But my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles...

[lionofmanc]

In the Kashtta Tower, people are doing things.

Gene hasn't been holding his lion-shaped vigil over Sam for a while. Partly due to the lovely argument he had with Miss Costello, who might just be spokeswoman for the Sopping-Knickers Club when it comes to Jack Harkness. Partly due to the rescue attempt that wasn't. Partly due to the fact that he's

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[kashttaaatman]

Thou seest Me as Time who kills, Time who brings all to doom,
The Slayer Time, Ancient of Days, come hither to consume;
Excepting thee, of all these hosts of hostile chiefs arrayed,
There shines not one shall leave alive the battlefield!

[superiorspectre]

That's... Distinctly creepy.

Suzie blinks at it, and then pulls out a notebook to copy the words down for her own reference.

She's about halfway through when she remembers just where she's seen this before. "Very cute," she mutters, "but somehow I doubt you're Lord Krishna."

Time who kills. Time Lords. Time Agents. Rifts in time and space. Funny how for all the things around here concerning themselves with time, there never quite seems to be enough of it.

A wise person would put the journal down, but Suzie, though paranoid, also has enough curiosity for ten cats, at least.

[kashttaaatman]

X year, X month, X day
Specimen labelled A33 recovered from site CF{21} Cardiff South Wales England
interface unknown
composition unknown
Refer to KTd3 for study

X year, X month, X day
A33 spectrum nominal
activity low
confirmed failing

X year, X month, X day
vartikā project approved
A33 transferred to KTd21Chicago

X year, X month, {$this_day-231}
i am become death
shatterer of worlds

[superiorspectre]

Suzie notes everything down, a distinct chill running down her spine. She knows that quote in far more than its original context, and in either context, it's unsettling.

"...You're aware, aren't you?" she murmurs, looking through the pages. "Whatever you are here... You're aware of all of this."

[definitivestep]

Sam is in the library - not that there are any books in there, but there are a few scattered chairs, tables... and it's a quiet place to think. He's at one of the tables with his journal to one side, mostly ignored but in case something comes up, and a mug of coffee. The coffee is necessary - he doubts anyone here has really slept a full night since Thane first arrived. Maybe before that.

He's lost in thought at the moment, but not so much that he won't notice if someone comes in the room. Being kidnapped once, even when nothing really happened, does wonders for your spatial awareness.

[lionofmanc]

So that's where Tyler'd got himself to.

He walks up and sits down without a word, propping his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers and looking at Sam thoughtfully.

"Chris Skelton," he says, letting the name hang in the air between them for a moment.

"I know you know he's here, because he's the one that mentioned you to me when I finally ran into him, for all that you didn't see fit to mention the same," and yes, he's a bit pissed off about that, because Chris is one of his lads and he needs to know these things. "Tried to get in touch with him a few days back, haven't heard a word back." He raises an eyebrow. "You know Chris and I know Chris and we both know he'd 'ave said something by now if he could. So this is me asking if you've heard a thing from him."

[definitivestep]

Sam looks up as Gene enters, and eyes him quietly while he speaks, his expression mostly neutral. "I haven't, no," he says when Gene finishes, a little concern slipping through the neutral expression. "I only saw him once, before we left the Conrad. There's a chance he hasn't answered because he's a duck."

[lionofmanc]

Saw him only once. Explains a few things, but Gene's still less than pleased.

And a duck... "Is everyone you've ever met just going to keep turning into things, then?" Gene asks. "Might want to consider a job as a zookeeper, if this keeps up."

He considers that development. "Right, so if he hasn't got the hang of changing back yet..." He attempts to look serious -- this is Chris they're talking about, and while Chris is often a source of unintended hilarity, it doesn't make the situation any less grave. "I'll need as thorough a description of this duck as you can give me, Tyler. Can't hurt to ask around, make sure he hasn't ended up as the night's special at an eatery catering to the Heathen Chinee."

[aequalitas]

Hello! There is a woman wearing early eleventh century garb wandering about. But hey, at least the cape is gone. She's trying to stay out of the way but curiosity is nagging her a bit. She'd like to have a little look around.

Helga's found some interesting things, some things confusing as well. She's spent a lot of her time looking out of the windows. The construction of the building is genius to her. The towers of Hogwarts, or any other castle that she's visited, were never so high.

"Oh. I'm sorry." She says upon walking into the kitchen and seeing someone standing there. Well. It looked like it might be a kitchen. Helga couldn't say for sure. "I didn't mean to intrude." This isn't her place and a little extra dash of manners couldn't hurt.

[twdenmother]

Ianto looks up at the new arrival and smiles. "Oh, no, it's no intrusion at all." He's less than pleased with all the new people wandering in and out, and oh he misses the comforts and security (for a certain value of 'secure') of the Hub, but it's certainly not this woman's fault.

And the clothing's not terribly unfamiliar to him, at least. Comes of spending time in Narnia.

"Ianto Jones," he says. "I'm with Torchwood. I take it you're a new arrival?"

[aequalitas]

Security can't be easy in a place where you get visitors from all times and dimensions.

Helga smiles briefly but it never reaches her eyes. "Yes. I arrived the other day. My name is Helga Hufflepuff." If you wanted to call it arriving, fine. It should be called ripped-from-everything-you-know-and-shoved-into-a-very-strange-world-instead, that would be a more accurate way to phrase it. "I was just having a look around."

[twdenmother]

Helga... Hufflepuff?

Ianto turns to the coffeemaker before the recognition sneaks into his expression. We do not tell characters previously believed to be fictional that they are fictional here. Especially not when we are a faun.

"Ah... I'm sure it must be difficult for you, being thrust out of your own time." He finally looks back up at her, giving her a faint smile. "The clothes are a bit of a giveaway, there." And the name, but, again, not bringing that up. If she encounters stories of herself elsewhere, that's one thing, but he doesn't intend to be the one to break it to her.

"Most everyone here's been in a similar situation, though usually the change isn't quite so drastic. I somehow ended up changing worlds twice, coming back here, and changing species while I was at it." Yes, Helga, it could always be worse.

"Not that it's much consolation, I'm sure..." And he's being awkward. This will not do. "...Would you like a coffee?" When all else fails, distract with your skill at preparing hot beverages.

[kashttaaatman]

In Book's general area, a ghost wanders throug the wall and across his path. It looks so like candle smoke, but for its own vague cohesion, but for hints of anatomy, but for movement and stride.

Whatever it is, beyond appearances, it doesn't stop to take notice of him.

[aint_a_shepherd]

Book looks up when he sees something moving, and gets up. One of the ghosts, no doubt, and for all that he's been told they're harmless...

He moves to intercept, Bible in hand.

"...Hello?"

[kashttaaatman]

The ghost doesn't stop. It keeps walking, slow and long, taking the path down the back hall toward the freezer. If it hears him, it shows no indication.