Tautology (short story): Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Story SMW

|image         = Tautology.jpg

|series         = ''[[Brief Encounter]]''

|main character = [[Frederick Marius]]

|setting        = [[Earth]] and [[Bi-Al Foundation]], [[12 May|12]]-[[27 May]] [[4997]]

|writer         = Glenn Langford

|publication   = [[DWM 194]]

|cover date    = 23 December 1992

|prev           = Toy (short story)

|next           = In the Community (short story)

}}

'''''Tautology''''' was a ''[[Brief Encounter]]'' short story published in ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' [[DWM 194|194]].

 

[[Professor]] [[Frederick Marius|Marius]] writes in his [[computer]] [[diary]] that he has been posted to a [[Bi-Al Foundation|station]] close to the space lanes and believes he will be bored there. He acquires an [[K9 Mark III|old computer]] from his niece's [[fiancé]]. Strangely, although it is from the [[20th century]], its technology is far in advance of that time. However, due to [[shuttle]] weight restrictions he is forced to not only have it scrapped, but also to leave behind his dog Toby. He keeps the computer's motherboard and Toby's dog tag as mementos. At the station, he befriends an electronic specialist who helps him construct a new computer based on the motherboard and sketches Marius drew. The professor plans to name it after the old computer: [[K9 Mark I|K9]].

* [[Frederick Marius]]

* [[Gloria (Tautology)|Gloria]]

* [[Toby (Tautology)|Toby]]

== Worldbuilding ==

* Frank inherited K9 from [[Frank's mother (Tautology)|his mother]].

* "Momento" is not a misspelling, but an alternate spelling for "memento" frequently used in Australia, where the author is from.

* This story reveals that K9's existence is the result of an [[bootstrap paradox|ontological paradox]], as Marius gets the inspiration to construct K9 Mark I from his examination of K9 Mark IV, who was himself constructed by the Doctor after meeting K9 Mark I.

* Marius' dog and the creation of K9 were given a different background in the short story ''[[One Man and His Dog (short story)|One Man and His Dog]]''.

* [[TV]]: {{Cs|School Reunion (TV story)}} sees [[K9 Mark III]] destroyed and replaced by [[K9 Mark IV|a fourth model]]. Although technically ''Tautology'' does not mention which model was passed down to [[Frank (Tautology)|Frank]], making it possible to retcon it being the later version, this short story was written fourteen years before ''School Reunion'', meaning K9 Mark III would have been the intended model at the time.

== External links ==

{{dwrefguide|brief.htm#dwm194|Tautology}}

{{BE}}