1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE TARDIS
The acronym TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. As the name suggests, it is more than a time machine. The TARDIS can transport its occupants to any point in space-time: to any planet in the universe and to any time in its history. One of the ways the TARDIS differs from normal spacecraft is in the method of travel. Whereas most craft travel in the normal universe, the TARDIS travels through the space-time vortex, a turbulent esoteric world where time and space are one. For an outside observer, when the TARDIS starts its journey it simply vanishes. In fact, it has made a jump to another dimension, the space-time vortex, and it will travel to its destination from there. The actual method of `steering' is by entering a coordinate which allows the ship's computers to formulate a flight-path for the destination.
The TARDIS is in essence a time-machine, or more accurately, a time-space machine. The ability to time travel -- temporal displacement -- is what makes the TARDIS supreme. Other ships can travel through space, or even hyperspace, but few can rival the TARDIS's mastery of the dual dimensions of time and space.
One important attribute of the TARDIS is that it has been designed so that one pilot alone can successfully man the craft. Indeed, many functions and controls require only one pilot operating the TARDIS. Although one may benefit from having a small crew who may help with minor tasks, the controls have been set-up such that one pilot will be able to efficiently control the ship.
Since the pilot is a Time Lord there will exist within their physiology a gene named the Rassilon Imprimature, an artificial gene implanted into every Time Lord. The gene is named after Rassilon, the founder of the Time Lords, who first created the Imprimature. The TARDIS priming sequence will only begin once this gene has been detected; this is one of the TARDIS' security features. The process of identification is detailed in section 4.1.
Once the pilot has been identified, a `bond' is set up between the TARDIS and the pilot. One of the immediate consequences is that the pilot has the option to be the only person permitted to control the TARDIS. This is known as the isomorphic control mode, and if anybody else attempts to control the TARDIS without the pilot's consent, the controls will simply not respond.
The TARDIS is piloted and controlled via a sloping toped hexagonal control console, which has six trapezoidal panels, each of which has a name: the dematerialisation panel, the master control panel, the exterior monitor panel, the navigational control panel, the auxiliary systems panel and the informational controls panel. Each panel's controls deal mainly with one aspect of the ship's operation, which relates to its name. Located at the centre of the control console is the time rotor. This is a transparent cylindrical column containing various instruments. It rises and falls during each flight providing a visual indication on the thrust of the power drive. Above the control console is the power octagon, a large device that can be lifted out of view if desired. The power octagon is the TARDIS's link with its power sources, and has several uses, the most obvious being the main source of illumination for the control room. Behind the control console is the scanner, a screen offering a view of the landscape outside the TARDIS, showing images from the real world.
The ship has a sizeable interior and features many storage areas and dormitories: rooms which transcend the exterior boundaries of the TARDIS, the result of the interior existing in one dimension and the exterior existing in another -- the real world, the universe as we know it. Among the many rooms inside the ship is a wardrobe room where, supplied free, is a fine selection of clothing to suit many different times and places.
Due to the complexity and design of the computer systems, it can be said that the TARDIS is alive in an empathic fashion. One of the prime factors which creates the sentience is the use of artron energy. Artron energy naturally occurs in small amounts within most humanoid minds. It is the unusual abundance of artron energy in humanoid minds which gives some empathic or even telepathic powers. A flow of artron energy to central TARDIS systems is fundamental to keep the ship operational. The system is at the very heart of the ship and can communicate on an empathic level with the pilot as well as reaching out to touch the minds of any other occupants of the TARDIS, although this rarely happens.
Indeed, it is artron energy that powers the ship; raw artron energy is remotely transfered from the Eye of Harmony, which is situated on Gallifrey. Whilst some of this artron energy is used directly by certain TARDIS systems, a large amount is converted to standard electrical current for powering the electrical circuitry and computer systems.
The TARDIS is a versatile machine with many applications; here some of these are listed:
Experiments concerning time-travel naturally pre-date Time Lords; it was the mastery of time which prompted the reign of the Time Lords. Back in the mists of time, Gallifreyians lived a barbaric and superstitious life. Although society may have been primitive, technologically speaking Gallifrey was highly advanced, with faster-than-light (FTL) travel technology. One man who was a hero in these times was Rassilon, known to most as the founder of the Time Lords. Rassilon, like all Gallifreyians in those days, was telepathic, and could also foresee the future, as could other gifted men and women. Rassilon was fascinated with this gift, and began dabbling with time-travel experiments based on FTL technology.
Another figure from this era was Omega, the first and foremost of the Gallifreyian solar engineers. He was leading a research group to develop a stellar manipulator, a device which could customise stars. The aim of his project was to create a powerful energy source, such as a supernova, which could power the time-travel experiments, such as those led by Rassilon.
