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{{Infobox Story | {{Infobox Story SMW | ||
|image = The Legacy of Gallifrey.jpg | |image = The Legacy of Gallifrey.jpg | ||
|series = | |series = [[DWM prose stories]] | ||
|main character = [[Rassilon]] | |main character = [[Rassilon]] | ||
|companions = | |companions = | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
|enemy = | |enemy = | ||
|setting = [[Gallifrey]] | |setting = [[Gallifrey]] | ||
|writer = | |writer = Gary Russell | ||
|artist = [[Garry Leach]] | |artist = [[Garry Leach]] | ||
|editor = [[Cefn Ridout]] | |editor = [[Cefn Ridout]] | ||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
|letterer = | |letterer = | ||
|publication = [[DWM 100]] | |publication = [[DWM 100]] | ||
|release date = | |release date = 4 April 1985 | ||
|publisher = Marvel Comics | |publisher = Marvel Comics | ||
|format = | |format = | ||
|prev = | |prev = Shades of Piccolo (short story) | ||
|next = Power to the People (short story) | |next = Power to the People (short story) | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a prose story by [[Gary Russell]]. Published in ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' [[DWM 100|100]], it predated the novel ''[[A Brief History of Time Lords (novel)|A Brief History of Time Lords]]'' as a narrative, in-universe overview of the [[Gallifreyan history|history]] of [[Gallifrey]] and the [[Time Lord]]s framed as the unfurling | '''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a prose story by [[Gary Russell]]. Published in ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' [[DWM 100|100]], it predated the novel ''[[A Brief History of Time Lords (novel)|A Brief History of Time Lords]]'' as a narrative, in-universe overview of the [[Gallifreyan history|history]] of [[Gallifrey]] and the [[Time Lord]]s framed as the unfurling master plan of [[Rassilon]]. | ||
Not content to simply summarise TV stories in the manner of a reference work, ''The Legacy of Gallifrey'' gave plenty of new information about Gallifrey's history and various notable [[Time Lord]]s' lives. It posited a compressed timeline for Gallifrey, with [[the Doctor]] and [[the Master]]'s generation coming only one or two generations after [[Rassilon]]'s death: their inspiration for becoming [[Renegade Time Lord]]s, [[Azmeal]], had been Rassilon's last confidant in his final [[incarnation]]. | Not content to simply summarise TV stories in the manner of a reference work, ''The Legacy of Gallifrey'' gave plenty of new information about Gallifrey's history and various notable [[Time Lord]]s' lives. It posited a compressed timeline for Gallifrey, with [[the Doctor]] and [[the Master]]'s generation coming only one or two generations after [[Rassilon]]'s death: their inspiration for becoming [[Renegade Time Lord]]s, [[Azmeal]], had been Rassilon's last confidant in his final [[incarnation]]. | ||
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That history begins in a time before the edict of the [[Laws of Time]], when most [[Gallifreyan]]s instead turned to the stars and worked on interstellar travel to make themselves into [[god]]s for [[lesser species]]. Only a small fraction of the population remained on Gallifrey and had the sense to work to build a future there. Among them are [[solar engineer]]s who, after discovering that it is impossible to compute the [[square root]] of minus [[3 (number)|3]], decide to have their [[biological engineer]]s design an intelligent species they would seed throughout the universe, whose purpose would be to teach all species they encountered that there was no sense in wasting resources on computing this nonexistent square root. These creatures become the [[Gallifreyan cat|Gallifreyan]] [[cat]]s, a symbol of intelligence on Gallifrey ever after. | That history begins in a time before the edict of the [[Laws of Time]], when most [[Gallifreyan]]s instead turned to the stars and worked on interstellar travel to make themselves into [[god]]s for [[lesser species]]. Only a small fraction of the population remained on Gallifrey and had the sense to work to build a future there. Among them are [[solar engineer]]s who, after discovering that it is impossible to compute the [[square root]] of minus [[3 (number)|3]], decide to have their [[biological engineer]]s design an intelligent species they would seed throughout the universe, whose purpose would be to teach all species they encountered that there was no sense in wasting resources on computing this nonexistent square root. These creatures become the [[Gallifreyan cat|Gallifreyan]] [[cat]]s, a symbol of intelligence on Gallifrey ever after. | ||
