Thread Continuations (TFLN, etc.)

[desertpowered]

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[unearthlyexile]

[Thread start]

Perhaps we'll see the sandworms after the snow, [Susan suggests. She twists a dial on one panel of the control column, and the outer door of the ship can be seen swinging closed, if one looks toward it.] I think you need something a little more peaceful than wrangling a great beast and making sure I don't get eaten.

[One of the display screens on the wall glows red for a moment, then shows a series of images -- various circles and spirals that merge together. Susan walks over to that particular console and flips a few switches. She slides back part of the console's casing to reveal a touch-sensitive panel.] Will you come over here, Paul? This device is an emergency return failsafe. I've set it for this time and place that we're leaving from, but I want to key it to your bio-signature specifically. You'll be able to get home safely even if I'm incapacitated somehow, once we set that up.

[It's a little something that Susan added to her own TARDIS after remembering just how often her grandfather failed to return his companions to the right time on Earth.]

[desertpowered]

That's a good idea. I'm happy to show you sandriding and how it's done, but it certainly isn't easy. It would be best to follow my lead and watch from a safe distance the first time. Or I could simply call a sandworm so you could have the chance to see one. [He gets himself comfortable on board, still impressed by the strange ship. Paul has never seen anything like this. It's clearly alien technology.]

Of course. And thank you, that's very considerate.[Paul follows the instructions given and goes over to the panel, but doesn't do anything just yet.] I assume I'm supposed to touch it? I didn't want to touch anything until I know exactly what you need me to do. [He knows what a bio-signature is, or at least can figure out what Susan means by context. But he wants to wait for instructions before he makes a move. Paul is wary and cautious by nature and wants to be sure he makes the right move.] Hopefully, though, no incapacitation would happen.

[Paul is a fierce fighter and is not one to abandon his allies, incapacitated or not. But he also recognizes her as the expert in this situation and agrees to the precaution.]

[unearthlyexile]

[Susan laughs.] You're much more polite and cautious than my last travel companion! [She nods, and points to the touch-sensitive panel.] If you press your palm flat to this panel here, it will scan your palm print and bio-signature and associate that with these coordinates for the return. It should just feel a little warm while it scans you.

Once we're done with that, I'll set the coordinates for Metebelis Three, in a safe year. And you can take a look around the ship, if you like, once we enter the Time Vortex.

[desertpowered]

[Paul laughs back.] Well, you’re the expert on matters like this. This is your ship, the way I’m the expert when it comes to riding sandworms. [Following the instructions he was given, Paul places his hand onto the panel, his palm flat as asked. He waits patiently until the heat from the scan fades.] Interesting technology. We don’t have anything like this where I come from.

Metebelis Three it is, then. [Paul smiles, relaxing. A fine break from politics, and with good company. He’s enjoying this vacation already.] So what exactly is a Time Vortex?

[unearthlyexile]

[Susan sounds genuinely interested when she asks,] What is unusual about the bio-scanner in comparison to the technology that you're familiar with?

[For the most part, the Time Lords avoid the regions of space-time controlled by the Spacing Guild. It is known, in the way that all things to do with time are known to 'the Time Lords' as a people, but few of their number are actually well-versed in the details of the era and locale. Susan is not one of those few.]

[Susan sets the coordinates, murmuring absently about "eight legs" as she does so, and the grinding hum begins again as the crystalline cylinder atop the control column rises and falls in a steady rhythm. One of the display screens, showing the environment outside of the ship, fades into a kaleidoscopic swirl of color and light. She points to that screen and says,] That is the Time Vortex. Or rather, how the TARDIS's sensors can translate the Vortex to be understood by our eyes.

It is a pathway forged by the Time Lords to travel to anywhere and anywhen, and how our TARDISes move in time and space. It is infinite strands of energy neither separated from nor connected to all of space-time, criss-crossing in a recursive fractal pattern that cannot be held within a fifth-dimensional mind.

[Susan winks.] And I think it's quite pretty to look at, don't you?