Rassilon had experimented with devices which could accelerate and slow down the rate of time within a confined field, and had progressed to the stage where he had developed a machine called a time-scoop; a very primitive machine which could pluck small objects out of time and space and deposit them on Gallifrey. The energy requirement for Rassilon's experiments was rising exponentially, and Gallifrey's energy infrastructure could not cope with the demand. Rassilon was now leading the scientific community, and had a significant political influence. Omega and Rassilon, once working separately on different projects, now combined their work with two goals in mind: to create a massive energy source, and to use this source to build and power a time-travelling machine.
Omega, along with his scientific team, developed a working version of his stellar manipulator, which was later dubbed the Hand of Omega. The team had identified a suitable star which has started going nova, and the plan was to accelerate the process rapidly and create a supernova, a task well within the specification of the stellar manipulator. Since Omega was experiencing problems with operating the stellar manipulator from long range, he volunteered to travel into the star himself, and activate the stellar manipulator at close range. Although Rassilon thought the shielding he had developed would protect Omega, it had never been field-tested. Omega piloted a ship into the nova-star, and activated the stellar manipulator. The device functioned perfectly, and the star exploded with an echo seen from the other side of the Galaxy. However, either the stellar manipulator was accidentally re-activated by Omega, or the fabric of space-time was simply under far too great a stress, as without warning the supernova collapsed into a black-hole. Omega was sucked in, and was thought to be gone forever.
This was a great shock for the Gallifreyians, and some called for the end of these time-travel experiments. However, the project had been a partial success -- Rassilon had developed technology capable of harnessing the energy of the black-hole. He had also developed a personal force-field known as the Sash, which would protect him against any great energy source, including that of a black-hole. The Sash worked on the principle of quantum force-fields, which will not be explained here. Rassilon himself then piloted a craft into the black-hole, protected by the Sash, and he managed to capture the black-hole and return. Back on Gallifrey, the black-hole was super-compressed and contained in a region of superspace, a form of warp-space which breaks down at a mass-energy level exponentially greater than real-space, and held in place by quantum force-fields. The device was named the Eye of Harmony.
Although Gallifrey had now in theory a massive power-source, it could not yet be utilised for directly powering time-travelling machinery. Rassilon assured the Gallifreyians that this was not a permanent problem and that he was working on a device called an mass-to-artron (M/A) converter which would solve their problems.
A separate group of Gallifreyians, also undertaking temporal experiments, had managed to move an object into the future by using the combined mind power of a group of highly-trained telepaths, along with some focussing crystals. The group later built a craft which they named a time scaphe. This inferior timeship used raw artron energy from the pilot's minds. The artron energy was then channelled and formed into temporal displacement vectors, i.e. the ship propelled itself into the future by the mind-power of the pilots alone. Later, bi-directional time travel was achieved using the procedure, as was spatial displacement. Although not a TARDIS, the time scaphe was the first major step Gallifrey made towards time travel.
Rassilon realised that if time travel was to be fast and efficient, it would place extreme stress on both vehicle and personnel. He saw that the only feasible solution was to have the interior dimension of the timeship separated from the exterior dimension, thereby saving the occupants from the stresses of time travel. At this point Rassilon had little idea how he was to create this dimension. With help from prominent scientists, he experimented with electro-magnetic fields which had in their inherent nature the ability to warp the space-time within the field. At first, they succeeded in causing only local time distortion, however, years later, the breakthrough came. A figure -- known only as the Other -- had finally created a temporary alternative artificial dimension, which was recorded to exist for 3.724 nanoseconds. The efficiency of the process was later greatly improved and existence times of around 0.75 seconds were recorded.
Many years later, a `permanent' artificial dimension was created, existing for around 7 seconds. Later, figures such as 12s, 33s, 120s and 339s were common for existence times. Unfortunately, even with dimension stabilising circuitry controlling the process, permanent dimension existence was confined to around 366 seconds. Two years later, a circuit by the name of the void locker was developed, which homed into the natural frequency of the newly created dimension. Almost immediately the dimension life was extended to a virtual infinite value.
A prototype machine was quickly built with the interior of the ship existing in a permanent artificial alternative dimension (PAAD). The machine, a SIDRAT, was powered by Zyton-7 crystals, embedded within the master control rods. The control rods allowed a rather crude access to the space-time vortex, providing limited time travel as well as spatial displacement. However, the range of the SIDRAT was restricted, as it relied greatly on operators guiding the craft via remote control, hence its name, Spatial Inter-Dimensional Restricted Access to Time.
