TARDIS Technical Index

Paradox Machine

A paradox machine

The renegade House known as Faction Paradox determined how to cannibalize a Gallifreyan time ship into a Paradox Machine. This was done by making numerous modifications to the Heart (aka the Main Space Time Element) and the console that contains it. A large conduit was connect to the heart and ran to the Interstitial Antenna, which emitted the artron energy necessary to hyper crystallize that timeline. A metal cage would be constructed around the console to contain the massive energies being manipulated. It is recommended that steam-based cooling systems be used. The interior of the control room will be lit with a red glow for the residual energy leaking from the Heart.

When history is changed, or otherwise corrupted, it takes 20 minutes of Relative Time for the consciousness' active biodata to fully crystallize events. After that the events of Alternative Time will be embedded into History with a massive amount of temporal inertia. If properly programmed and activated during this crucial 20 minutes a Paradox Machine has an excellent chance of diverting history to the new course and reconciling the paradox so that the temporal marauder won't have to worry about Reapers or Chronovores.

Once activated, the TARDIS energy drain from the Heart will convince the TARDIS that it is dying. The Cloister Bell will sound continuously as long as the original timeline is being suspended. The machine's continued functionality is essential to holding the new time line in place. The destruction (or even disabling) of the machine will reverse time to the point when history was first changed. Everything within about half a mile of the machine will be unchanged by the machine's destruction. But outside that radius everything that had happened since the machine was activated will be undone. For the rest of the universe the alternate timeline never happened.

Using a similar method, it is possible that a TARDIS could be used to sustain a paradox of two different temporal versions of the same person simultaneously aboard the TARDIS at once. The Time Lord would have to disable some of the TARDIS' peripheral functions and jettison at least one storage room to gain the needed energy boost.

Color Key

The following color code is used:

  • Black: For information from the TV Series, including Dimensions in Time, and 1996 TV Movie.
  • Blue: For information from the Novels and Audios including Target, Virgin, BCC, and Big Finish.
  • Green: For information from 'licensed' reference sources such as the Technical Manual, Doctor Who Magazine, and the Role Playing Games.
  • Red: For information from unofficial sources -The Faction Paradox series, behind the scenes interviews, author's speculation, and popular fan belief.
  • The TARDIS Technical Index is copyright Will B Swift.

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