One of the solar engineers, [[Rassilon]], wishes to see more of the universe than one could see in a lifetime, even with the fastest ships, and thus dreams of [[immortality]]. His friend [[Omega]], recognising that immortality is currently impossible, instead turns his mind to investigating the possibility of [[time travel]] as another way to see planets past and future which would remain out of reach of mortals otherwise. After working on the project of [[3 (number)|3]] [[year]]s, they come to the conclusion that if they can detonate a [[black hole]] and funnel the power back to Gallifrey in a controlled fashion, they will have found "the answer to time travel". The [[Gallifreyan Council]] (then wholly [[Arcalian Chapter|Arcalian]]) is uninterested in the proposal, with the [[Council Leader]], [[Tussan]], deciding to belittle the two engineers by asking his (intelligent) ''cat'' for his opinion. [[Tussan's cat|The cat]], to everyone's surprise, is of the opinion that the Council should finance the project, and Tussan is forced to | One of the solar engineers, [[Rassilon]], wishes to see more of the universe than one could see in a lifetime, even with the fastest ships, and thus dreams of [[immortality]]. His friend [[Omega]], recognising that immortality is currently impossible, instead turns his mind to investigating the possibility of [[time travel]] as another way to see planets past and future which would remain out of reach of mortals otherwise. After working on the project of [[3 (number)|3]] [[year]]s, they come to the conclusion that if they can detonate a [[black hole]] and funnel the power back to Gallifrey in a controlled fashion, they will have found "the answer to time travel". The [[Gallifreyan Council]] (then wholly [[Arcalian Chapter|Arcalian]]) is uninterested in the proposal, with the [[Council Leader]], [[Tussan]], deciding to belittle the two engineers by asking his (intelligent) ''cat'' for his opinion. [[Tussan's cat|The cat]], to everyone's surprise, is of the opinion that the Council should finance the project, and Tussan is forced to honour his word. | ||
As planning goes underway, it becomes clear that one engineer must venture into the black hole alone and detonate it, while another operates the [[mast]] back on Gallifrey which will funnel all the explosion's power. While [[Omega]] makes "the ultimate sacrifice" detonating the black hole, Rassilon remains behind a console controlling the mast, and gets all the credit after the experiment succeeds. Renamed the [[Eye of Harmony]], the mast infused with temporal energy is buried deep beneath the floor of the [[Capitol]], and locked away with the [[Great Key of Rassilon|Great Key]]. As the years pass, the Eye's power grows unbidden, and Rassilon eventually decides to venture down to check exactly ''how''. Gaining a greater understanding of the Eye's contents than anyone short of the late Omega, he is able to stabilise its elements into a "perpetually dynamic [[equation]]" balanced against the very mass of Gallifrey. This has the side-effect of making it impossible ever to remove the Eye from the planet: if this were done, the planet would turn into [[anti-matter]] wholesale. Realising what a latent threat this power source has become, Rassilon devises a further safeguard against tampering with the Eye, a [[Sash of Rassilon|sash]]. | As planning goes underway, it becomes clear that one engineer must venture into the black hole alone and detonate it, while another operates the [[mast]] back on Gallifrey which will funnel all the explosion's power. While [[Omega]] makes "the ultimate sacrifice" detonating the black hole, Rassilon remains behind a console controlling the mast, and gets all the credit after the experiment succeeds. Renamed the [[Eye of Harmony]], the mast infused with temporal energy is buried deep beneath the floor of the [[Capitol]], and locked away with the [[Great Key of Rassilon|Great Key]]. As the years pass, the Eye's power grows unbidden, and Rassilon eventually decides to venture down to check exactly ''how''. Gaining a greater understanding of the Eye's contents than anyone short of the late Omega, he is able to stabilise its elements into a "perpetually dynamic [[equation]]" balanced against the very mass of Gallifrey. This has the side-effect of making it impossible ever to remove the Eye from the planet: if this were done, the planet would turn into [[anti-matter]] wholesale. Realising what a latent threat this power source has become, Rassilon devises a further safeguard against tampering with the Eye, a [[Sash of Rassilon|sash]]. | ||