Many Time Lords were displeased with the SIDRAT, believing the answer to time travel lied with artron powering. Other Time Lords stressed that the SIDRAT had no defensive functions, and all were hoping for a greater operating range than that which was possible from using the Zyton-7 control rods, which needed to be replaced when exhausted. On top of that, the controls that allowed the pilot to operate the SIDRAT were absurdly simplistic. In the end the engineers effectively scrapped the SIDRAT, and many thought that the days of time travel were numbered.
However, the Time Lords quickly commenced on a new project. Their vision was to create a machine that could freely explore time and its relative dimension. Soon, the machine was named TARDIS, Time And Relative Dimension In Space. At this stage the TARDIS was nothing more than designer's theories and blueprints. The theoretical machine the original blueprints described was named a TARDIS Type 1. The TARDIS project incorporated research from all previous time travel experiments, including time scaphes and SIDRATs.
The Gallifreyian president devoted large sums of money to the research projects and investigations. Many revisions were made in an attempt to perfect the TARDIS, and to avoid the problems the SIDRAT suffered. At the third blueprint revision, theoretical model TARDIS Type 4, the subject of power requirements was considered. Instead of using energy crystals of a finite lifetime, the idea was to create a transcendental link between the TARDIS's power systems and the Eye of Harmony. Rassilon had at long last developed his M/A converter and along with the remote powering system (RPS), TARDISes could at long last obtain their power direct from Gallifrey.
Several advanced time scaphes were built at this stage, which were powered by the Eye of Harmony. Although many people were satisfied with the resultant vehicle, it was later understood that the scaphes were built only as an aside, and that research and development of the TARDIS was still continuing.
The Type 10 TARDIS was the last contribution made by Rassilon. After this stage he left the TARDIS project and began researching into other areas, such as creating a defense system for Gallifrey. The Type 10 TARDIS was very unreliable, and was very crude compared to today's Type 40. One point worth noting is that the system to detect the Rassilon Imprimature was installed at this point; the Rassilon Imprimature had at this time been newly created by Rassilon. Although the drive-systems were powered by the artron-feed at this stage, the computer systems and circuitry were still powered from batteries, as the device to convert artron energy into electrical energy had not been built yet.
Soon more problems arose with the machine the engineers now called a Type 30. By now the timeship has almost perfect space-time travel, by use of two circuits that made proper access to the space-time vortex possible, the dematerialisation circuit and the time dimension tracker. However, the majority of the ship's systems had now been transferred to artron powering, and disaster struck.
The problem was that the PAAD could not be held in place, even with a void locker and dimensional control operating. In a desperate attempt, several physical prototype models was built into apartments, and instead of using the PAAD for protection from time travel, a technique called vortex shielding was used. Although the project was a success the time travelling elements could not function correctly, as a result the range of time travel was decreased. It was realised that a return to PAAD was necessary.
Finally, research showed that the artron powering was disrupting the work of the void locker and dimensional control. The artron power systems were re-built with greater shielding of the artron linkages, and the void locker and dimensional control were modified to mask the artron fields produced.
Type 39 was fitted with a full range of computer banks, which at the time were not fully miniaturised due to cost-saving measures. The isomorphic control mode did not work, and the control console was not fully developed. The chameleon circuitry was not working either at this stage; the ship was constructed into the form of a metal cabinet. The power systems were neither dampened nor finely tuned; as a result a rather harsh buzzing noise was present inside the ship.
Type 40 was the first official release of a Gallifreyian timeship, with 305 produced and distributed. However, some minor flaws were later discovered in the design, small faults with the directional unit and the chameleon circuitry. The ship was renamed Type 40 Mark I, and several revisions were made in an attempt to perfect the design.
The Type 40 Mark II, commonly known as just a Mark II, was the result of a hasty effort to rectify faults in the Mark I TARDIS. Few changes were made. The control room was redesigned, as the bulky power-octagon hanging in the control room was found to be unnecessary. The environment systems and the computer banks were relocated and the interior layout simplified. The directional unit was swiftly upgraded, and the chameleon circuit was rebuilt with more reliable components.
The Type 40 Mark III was not a replacement model for the Mark II as such, rather it was a slightly more classy TARDIS than the Mark II. Several new functions and utilities were added, and for a short while the Mark III was marketed as the flagship TARDIS model.
The Type 40 Mark IV was produced a number of years after the Mark III was initially introduced, and it's release coincided with the 50th anniversary of the original Type 40 TARDIS. It boasted a number of advanced features, and featured a raised control console. Some of the more mundane additions to the Mark III were not to be found with the Mark IV. Currently the Mark IV is the most advanced TARDIS, although the soon to be released Type 41 promises to be a welcome addition to the TARDIS family.