[desertpowered]

Different make. Which makes sense, given that your people aren't human. There are beings where I come from who are human but don't look that way anymore, so it makes sense that there are also beings who look human but aren't.

[That's good thinking - while Paul wouldn't say his corner of the universe is horrible, though he'll freely admit it has more than its share of problems, he would have suggested avoiding it to outsiders if only because it's easy to run astray of politics and idiosyncrasies that would make it dangerous to strangers. It's not easy to explain to the uninitiated, which is why he's relieved that Susan already knows some of the basics.]

It's beautiful. [Plain but honest. Paul admires the time vortex - he wonders if his abilities will change as he travels through time and space, or whether they'll adjust. He can work with either. His powers are relatively new and could use both sharpening and preactice. He hasn't forgotten how Susan offered to help him find new uses for his skills. As a Kwisatz Haderach, Paul is far more powerful than an ordinary human being. A Kwisatz Haderach and a Time Lord as allies are something extremely formidable.]

I can tell you a bit about where I come from. Or better yet, write up a treatise for you, so there can be better understanding of where I come from. I wouldn't say we're the worst part of space, but I wouldn't suggest visiting regularly without full knowledge of what we're like, either. A gift from me as thanks for taking me along.

I do like adventures, you know.

[unearthlyexile]

[Susan looks pleased at his simple response, or perhaps the honesty behind it. She sees many shortcomings in her own people, and their lack of appreciation for the beauty in their lives is one.]

If you take the time to write up a treatise, I will definitely include it in the TARDIS library. We'll always have the knowledge on hand that way.

[Susan walks around the control column, checking gauges and pressing different sequences of buttons.] I am aiming for a time when the Eight Legs are no longer in power on Metebelis Three. We'll be able to observe the natural beauty of the planet in relative peace, and no one ruin the ambiance with their efforts to gather perfect Metebelis crystals. [Susan glances at Paul, and says in a mild tone,] They're known to enhance psychic abilities.

[desertpowered]

I'm guessing these Eight Legs are not pleasant creatures, or at least it would be for the best to stay out of their way. [Paul is powerful, but he's aware he isn't immortal - especially when dealing with a hostile alien species he has no prior knowledge of.]

I'll be happy to provide you with one. A collaborative effort between you and me. There's a great deal I believe we can learn from each other.

Ah. Enhance psychic abilities. I see, they might intersect with my own natural abilities or make them stronger. [A pause. Paul's picked up on what she's implying, but he feels that he needs to check and gain official permission. This is a planet that has suffered from resource depredation from hostile outsiders.] If it's damaging to the planet's environment to take a crystal, I won't do it. I feel I should ask for permission. Unlike these Eight Legs beings, I would be satisfied with only one.

[unearthlyexile]

[Susan nods.] The Eight Legs are an arachnid species. Not native to Metebelis Three, but they lived there for generations, and eventually developed a wide range of psychic powers. They also gained an increase in size, at least a meter in length on average... but when we are going, they are still recovering from their rather foolish attempt to gather all the perfect crystals to gain ultimate power. [Susan shrugs, and taps her fingernails against the face of a gauge in an absent little rhythm.] The energy web was too much for them to contain, and it destroyed their main settlement and the very crystals they sought.

I'm sure some of the Eight Legs survived, but they will be focused on survival and rebuilding, rather than any grand schemes. A people generally has to be settled and comfortable before they start dreaming of power and how to gather more of it.

Those who collect the blue crystals of Metebelis Three have all been wise enough, for the most part, to not interfere with the natural processes that grow more crystals. Therefore, the removal of a single crystal won't unbalance things on the planet. If you find a good one that resonates with you, you'll be able to take it with you safely.

[desertpowered]

So in some ways, these Eight Legs are not so different from humans aside from the body shape. We know all about that kind of thing - overreaching ourselves, getting reckless with needed resources and forgetting that "renewable" doesn't mean "use carelessly". I'll say I'm more familiar with giant worms than with giant spiders. My powers let me "talk" to them to some extent and instruct them for help. And there isn't much a worm bigger than most buildings can't do. I wouldn't be surprised if that works on many other animals.

