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A vortex manipulator was a form of basic time travel used by the Time Agency of the 51st century. It also had many other abilities.
History
to be added
Abilities
The main function of a vortex manipulator was to transport the user through time and space using teleportation and time travel via the Time Vortex. (DW: Utopia, The Sound of Drums, et al)
The exact range of a vortex manipulator is uncertain; under normal conditions, one model could allow travel of a distance of nearly 200, 000 years (Although in this instance, said manipulator was burned out as a result).(DW: The Parting of the Ways, TW: Everything Changes) Following modifications with a sonic screwdriver, it could allow travel from the End of the Universe to 21st century Earth. (DW: The Sound of Drums)
In general, manipulators seem to be a somewhat unreliable for of time travel, especially when compared to a TARDIS. Former Time Agent Jack Harkness' admission that he was unable to reach his intended destination when returning to Earth's past (DW: Utopia) supports this, as does his later surprise that a trip back from Utopia at the End of the Universe using the same (albiet upgraded with a sonic screwdriver) model brought them back so close to when they left. (DW: The Sound of Drums). However, when the universe was a fraction of it's former size, a vortex manipulator was able to facilitate multiple precise jumps with no apparent difficulty- although admittedly, the distances and time differences involved were a great deal smaller. (DW: The Big Bang) Given that the same manipulator was apparently able to reach the first planet in the universe (DW: The Pandorica Opens) it's possible that Jack's specific model was unreliable, and Vortex manipulators in general were capable of time travel on the same scale as a TARDIS.
Presumably, the vortex manipulator created some sort of shield to protect an Agent from the side effects of an unprotected journey through the vortex. This did not, however, prevent the infliction of considerable discomfort for the user. (DW: The Sound of Drums)
The Doctor considered it very primitive compared to a TARDIS, describing his TARDIS as a "sports car" to Jack Harkness's "space hopper". He also described it as "cheap and nasty time travel, very bad for you", and that he was "trying to give it up". (DW: The Big Bang)
The vortex manipulators were very resilient, and one was able to survive a bomb that would destroy a Human. (The vortex manipluator also survived the explosion caused by Big Bang Two. ( DW:The Big Bang)
Time Agents were given a vortex manipulator. Jack Harkness had his manipulator housed in a Time Agency wrist strap. (DW: Utopia) Although it was generally used by the Agency, The Family of Blood stole one to follow the Doctor around the universe (DW: Human Nature / The Family of Blood) The TARDIS controls include a vortex manipulator. (DW: Attack of the Graske) Jack used information from the UNIT Project Indigo (based on Sontaran teleport pod technology) to reactivate the teleport function on his vortex manipulator in DW: The Stolen Earth; this suggests that vortex manipulator technology may derive its origins from earlier Earth-based projects such as Project Indigo.
When traveling through time with a vortex manipulator the user seems to use both the teleport function and time travel function depending on where they want to go. For example, when the Doctor, Martha and Jack traveled from the End of the Universe, they left from an alien planet and ended up on Earth. This indicates that the manipulator likely has a long teleport range. (DW: The Sound of Drums)
The vortex manipulator was used to transport the Pandorica into the heart of the explosion of the TARDIS. After being brought back by , the Doctor gave the vortex manipulator back to River Song who used it to time-travel or teleport away.(DW: The Big Bang)
- Communication between users, listening to radio broadcasts, including storage of messages (TW: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, DW: The Sound of Drums)
- Projection of holograms(DW: The Empty Child, TW: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Fragments)
- Tracking of life signs (DW: Bad Wolf, Journey's End)
- Remote control of electronic devices. (TW: Everything Changes, Exit Wounds)
Owners
- Captain 'Jack Harkness (''DW':' The Empty Child)
- Captain 'John Hart ('TW: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang)
- Gray ('TW: Exit Wounds)
- The 'Family of Blood (stolen) ('DW: The Family of Blood)
- Mairwyn ('Mexico 'time rift flotsam)
- Dorium (from dead 'Time Agent) ('DW: The Pandorica Opens)
- River Song (acquired from Dorium) ('DW: The Pandorica Opens, The Big Bang)
- The Doctor briefly borrowed this from her ('DW: The Big Bang)