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An uneasy peace is established with the Sisterhood, with the Sisterhood agreeing to supply Gallifrey with [[Elixir of Life]] to allow more Gallifreyans to regenerate even now that the Eye of Harmony is out of reach. To placate Morbius's political supporters, Helron, after making himself the new President, agrees to put a Cardinal and a Councillor from each caste on the High Council, but decrees that in exchange, the President and Chancellor will always have to be from the same Chapter. This means Azmeal's dismissal, though this allows the former Chancellor to devote himself entirely to the study of the Matrix. As he investigates the secrets of Rassilon's last creation, Azmeal progressively becomes aware that Rassilon is still aware within the Matrix and subtly manipulating events in the physical world. | An uneasy peace is established with the Sisterhood, with the Sisterhood agreeing to supply Gallifrey with [[Elixir of Life]] to allow more Gallifreyans to regenerate even now that the Eye of Harmony is out of reach. To placate Morbius's political supporters, Helron, after making himself the new President, agrees to put a Cardinal and a Councillor from each caste on the High Council, but decrees that in exchange, the President and Chancellor will always have to be from the same Chapter. This means Azmeal's dismissal, though this allows the former Chancellor to devote himself entirely to the study of the Matrix. As he investigates the secrets of Rassilon's last creation, Azmeal progressively becomes aware that Rassilon is still aware within the Matrix and subtly manipulating events in the physical world. | ||
Growing wary of the power Azmeal's knowledge of the Matrix grants him, Helron attempts to force Azmeal into retiring from Gallifrey once he reaches his last regeneration. Azmeal publicly speaks out against the Council in anger, and ends up having to flee the planet of his own accord to escape retaliations from Helron. He is hunted down by a [[warrior race]] in Helron's employ, who atomise the [[planet (The Legacy of Gallifrey)|planet]] on which he was hiding. Out of his mind, Azmeal returns to Gallifrey the first and most | Growing wary of the power Azmeal's knowledge of the Matrix grants him, Helron attempts to force Azmeal into retiring from Gallifrey once he reaches his last regeneration. Azmeal publicly speaks out against the Council in anger, and ends up having to flee the planet of his own accord to escape retaliations from Helron. He is hunted down by a [[warrior race]] in Helron's employ, who atomise the [[planet (The Legacy of Gallifrey)|planet]] on which he was hiding. Out of his mind, Azmeal returns to Gallifrey the first and most bloodthirsty of [[Renegade Time Lord]]s, and slaughters Helron and the High Council. Decreed [[Public Enemy Number One]] by the new High Council, he is cautiously allowed to escape from Gallifrey with all he needs to continue his study of the Matrix, and subsequently left alone. | ||
At the [[Time Lord Academy]], a new generation of unusually gifted students arise. The horrors of the Civil War fresh on their minds, and with the example of Azmeal in mind, they come to agree with Rassilon's final pronouncement that Gallifreyan civilisation had entered a state of decay. A group of three, in particular, keep conducting rebellious, anti-hierarchical activities: [[the Doctor]], a happy-go-lucky scientist who spends his days conducting "silly" [[chemistry]] experiments with [[Drax]]; [[the Master]], a domineering bully who's a fantastic [[cosmic theory|cosmic theoretician]] but rubbish at practical classes; and [[the Rani|a girl called Rani]], who is "good at everything" but at chemistry in particular. Cardinal [[Borusa]] keeps a close watch on them and gradually realises that none of them have much of a future on Gallifrey, though he also recognises their remarkable potential in the abstract. | At the [[Time Lord Academy]], a new generation of unusually gifted students arise. The horrors of the Civil War fresh on their minds, and with the example of Azmeal in mind, they come to agree with Rassilon's final pronouncement that Gallifreyan civilisation had entered a state of decay. A group of three, in particular, keep conducting rebellious, anti-hierarchical activities: [[the Doctor]], a happy-go-lucky scientist who spends his days conducting "silly" [[chemistry]] experiments with [[Drax]]; [[the Master]], a domineering bully who's a fantastic [[cosmic theory|cosmic theoretician]] but rubbish at practical classes; and [[the Rani|a girl called Rani]], who is "good at everything" but at chemistry in particular. Cardinal [[Borusa]] keeps a close watch on them and gradually realises that none of them have much of a future on Gallifrey, though he also recognises their remarkable potential in the abstract. | ||
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The Doctor ends up having to call for the Time Lords' help, however, to get large numbers of [[human]] soldiers, transported to [[Planet (The War Games)|a foreign time and place]] by [[War Lord|an alien race]], back to their proper time and place. The Time Lords catch the culprits, discovering that [[the War Chief|another rebellious member of the High Council]] was responsible for the aliens' time-travel abilities. The Doctor is put on trial, and sentenced to exile by three members of the High Council: Prydonian councillor [[Goth]], Arcalian councillor [[Adelphi]] and the new Prydonian [[High Chancellor]], [[Socra]], who was secretly a member of the CIA. | The Doctor ends up having to call for the Time Lords' help, however, to get large numbers of [[human]] soldiers, transported to [[Planet (The War Games)|a foreign time and place]] by [[War Lord|an alien race]], back to their proper time and place. The Time Lords catch the culprits, discovering that [[the War Chief|another rebellious member of the High Council]] was responsible for the aliens' time-travel abilities. The Doctor is put on trial, and sentenced to exile by three members of the High Council: Prydonian councillor [[Goth]], Arcalian councillor [[Adelphi]] and the new Prydonian [[High Chancellor]], [[Socra]], who was secretly a member of the CIA. | ||