Good, I wanted to make sure. I'll see if I can find one that resonates with me. My own psychic powers are strong, but something which could make them even stronger is more than welcome out of curiosity's sake. I'm always interested in ways to help my abilities grow safely and learn new ways to use them. And the stronger I am, the more useful a companion I'll be.

Creativity's always been one of my assets. It's had to be - when you have limited resources, you have to get creative with them. So I think we'll work together effectively. I look forward to showing you more about myself, as I look forward to learning about you.

[unearthlyexile]

The Eight Legs are quite powerful in the psychic sense. I don't think they'd be very fond of taking instruction from a "Two Legs" like you or me, so please take care how you speak to them, if we do meet any of them on our trip.

[Susan flips a lever, and the swirling colors of the Time Vortex slowly give way to a thickly forested setting. Everything has a bluish tint to it -- the sky is a very rich dark blue, and the foliage all tends to teal instead of green. Even the soil appears to be a blue-grey. Metebelis Three is indeed a blue planet.] I offered to let you accompany me because you interest me, you know? Not so much because of your potential for strength, Paul.

[desertpowered]

I will. The arrogant types, are they? [Paul knows the type - but he also knows how to deal with people like that. Still, Susan is the expert and so he’ll gladly defer to her if they deal with the creatures. Paul is imagining a creature rather like a spider. He isn’t particularly bothered by large bugs, so he’s not frightened, more wary.]

It’s nice, you know. Having someone with me who wants me around because of who I am, not what I am and what I can do. It feels good, actually. [Paul looks out at the landscape, even more curious now that they’ve arrived. This is a completely new planet, one not in his part of the universe, and he might be the first person to see it from his time and place.] Should we get going, then? I’m ready whenever you are.

[unearthlyexile]

{OOC: Sorry for the delay, work has been a bit rough. I'll try to do a little scene-setting in this comment, but don't feel shy about making up your own stuff, too. Canon, schmanon, let's do what's fun.}

Oh yes, one last thing. [Susan pulls a small key out of her pocket. It's a simple-looking thing, just a flat piece of metal with a 'toothed' tab to be inserted in a lock, and a small hole at one end to put onto a keyring or chain. She hands it over to Paul.] Your TARDIS key. So that you can get back into the ship on your own, should you need to.

[After that, Susan leads the way back out of the console room and into the entrance area. The exterior door slides open, and crisp, fresh air from the forest surrounding them flows in. Susan steps out onto the blue-grey ground and looks around. Paul will probably notice, once he looks back, that they appear to have stepped out of a big tree -- that's the chameleon circuit at work, hiding the true nature of the ship and allowing the TARDIS to blend in with their surroundings on Metebelis Three.]

[Something that sounds like a large bird makes a whooping call in the distance, and there are bugs buzzing around in the undergrowth. Maybe some unfamiliar animals are watching them from other large trees in the vicinity.]

What do you think? Any particular direction catch your eye, Paul?

[desertpowered]

[Paul nods, and quietly slips the key into a pocket on the inside of his coat. He isn't immune from being stolen from, obviously, but Paul's awareness isn't quite the same as a regular human's, and he's closely on guard. He knows that the object he's been handed is one to watch.] Thank you. I'll keep an eye on it. Your ship can change form. Or disguise itself.

[Paul's impressed - that isn't technology known where he comes from. It's clear that Time Lords as a species are highly advanced, beyond anything human beings are capable of even at the time where Paul lives. He wonders, briefly, how it was done, but then turns his attention to the new planet. A world with forests, apparently, and a healthy ecosystem. Insects are present, and the birdlike whooping suggests that there are larger creatures here, too. But birdlike isn't the same as bird. Mimicry is always possible.

He's curious about the wildlife, both from curiosity and mild concern. It's best to know about anything predatory or venomous ahead of time, he figures - not that he feels threatened, but as a preemptive measure on an unfamiliar world.]