1.4 PRIMARY FEATURES OF THE TARDIS
This section lists a few of the main attributes of the TARDIS.
The TARDIS operates by using a system similar to that used by transmat devices, although the TARDIS is far more than just a temporal matter-transmitter. Unlike a transmat the TARDIS does not instantaneously arrive at its destination -- for the pilot the journey can take anything from 30 seconds to many hours. The TARDIS is not flown as one may pilot a normal space-craft; coordinates are used to Mark out routes and destination. One of the most important aspects of the TARDIS is its inherent sentience, the defense mechanism. This constantly monitors the safety of the TARDIS and has the ability to override certain TARDIS systems if needed.
TARDISes draws their power from the Eye of Harmony, a remote power source situated on Gallifrey, which supplies TARDISes with energy for a theoretical infinite life-time. The TARDIS is fitted with an energy absorber to collect and utilise the raw energy from the Eye of Harmony. Connected via an energy converter to the power bank, this can channel energy across the time-space dimension to the TARDIS. The channel is unlikely to be interrupted because of a dimensional stabiliser connected to the energy absorber. A triple resistor micro-chip ensures that there are no uncontrolled energy surges.
The exterior of the TARDIS exists in the real world, but the interior exists in a relative world. The dimensional shifter circuit creates the interior dimension and the dimensional integrator and void locker provide an interface between these two worlds. The dimensional shifter needs a very large energy input in order to create an energy-burst powerful enough to disrupt the fabric of space-time, limbo, and shift the dimensions. A serial booster is fitted to aid the dimensional shifter by providing a large amount of power.
The process of creating the extra-large interior begins with the operation of the dimensional shifter. The circuit distorts space-time; this pushes the limbo coordinates further away therefore changing the existing dimensional coordinates. Then the flux automatic charger (FAC) switches on, which sends an enormous burst of energy to the dimensional shifter. This completely alters the dimensional coordinates and shifts the entire interior dimensional space within the range into another dimension, an extra dimensional space dubbed the fifth dimension. The void locker is responsible for fine tuning the interior space into the natural position of the fifth dimension. The actual process of keeping the interior of the TARDIS in its artificial dimension is taken up by the dimensional control circuitry. This complicated but fast process creates a permanent alternative artificial dimension (PAAD).
The main doorway between the outside and inside is a natural portal existing between the interior and exterior worlds, maintained by the dimensional integrator circuitry. The only way the interior of the ship could be destroyed is by exposure to a very large blast of energy; this could be caused by a very serious disruption in the fabric of space-time, for example, two TARDISes colliding during flight.
The actual size of the interior is controlled by the dimensional control. The more efficient the dimensional control, the larger the interior, although the interior size of a TARDIS is preset during manufacture. Beyond the limit of the interior is the material barrier, which resembles brick-work.
The TARDIS travels through the space-time vortex, also called the time vortex. When a journey is initiated, the exterior atoms dissolve from the real world and re-appear in the space-time vortex. The exterior is transmatted to another dimension, although the space-time vortex is not strictly a separate dimension but a merge of space-time, the point at which space and time meet. Once the whole craft has dematerialised the `engines' are switched on, and two circuits work in parallel to provide movement in the vortex. The circuits, the time vector generator (TVG) and the space displacement creator (SDC), work together to shape and mould artron energy into movement vectors, spinning the TARDIS whilst propelling it through the vortex.
The first step in the construction of the TARDIS is to manufacture the circuits and build up the control console. At this stage all systems will be run off auxiliary power from the construction station power-circuit. The program for the creation of the outer-hull is ran into an energy-to-matter (E/M) converter, which creates the base cabinet with the sliding door. The base cabinet is the form the TARDIS takes when the chameleon circuitry is switched off. The cabinet has an outer-shell made from a special type of matter and an inner-hull made from another complex material. The material visually resembles brick-work and is extremely strong.
Once this vehicle is created, and the dimensional integrator circuit put in place, the interior dimension is opened up by means of visually linking the dimensional integrator circuits through a temporary linkage. This creates a temporary stabilised interior dimension. At this stage the control console is fitted, as are the power and environment systems. All wiring and linkages are installed and the TARDIS central computer is fitted in and powered up. The computer bank alcove is also outfitted at this stage, as is the PAAD interior. The star catalogue is down-loaded into the astral map, and the TARDIS is then orientated.
Once all this has finished, the door locking mechanism is fitted and the interior furniture and decor are installed. Finally, the chameleon circuit is run, changing the appearance of the exterior shell. The TARDIS is now ready for its first journey, which is usually to a showroom or storage area.