Socra then pressures the President, [[Pandad IV|President IV]], into sending [[Adelphi|another member of the High Council]] to Earth to warn the Doctor about [[the Master]], who is now out for revenge. The CIA continues to contact the exiled Doctor for occasional services, feeling free to do so now that the Doctor is dependent on Socra's good graces with the President for his eventual pardon. This release comes after [[Omega]] returns to the universe, out for revenge, a fact the [[Matrix Lord]]s had, for the first time in Gallifrey's history, been wholly unable to foresee. The Doctor's [[ | Socra then pressures the President, [[Pandad IV|President IV]], into sending [[Adelphi|another member of the High Council]] to Earth to warn the Doctor about [[the Master]], who is now out for revenge. The CIA continues to contact the exiled Doctor for occasional services, feeling free to do so now that the Doctor is dependent on Socra's good graces with the President for his eventual pardon. This release comes after [[Omega]] returns to the universe, out for revenge, a fact the [[Matrix Lord]]s had, for the first time in Gallifrey's history, been wholly unable to foresee. The Doctor's [[Multi-Doctor event|first three incarnations]] foiling Omega for what appears to be the last time is the perfect excuse Socra needed to demand the Doctor's freedom from President Pandad IV. When Pandad IV demands an explanation, however, Socra is forced to reveal the existence of the CIA to him. The President chooses to keep it a secret, however, so as not to lessen the public's trust in the Presidency. | ||
[[The Rani]], by then a high-ranking member of Gallifrey's hierarchy, falls from grace when one of her experiments into accelerated growth in living beings causes some [[mouse|mice]] to grow to giant size and turn predatory. The giant mice take a chunk out of President Pandad IV (triggering a regeneration) and eat [[Pandad IV's cat|his cat]] as well as Chancellor Socra. The Rani is exiled, turning [[Renegade Time Lord|renegade]], and Pandad IV never found another cat, thus putting an end to a tradition that had started with Rassilon himself. Hurriedly, Pandad IV chooses [[Goth]] as his new High Chancellor. Thirty years later, this forces an | [[The Rani]], by then a high-ranking member of Gallifrey's hierarchy, falls from grace when one of her experiments into accelerated growth in living beings causes some [[mouse|mice]] to grow to giant size and turn predatory. The giant mice take a chunk out of President Pandad IV (triggering a regeneration) and eat [[Pandad IV's cat|his cat]] as well as Chancellor Socra. The Rani is exiled, turning [[Renegade Time Lord|renegade]], and Pandad IV never found another cat, thus putting an end to a tradition that had started with Rassilon himself. Hurriedly, Pandad IV chooses [[Goth]] as his new High Chancellor. Thirty years later, this forces an ageing Pandad to admit to Goth that this meant his ambition of becoming Lord President could not be fulfilled, and the position would have to go to Cardinal [[Borusa]]. This leads to the embittered Goth plotting with {{Pratt}} to depose Pandad, blackmailing the CIA to allow himself this breach of tradition. | ||
The Master's plot is foiled by [[Fourth Doctor|a new incarnation of the Doctor]] after he leaves Goth to die, with Borusa later changing the official histories so that Goth appeared to have been a hero. The Doctor flees Gallifrey despite having offered himself as Lord President, leaving Gallifrey without a Head of the Presidency — and effectively ruled by newly-promoted Chancellor Borusa — by the time of the [[Sontaran invasion of Gallifrey]], for which the Doctor agrees to once more act as President of Gallifrey before resigning and leaving the reins of power ''officially'' in Borusa's hands. The sheer stress of this much power causes Borusa to use up one of his regenerations. | The Master's plot is foiled by [[Fourth Doctor|a new incarnation of the Doctor]] after he leaves Goth to die, with Borusa later changing the official histories so that Goth appeared to have been a hero. The Doctor flees Gallifrey despite having offered himself as Lord President, leaving Gallifrey without a Head of the Presidency — and effectively ruled by newly-promoted Chancellor Borusa — by the time of the [[Sontaran invasion of Gallifrey]], for which the Doctor agrees to once more act as President of Gallifrey before resigning and leaving the reins of power ''officially'' in Borusa's hands. The sheer stress of this much power causes Borusa to use up one of his regenerations. | ||
