilt thou bring me to it?"

22
''"I think it's that taranium stuff. But sure, right this way." It begins to lead you down a cloudy corridor. "Don't mind the industrial fumes."''

23
I choke, but follow. "How long hath thou been here, if I might ask?"

24
''"A month. Long enough to go stir crazy." It waggles its eyestalks slightly. "And to meet a few of the other inmates."''

25
"Oh? What other brut--er, beings inhabit this world?"

26
"All sorts of things. It keeps changing as they wipe each other out."

27
"How hast thou survived so long, then?"

28
"Staying in the fumes, having sharp pincers that could slice you in half with ease. You know."

29
"Seems a fair enough strategy. Also, I am Sir Peter of Burgonshire, in case we have need of names."

30
''"Hello, Pete. Mediocre to meet you." It stops in front of a large statue of an eye.''

31
"What is this?"

32
"Internal teleporter. Where do you want to go?"

33
"To the Alethogram, if it will accept such an unspecific request."

34
''The Macra taps it lightly, then steps back. "Doesn't seem so, no."''

Almost as soon as he says it, there is a bright light and you find yourself in the Nexus.

The Menopteran's Arrival
''Vortis' journey through interstellar space has taken it close enough to the planet Lyceus for the time shadow of the taranium to be detected. A small scouting party was sent out but it encountered a star-spider web and only the ship containing Yrollius and his allies made it through, slightly damaged. The craft settles down on the surface of Lyceus, at the centre of a ring of upward-pointing spikes forty metres tall. You are by the sea; it is very green and the only sound is the waves against a rocky shore.''

Inland are a large number of rusting industrial cranes, some of which have collapsed and fallen.

1
I head toward the cranes to investigate.

2
''You hear the sound of water moving behind you. The top of a tall mast rises from the sea, followed by three steam chimneys, a bridge, and the turrets of a battleship. Water falls down from its deck and turrets into the sea, like a thin layer that crashes loudly against the ocean.''

The battleship's cannons swivel to point directly at you.

3
I run out of the way and dive behind a collapsed crane.

4
''Cannon shells completely destroy the area where you were just standing, each leaving a five-metre crater and sending debris hundreds of yards up into the air. The cannons swivel to point at you again.''

5
I start running again. Is there any other sheltered location I can duck into?

6
''There are lots of cranes. The one behind you is shredded by another shell.''

7
I risk a shot at the thing with my death ray, then dive behind another crane. (6 and 2, for the record)

8
''Your shot does precisely nothing. The battleship destroys the crane just ahead of you.''

You spot a manhole just to the side.

9
Seeing no other option, I dive into the manhole.

10
''You land painfully (5 (blt)) on a rock floor, surrounded by old skeletons. A drone watches you curiously.''

11
I examine my surroundings, then walk over to the drone. "Friends?" I ask it.

12
''It bobs and beeps. It then turns to use its searchlight to illuminate the way out.''

13
"Thankee." I wander off to where the Drone is pointing.

14
''You enter a room with a dead Sycorax lying in it. The drone follows, hovering over your shoulder. There is a door on the left and a door on the right at the end of the room.''

15
I take the right door.

16
''You find yourself in front of a large sea. There is a battleship directly facing you.''

17
I run back where I came from and take the left door instead.

18
''You come out in a long corridor with glass walls. You see the battleship's cannons turning to face you. At the end of the corridor is another door.''

19
Naturally, then, I race towards that door and dive in.

20
''The glass shatters behind you as the door you just left is smashed to pieces. You reach the end door and throw yourself through, landing in a large pile of bones.''

''You slide down amongst them, a colossal rattle following you, and fall down to the base of a large eye statue. There is a flash of light and you find yourself in the Nexus.''

The Core
''You fall for a few seconds before hitting a decelerator field. You slow down and then reach the other side of the field, and gravity accelerates you once more until you meet another field, which slows you down all the way to the surface of the taranium.''

''You stand on the silvery-white surface, completely featureless in all directions. You see the Remnants holding the Krotons back, but the Multi-form has slipped past and reforms into a human beside you. "So, what now?"''

1
(29AP) "Well, I may as well get some taranium. That's what I'm here for."

2
''She jabs the surface lightly. "Seems quite hard. How are you going to remove any?"''