I was thinking of going to look where the crystals are. What kinds of animals live here?

[unearthlyexile]

[Susan nods in response to Paul's observation.] What you saw when I first arrived is the ship's actual appearance. In most places, I engage the disguise function so that our arrival is not noticed. Also, the TARDIS should be able to translate between us and any intelligent creatures that we encounter.

All right. We're not too far from one of the natural deposits of crystals. Off to the west... we'll have a few streams to cross on the way. [Susan starts to walk, cautious because of the undergrowth, and talks as they go.] Aside from the Eight Legs, there are also some human colonists and their sheep. As for native species -- there are the terror birds... they're flightless, range from two to three feet tall, and carnivorous. Quite fast on their feet, too.

You won't have to worry about the cave wolves, though -- we're not near their habitat. Quite large, almost 3 and a half feet tall at the shoulder, massive great paws and claws, not something you want to tangle with.

And the cloudrunners are... basically a cross between flying squirrels and giant rats. Tree dwellers, mostly nocturnal, and they're herbivorous. A few blue-blooded reptiles and amphibians as well -- they have copper-based blood instead of your iron-based blood, and the blood-sucking insects here seem to prefer feeding on the reptiles.

[desertpowered]

[Paul had figured that there was something strange about Susan's ship, and that it had some sort of camouflage feature. It's impressive.] She's certainly a remarkable ship. Larger on the inside than n the outside, too. I don't know if you've had the opportunity to see any of our ships, but they're nowhere near as far along as yours technologically. And your method of space travel is entirely different.

Good. I want to cause as little disruption as I can to anyone. [He listens to the descriptions of wildlife with interest, and like Susan he's alert for the undergrowth and the streams, watching his step and ever cautious.] I'm thankful to your ship. Translation will make negotiation much easier if it's necessary when dealing with intelligent species. As for the terror birds, just from the name and your description I can imagine it's better to stay out of their way. I'd rather not be anybody's meal.

[Paul's more worried about the Eight Legs, though. Animal predators he can deal with, and their appetites are fairly simple. An intelligent species may find another use for captives - particularly powerful psychics - than simply food, though Paul would not be an easy prisoner to keep.]

So the bugs shouldn't be interested in my blood. That's good. The upside of living on a desert planet is that there aren't any native bloodsucking insects. They tend to like swamps and marshlands, humid places where they can lay their eggs and multiply. I'd rather stay away from the cave wolves, though. I trust you to show me the safest path to go.

[unearthlyexile]

{OOC: Sorry for the delay! Long work shifts have been leaving my brain entirely fried by the time I get home...}

Gallifrey is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the universe. [The oldest, they claim, and it might be true in this version of time at least. But Susan doesn't want to make it sound so intriguing.] And civilizations don't advance on a linear path... while our technology is advanced, I found Time Lord society to be close-minded and incurious. They allow little space for different ideas.

[They come to one of the wider streams. There don't seem to be any rocks poking out of the water, which they could use to step across, as they've done with a few narrower ones. Susan stops and looks around.] Hm. We might have to wade across this one. I could've sworn there was a fallen tree bridging this area, but it's certainly not here.

[Susan looks a bit worried. She bends down and begins cuffing the bottom of her trouser legs, rolling them up close to her knees. There's another of those whooping calls, markedly closer now. And the smaller animals... have fallen silent.]

[desertpowered]

That's unfortunate, if not particularly surprising, for such an advanced civilization to become stagnant. [Though Paul doesn't state it outright, he's afraid of a similar fate for humanity, and a civilization unable to adapt is at increased risk of extinction.] I suppose that's why you've taken an interest in humanity?

I don't know the area, so I'll leave leading the way to you. [Paul is constantly observant, and the fact that the smaller creatures have gone quiet isn't lost on him. That means there's something in the area that they don't want to draw the attention of, and the whooping call suggests that something is approaching. He urges for quiet, though he has an unpleasant feeling that they're on the territory of one of the predators being discussed. Not one of the wolves, that leaves...]