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Well-liked for his efficient, reformist government — which includes himself, a Prydonian President, but also the Arcalian Chancellor [[Thalia]], a Patrex councillor called [[Hedin]], and the Prydonian Cardinal [[Zorac]]. This new Council strives to make Gallifrey "a decent place", and is successful for many years, but [[Omega]]'s return, a surprise to the CIA, sees the ancient Time Lord breaking the Council apart by manipulating Hedin and leading him to his death. For all that the immediate threat of Omega is thwarted (once more) by the Doctor, the High Council is in disarray. | Well-liked for his efficient, reformist government — which includes himself, a Prydonian President, but also the Arcalian Chancellor [[Thalia]], a Patrex councillor called [[Hedin]], and the Prydonian Cardinal [[Zorac]]. This new Council strives to make Gallifrey "a decent place", and is successful for many years, but [[Omega]]'s return, a surprise to the CIA, sees the ancient Time Lord breaking the Council apart by manipulating Hedin and leading him to his death. For all that the immediate threat of Omega is thwarted (once more) by the Doctor, the High Council is in disarray. | ||
Borusa begins to believe that with all he has weathered as leader of the Time Lords, he deserves to become [[President Eternal]] and rule Gallifrey forever. Claiming to foresee a time when Borusa's presidency will lead to Gallifrey's ruination, Rassilon and the Matrix Lords reactive the [[Death Zone]] for the fourth time since Rassilon's physical death and lure Borusa with revived legends of the prize of the Game of Rassilon being true [[immortality]]. After Rassilon smites down two High Council envoys sent into the Zone by Borusa under false | Borusa begins to believe that with all he has weathered as leader of the Time Lords, he deserves to become [[President Eternal]] and rule Gallifrey forever. Claiming to foresee a time when Borusa's presidency will lead to Gallifrey's ruination, Rassilon and the Matrix Lords reactive the [[Death Zone]] for the fourth time since Rassilon's physical death and lure Borusa with revived legends of the prize of the Game of Rassilon being true [[immortality]]. After Rassilon smites down two High Council envoys sent into the Zone by Borusa under false pretences (Thalia and Zorac), he decides to use the [[Time Scoop]] to bring the last five incarnations of the Doctor to the Death Zone to act as his scouts. At the conclusion of the Game, Rassilon's trap closes around Borusa, who is imprisoned forever inside the Tomb of Rassilon as a sentient stone bust while the Doctor is returned home. | ||
This leaves the Prydonian [[Flavia]] as Acting President, with the blessing of Rassilon's shade. Her first decision as President is to destroy the Game Room, and the second is to be given an intelligent cat as an advisor, thus returning to the old traditions. She decides to name [[The Doctor (The Legacy of Gallifrey)|the cat]] after the Doctor. | This leaves the Prydonian [[Flavia]] as Acting President, with the blessing of Rassilon's shade. Her first decision as President is to destroy the Game Room, and the second is to be given an intelligent cat as an advisor, thus returning to the old traditions. She decides to name [[The Doctor (The Legacy of Gallifrey)|the cat]] after the Doctor. | ||
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* [[The Doctor (The Legacy of Gallifrey)|Flavia's cat]] | * [[The Doctor (The Legacy of Gallifrey)|Flavia's cat]] | ||
== | == Worldbuilding == | ||
* Early [[Gallifreyan]]s already possessed a [[binary vascular system]], a [[respiratory bypass system]] and "[[Gallifreyan physiology|other useful internal organs]]" allowing them a lifespan of about [[300 (number)|300]] [[year]]s. | * Early [[Gallifreyan]]s already possessed a [[binary vascular system]], a [[respiratory bypass system]] and "[[Gallifreyan physiology|other useful internal organs]]" allowing them a lifespan of about [[300 (number)|300]] [[year]]s. | ||
* [[The Rani]] belongs to the [[Patrex Chapter]] while [[the Doctor]] and [[the Master]] are both [[Prydonian Chapter|Prydonians]]. | * [[The Rani]] belongs to the [[Patrex Chapter]] while [[the Doctor]] and [[the Master]] are both [[Prydonian Chapter|Prydonians]]. | ||
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[[Category:DWM prose stories]] | [[Category:DWM prose stories]] | ||
[[Category:Short stories set on Gallifrey]] | [[Category:Short stories set on Gallifrey]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in the Rassilon Era]] | |||
[[Category:Rassilon short stories]] | [[Category:Rassilon short stories]] | ||
[[Category:Omega short stories]] | [[Category:Omega short stories]] | ||