Leaving Home

Leaving Home

By Todd Dias

I had to get away. I had to get away but I didn’t know how. I had lived my life up until then content with the opinions of others. Naturally I always questioned things. I was known for my ‘dangerous’ curiosity and facetious sense of humour in the face of authority. But while I never took seriously my so-called superiors, I’d never entertained the idea of defying them, at least never in such a way as to actually break away from the Laws of Gallifrey. But now I wanted very much to do what was forbidden…to see and interact with the worlds and peoples outside the cozy shelter of my homeworld.

I suppose the seeds were planted by my old mentor who lived on the hill. He taught me many things that no one would teach at the Academy. He taught me of my mind, but also of my hearts. Compassion, responsibility, and the true meaning of freedom; these were more important lessons to me than those of detachment and authority. These things my mentor instilled in me and for that I am forever in his debt.

So I spent many years dreaming idly of my life away from Gallifrey. And then the day came…

I walked to the recreation centre in the heart of the Great City where I usually went to relax my restless plight, and I happened upon my friend, Drax. Drax was an engineer specializing in TARDIS repair. He mentioned he was working a capsule…an old type 40. Intrigued, I asked him if I could see his work.

“Well…” he said, “it’s against regulations….but…,” he could see that I was really intent…”what the heck…anything for a fellow from the class of ’99.”

I went with him to the terminal where they kept the capsules that were being repaired. I made note of the security: a single red guard. Drax explained that I was coming along as a professional opinion. The Red Guard of Gallifrey are known for their loyalty but alas their intelligence is somewhat lacking. Thus the Guard thought nothing of it. I walked inside the capsule and marveled at what I saw. I’d been inside TARDISes before but now I felt my freedom was at hand. Of course I couldn’t just up and away at that very moment. For one thing I couldn’t take off with all eyes on me. More to the point, Drax pointed out that the temporal-spatial instruments needed to be properly calibrated. I would have to come back under cover of night.

I waited until after curfew and I left my quarters leaving my civilian Gallifreyan robes behind. I wore black instead to avoid detection. I walked gingerly through the halls trying to stay calm despite the excitement. I came to the terminal and my first real obstacle: a guard on watch. I decided to try something my mentor taught me…a trick of influencing minds.

I gathered up my courage and I approached the guard taking out the gold watch that belonged to my mother.

“You there,” the guard shouted, “what are you doing out after curfew?”

“Oh, well…I couldn’t sleep. You see this old thing has stopped again and I can’t get it to start.”

Bingo, as they say on Earth, I had his attention focused on the watch. Simultaneously hypnotically swinging the chain and reaching out with my mind, I induced him to sleep.

I looked around and made my way to the TARDIS. I found the key, walked inside and closed the door behind me. I could barely contain my excitement but I still had more to do before I could leave. I had to calibrate the instruments.

Fortunately Drax had left some of his tools plugged into the console. I did my best with tem and thankfully it didn’t take too long to finish what Drax had started. However there was much I still didn’t understand and still things that needed repairs.

Well, I thought, the machine will work but it looks like I am going to have trouble steering her.

At this point I did not really care as long as it got me away into the great wide open universe. I took hold of the lever to activate the main drive and threw it up. The TARDIS buzzed with new life. Giddily I went to work on the console switching on the time vector generator and the stellar drives. I began at last the dematerialization sequence.

Only one button to be pressed and I’ll be free, I thought.

I thought of everything I’d be leaving behind: security, family, friends. But I thought of all there was to gain and I knew it was worth it. I hit the button and then I was off. Free.