Don't tell me that those terror-birds you were discussing sound like that? [He's already reaching for his knife to defend himself. Human opponents are one thing, a large predatory animal is another. Predators aren't ones to take chances and prefer easy meals - Paul is making the gamble that if he can make himself seem threatening enough and doesn't come off as frightened, the creature will recognize that they aren't worth the trouble and leave.]

[unearthlyexile]

I was hoping that we'd be able to move through this area quickly, [Susan admits. She wades into the water, testing the depth and the speed of the current -- it seems relatively safe.]

Those are the terror-birds... though they seem to be coming from just one direction right now... [Susan speaks urgently, softly,] Come, Paul, let's at least get across the water.

[desertpowered]

We need to move. You said they're fast. [Paul doesn't need telling twice - he joins her in the water, hoping that they can cross before the birds arrive. He's able to track the calls, trying to measure how far away they are. They might be able to get away in time.]

I'll follow you. Show me the way to go. [Paul is wary, checking the path he's treading on while he watches out for any more signs of the terror birds. If they're hunting, he might not hear them, so he's careful as he wades beside Susan. Hopefully the birds can't swim well.]

[unearthlyexile]

I'm going to hold onto the back of your shirt so that we stay together. [And it leaves his arms free to use that knife, if needed. Susan matches action to her words and begins leading the way across the stream -- testing for any drop-offs in the stream-bed where it might get unexpectedly deep, and sometimes moving them away from spots that seem dangerous.]

[There's a sharp cry in the distance, and then the cracking and snapping of undergrowth, followed by the terrified, pained bellow of a ram "Me-a-a-aah!".]

It wasn't after us, [Susan says, with a relieved sigh. She hurries them the rest of the way across the stream, only relaxing a little bit when they're both on the opposite bank. But sheep might mean those human colonists that Susan mentioned before. To Susan's mind, however, it's more important to keep Paul and herself safe.]

[desertpowered]

[Paul gives Susan a firm nod, letting her grab his shirt as he follows her, knife in hand and ready for use if it's needed. Thankfully, however, it's not. He goes wherever Susan does, making sure that he doesn't step anywhere that's dangerous for them. His attention is divided carefully on trailing behind her and paying attention to the environment, making sure to keep track of whether there are any more sounds that can be traced to the hunting terror bird.

From the sound of the ram in the distance, the predator already took its prey and the victim wasn't human. There's concern for the colonists, but that would mean facing the territorial bird over its kill and Paul wants to move in case the bird notices them. Even if it's not hungry, it would still not want intruders on its territory.]

We should move on. The ram will keep it busy for a while. [He looks back, with a flicker of concern. His hope is that the bird will eat its fill and not bother the colonists. While Paul has encountered dangerous wildlife before, he doesn't know about this species or its behavior patterns enough to try confronting it and doesn't want to endanger either of them.] Where should we go next? I hope we don't encounter another one of those.

[unearthlyexile]

The blue crystals repel the terror birds. I think they don't like the resonance that the crystals emit. If we make it to the deposit, we won't be bothered by them.

[Susan turns more to the north and points.] This way. It shouldn't be far, and they're feeding now. We should take advantage of the distraction.

[desertpowered]

Good - so once we reach the crystals, they won't be a danger anymore. Good to hear it. Interesting to hear that the crystals keep the birds away. Do they have the same effect on other animals?

[Paul straightens and follows Susan.] Lead the way. We can get away while they're eating, you're right. The distraction is something we can use to our advantage.

[unearthlyexile]

[Susan leads the way further north. The trees begin to thin out, and the ground gets more rocky as they leave the jungle area. A few insects buzz around them, but fly off soon after, disinterested.]

If I remember correctly, terror birds bleed blue as well. Like the reptiles. I have not checked before, but I wonder if the crystals also repel the reptilian life here.

[Susan is focused on the path forward, and also listening for any sounds of the terror birds. She won't notice a scuttling sound among the rocks behind them, though Paul just might. Something new, something that noticed them when they entered this quarry-like area...?]