Ω Forty Seven - Interspecies Communication

[rass_bestie]

[Peylix is sitting with his back straight and is smiling (though it's probably more sheepish than he would have liked, but this is baby's first public broadcast. His wandering about the ship has helped him pick up English.] Hello. I'm Peylix

Comments

[timesbureaucrat]

Gallifrey isn't like that. You're lying. I'm going to tell everyone that you're lying.

[rass_bestie]

[Peylix is so used to being called a liar when he tells the truth that he doesn't bat an eye.] I'm from Gallifrey from long ago to you. I only have one life.

[timesbureaucrat]

You're not even a proper Time Lord. You're barely better than the Humans if you can't even regenerate. [Narvin is used to the bully or be bullied world of the Academy and is viciously getting the most out of being on top for a change.]

[rass_bestie]

[This maybe where the 'Annoying' part of 'Annoyigly Curious' comes in. He's too intrigued at finding out what a Time Lord is without having to puzzle it out, that he forgets to be insulted.] What's a Time Lord?

[timesbureaucrat]

[Peylix's failure to react properly bullied completely throws Narvin off. Plus the question gives Narvin a chance to show off Things He Knows.]

Time Lords are the rulers of Gallifrey. We have thirteen lives, thanks to our symbiotic nuclei, and we can travel in time.

[rass_bestie]

What's the government like?

[timesbureaucrat]

There's a President, who's appointed by the previous President or by election if the President doesn't name a successor or is impeached. The President presides over the High Council. Then there's the Vice President, except we don't usually have one. Then the Chancellor, who has authority over the Castellan and the CIA Coordinator and holds the Great Key of Rassilon.

[rass_bestie]

[Peylix reacts to that last with visible surprise.] What's the 'Great Key of Rassilon'?

[timesbureaucrat]

It's just a traditional artefact that's a symbol of the Chancellor's office. [The details of what it does are half-myth and aren't common knowledge outside the Inner Council.]

It's said that Lord Rassilon himself created it.

[rass_bestie]

[Peylix is trying to hide his nervousness. Trying being the operative word.] Was 'Lord Rassilon' a famous Chancellor?

[timesbureaucrat]

No. He was the first President. First Time Lord. He's our Founder.

[He pauses, then adds,]

Why are you scared? Lord Rassilon is a great hero who got rid of all the terrible things you mentioned. Slavery, superstition, violence.

[rass_bestie]

I'm not scared, I just know him. He's my roommate at home. Rassil Onasti Pyrondius. He's from a very powerful, noble house where I come from.

My world ought to be changed but the fact someone, someone I know, actually did it…

[timesbureaucrat]

Rassilon is not your roommate. You're lying again.

[rass_bestie]

To be lying again, I need to be lying in the first place. Which you've already accepted as truth, therefore your argument is invalid.

[timesbureaucrat]

I did not accept it as truth. I accepted that where you're from those terrible things happen, but that's the past and therefore doesn't represent current reality. So you were to lying when you said that Gallifrey was a terrible place, because in it's current objective time it isn't.

[Narvin is an argumentative and difficult child.]

[rass_bestie]

It's not 'its current objective time' because it's subject to your perspective. In your subjective time period, it is not the case, but in an objective time, should such a thing even exist, it both is and it is not. Therefore, not a lie.