Debriefing at Lady Sally's [Gathering Post]

[dominie]

Kirk called everyone to order, and met everyone's eyes. Dayna, he couldn't help a smile seeing her again, even though it wasn't the Dayna he had known. Kara Thrace...hmmm, interesting. Burt, Spock, The Doctors, the android, very interesting

Comments

[OTA]

[celeryboy]

The Doctor, still bristling at the suggestion that he'd been relegated to the designation of "the other one," stepped forward.

"The chosen landing site will be along the shoreline of Pangaea's western coast, roughly within the same vicinity of what should be, in a few hundred million years' time, Central America. These Silurians have a notable aquatic affinity, therefore it stands to reason that they may have built settlements near the oceans. And if the...ah..." He glanced over at Burt. "...intelligence concerning the graboids is correct, then the close proximity to those seas might be an asset.

"At any rate, I do hope everyone volunteering for the landing party can swim.

"As the TARDIS naturally emanates high levels of temporal energy, a large amount of which will be dispersed as heat, I'll need to mask her energy signature from those prying graboid senses. Therefore, a shield perimeter will be generated around the TARDIS, approximately 10 feet in radius with the ship in the center. I cannot guarantee the safety of anyone outside the barrier, however, so it's best if we keep close as possible to the ship at all times.

"I'll, ah, I'll take any questions anyone might have?"

Re: [OTA]

[dominie]

"I'm not entirely sure that the water is safe," the Doctor interjected. "In fact, I'm very not sure. The creatures that Mr. Gummer described are sand sifters, and weren't recognized by mankind until well into the 20th century. Where were they? And in all that time, they certainly had to evolve from something. They had to start out as silt sifters. After all, it was mostly useless to be on land very far from shore. There was nothing there..."

His brow knit up. Guns, he hated guns. He moved away from everyone and got closer to himself. "I'll make sure that the Beta Five's teleport is working as soon as possible."

He almost asked that he do his best to keep them safe.

But of course he would.

That didn't stop a look, pathetically doggish in its worry, from crossing his face. Fretting utterly over what might happen to companions that have been and would be, and the few friends in between. Yes, of course he'd take care of them.

[celeryboy]

"Then we touch down on a secondary landing site," he said, not miffed in the slightest at the interjection of his future self. No, not at all. He was over-enunciating his words for an entirely different reason. "Among the other probable locations, seven upon the continent are miles inland. I could hold the TARDIS in a hovering pattern above Pangaea and give the surrounding area a scan for possible life, Silurian or otherwise, before settling on a single landing site? That would be swifter?"

Not a great fan of guns, no, but had they really a choice in the matter, when the weapons were proven against the creatures? "And do try to extend its transmat range as wide as possible, please. We may need to evacuate an entire civilization--"

He sighed, noting that look in his other self's eyes, recognizing it for what it meant. "Let's keep a comms link open, so that Operations can monitor from the station, hmmm?"

[dominie]

"No, that should be fine.... I'm just recommending that we show concern that the limitations pertaining to the creatures met by Mr. Gummer may be quite different from what you meet."

He grinned at that. "At least that's an attribute of the Beta Five. If its capacities will work at all, it should have the capacity to evacuate that civilization. As much as I prefer ships, it would be far quicker than attempting to coax everyone into the TARDIS. Doors and such."

He was at least satisfied with that. When it came to adventuring, it had been his younger self who'd been better at it. He'd always been better at dealing with people. "Laura and I will be at the ready throughout."

[celeryboy]

"I'm certain we'll be careful enough." Though judging from those gathered in the establishment, he suspected that the majority of these individuals were rather used to this sort of thing.

And depending on the true population of those who would need rescuing, the Doctor might find himself routing unwanted stowaways in those TARDIS corridors for weeks to come. Perhaps it would be best to keep the transmat option open.

"And ready with the tea after our return, I hope," he said, expression prim and overly serious.

[dominie]

"Ah, yes, I'll have the tea. Most certainly...." He would, because the love of tea hadn't faltered with him.

But he also enjoyed his fizzy drinks.

"The ah, operator of that transmat, Mr. Seven... have you noticed anything peculiar about him? Besides his cat?"

[celeryboy]

If the Doctor had tea, all was right with the universe, at least for that certain Time Lord. And fizzy drinks were certainly to be avoided at all costs.