3
(30AP) "Um. I have an Ion Bolter, an Anti-Cyber Gun, and a Plasma Assault Gun. I can make eldritch storms too. I don't suppose any of that is helpful?"

4
"I have no idea. You should test it out."

5
(31AP) "OK." I'll start with the Ion Bolter, rolling an 8, if it helps.

6
It blasts out a few chunks of taranium, which are of a handy size to fit in a pocket.

7
(32AP) Do Nestenes have pockets? If not, I keep them in the improbably bigger-on-the-inside Bag of Sharing that all RPG characters should have :P I blast a bit more and collect it.

"So, any ideas on how to get out?"

8
''"Those Lethean drones didn't seem to want you to. Let's test my teleport." She reverts back to Multi-form form and attempts to teleport you both away- the light appears but then fades away. "Huh. Shielded in."''

9
(33AP) "OK. Well, I guess we walk then. Maybe there's a way out somewhere."

10
You walk for a while, and find nothing other than flat metal.

"Or maybe there isn't..."

11
(34AP) "Well, unless you have any other ideas (I don't) we may as well keep walking for a little while. Maybe something interesting will happen, at the very least. Or maybe I'll learn to make very long ropes out of plastic. "

12
''"Alright." You walk for a while, and eventually see something on the horizon. It is a battleship, powering across the surface of the metal as if it was water.''

''"Um." Says the Multi-form.''

13
(35AP) I wave at it with a tentacle and stand aside in case it doesn't stop.

14
''It continues on at full speed. Its turrets turn and the cannon depress to point directly at the two of you.''

15
(36AP) I don't suppose I can talk telepathically with anyone inside?

16
''You cannot detect any psychic signatures inside it. It steams on.''

The Nexus
An eye statue flashes and three beings appear at its base- a human, a Menopteran, and a Macra.

1
Yrollius looks up and shrieks at the sight of the Macra. He's used to big bugs, but not bugs this big.

2
"Fear not, insect. I am a Time Agent, here only to help."

3
''The Macra clicks its pincers at Yrollius. "Hello, small insect." It then does a kind of husky bark that is its laugh.''

4
Yrollius glances at Peter. "You are a friend?"

5
"I am thy friend now, and will be so long as thou art a virtuous creature. I am Sir Peter of Burgonshire, the Knight of Time."

I pause. "Truly, that title does not sound as well as I thought it would. Regardless, what be thy name?"

6
''"I hate titles." The Macra sighs.''

7
"Yrollius. Good name. Yours is long to pro-nounce - Sirbeterofhergenzire."

8
I raise an eyebrow. "It is easier than thou makest it to be. But that is of no consequence. Pray tell, what be the errand that bringeth thee here?"

9
''The Macra taps the eye statue to check if it is still active. It isn't.''

10
"There is a precious thing called tara-neeum that I am getting. What about you?"

11
"I quest for a magical artifact called the Alethogram. Mayhaps we can help one another."

12
He watches.

13
"Co-operation would be good." Yrollius points to the statue. "What does that do exactly?"

14
Sir Peter shrugs. "It seems to be some form of teleporter. A powerful one, if it is capable of moving us here when my Vortex Manipulator is not."

15
''"Nah, it was just set up for specific location-location, so it is naturally more accurate." The Macra walks to the edge of a large hole and looks down at the taranium 500m below. "This what you were looking for?"''

16
"Most certainly!" Yrollius's antennae wave about in excitement.

17
"Well. It would appear that I was not of much use in this regard."

18
"Do you have a way of getting down there?"

19
"...I can fly with my wings."

20
I wait patiently.

21
''"Alright then. You carry the human down by flight. I'll jump down." He curls up into a ball and throws himself down the hole.''

22
I grab hold of Sir Peter and fly down into the hole.

23
"That is... somewhat unnerving."

24
''The Macra awaits you as you come down gently on the taranium. "So, what do you th-" He is cut off as he turns to stare at a battleship in the distance.''

25
I duck behind the nearest point of shelter.

26
I do the same. "What is wrong? What is it we hide from?"

27
"I'm gonna admit I have never seen this before."

28
"What do you mean exactly?"

29
I peer out from the hiding place, trying to get a proper look.