"Hmmm...mostly that he seems to know us? He didn't bat an eyelash at the old girl's interior and appeared all too familiar with that android, Data, and circumstances involving the Master...but I don't believe he means any ill-will." And for Five, giving individuals the benefit of the doubt, offering up his trust, was extremely important.

[dominie]

"Oh, no. No. I'm not suspicious of him. Oh, this probably wouldn't matter so much to you, right? I suppose I'm the one it bothers.

"When we were discussing how some companions might have been brought here because we would need them, and he was distant. Looking out the window. Ace asked him if he was all right and he said 'no'... But then he immediately went on to planning tests for the Beta Five."

He gave his younger self a doggish, perplexed look.

[celeryboy]

"I should think the answer's rather obvious," he said primly, hands slipping into his pockets as he bent to level himself closer to Seven. He waited for his other self to work out the answer, gaze expectant, though his patience wore quite thin when dealing with the other incarnations. Therefore, he ought to answer it himself, hadn't he?

"He has a companion he longs to see but is, for whatever reason, unable to, and that conversation reminded him of that fact. I rather doubt the veracity of the theory, though, considering the unique circumstances Peri found herself in when she arrived." And if the station brought in a companion it knew was sick with a highly infectious virus, then the place was much less benevolent than he first assumed.

[dominie]

"Oh I know that, I just can't let it alone. I knew an older version of myself. I saw what travelling alone did to him. ...It wasn't pretty. I keep hoping that there was a deviation of timeline and I won't become that man.

"And the theory was mostly idle pondering rather than legitimate speculation, as the other planets in the system were brought in to counterbalance the gravity of the sun and on each other. To allow the two in the habitable zone to continue their development. There is a... wall downstairs, though. Covered in writing I can't manage to translate."

[celeryboy]

Well, if he knew then why bother asking? Five visibly bristled, hands behind his back, shoulders squared and level beneath the coat, face the epitome of restrained annoyance. "Alone? Permanently? By...choice?" He understood the concept, but not the mindset which would accept it as a good idea. The journey was always sweeter when shared.

"Interesting. I don't suppose the TARDIS could help translate?" Five-million languages were at her instant disposal, after all.

[dominie]

"Yes... and at the point that I last observed me it was... Well, whatever had happened had gone terribly wrong. He was becoming more like the Master. That teetering edge where events could go either way... And I saw it and I ran away..." He muttered, ashamed of the last part. Because it had been terrifying for him, that he might not be able to stop himself.

"I'm sure 'alone' doesn't bother Mr. Seven quite as much, but you may want to talk to him."

[celeryboy]

Disparate timelines. The Doctor was unsurprisingly used to them, though not when they occurred within his own timestream. That a future self would somehow transmute into a personality similar to the Master--

He shook his head, dislodging that thought to let it tumble free into the dark recesses in his mind, never to be called up again.

He hoped.

He let out a chuff of air which may have been the start of a chuckle. "And what advice would I give, hmmm? That this is only temporary? He'll find another just as good? You know as well as I that the parting is as inevitable as the meeting."

[dominie]

"Oh, no. Advise never works. No one ever listens. You have to show them. I can't because I'm under the impression that there is the very real possibility that I just might maybe and am very inclined to punting his cat across the promenade. Perhaps. Just slightly. As I think it would have a similar effect as someone taking a piddle in the secondary console room it might defeat my efforts."

[celeryboy]

"Peri's rather good with cats, if you remember. She could provide a distraction while you and Mr. Seven have a word?" Because, really, he'd avoid anything to do with the messiness of relationships if he could help it, and foisting the responsibility to a later incarnation seemed an excellent idea.

Though Five did worry whether his other self would mess it up somehow.

He sighed, head angling upwards to stare at the ceiling a moment, as if peeking up there would offer him the answers he so desperately sought.

"Or...I could do it, I suppose. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that he trusts me. Or you. Or any of us."

[dominie]

"Of course he doesn't. That would have made it simple. ...Though yes, Peri was rather good with cats. Perhaps I'll have her distract it on occasion anyway." He frowned. He was pretty sure that Peri- the Peri he left behind, despised him for what he'd done. He'd been ashamed to show his face.

He did want to see her again. He truly did, but that guilt was terrifying. He supposed he'd have to face it as well. At least give her the hug that he sorely longed to.

"Anyway, there's that wall. It's as good an excuse as any. I couldn't recognize it, which makes me think the TARDIS won't. I usually have a good eye for such things."