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Post by Seren Ash on Aug 26, 2011 21:30:44 GMT -5
Tracenista watched him, with sad eyes as he went about his ranting. There was that knowing smile on her face, like a mother that was just humoring a child that was trying to be smart. Oh he was quite smart, but she didn't want him to think that they really had that much power over her. "I hold too much swing with the council, I would never deliberately harm a child... but I'm not against messing with the Schism to effect those adults at the schism for the initiation." She said, her eyes held a shadow of an odd lightly.
She blinked a few times, before the swirls started. Shaking her head a little and drawing in a long breath. "I promise, I'll tell Thete about his history, when the time comes. He is the one that will make the choice on whether this planet survives." She whispered. She winced when he stabbed himself, and watched as he limped off. Her eyes closing as she drew in a breath. "This planet does not deserve to survive. Not with what it's people are becoming." She whispered in a rather raw tone.
She took a seat in the chair, next to the fireplace. The fireplace where she had held the only child she had birthed, even though the child had been stillborn. Her little child had been held right here, and she had cried so hard. She would stand up to the council, for the future of the handful of time lords that would make it out of all of this. She would be back, and when the Specialist was back, she would make sure the next generations were seen to. Those that escaped, would eventually have children. Those children would have powers that normal Time Lords could only dream of. Why not? When in the Future, The Meddler and The Specialist would be like the untempered Schism itself.
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Post by The First Doctor on Aug 28, 2011 21:51:32 GMT -5
Captain Ramachulainn and Dios were both embarrassed. Embarrassed, and furious with themselves. Eighteen minutes had been lost, trying to figure out the statue, before a basic sonic probe had revealed the truth. It wasn't a TARDIS, it wasn't a dimensionally-transcendent structure, it wasn't a transmat. It was simply a large stone statue, covering a physical door.
The Guard had been forced to cut it away from the wall - carefully, avoiding as much damage as possible - which had cost them another seven minutes. And now the Guard raced through the passage that had been revealed, moving at a quicktime pace, trying to make up for what they had lost.
Don't let us be too late, the Captain kept thinking, Don't let us be too late.
The troop arrived in a large, long-unused chamber. Footprints in the dust led to an open doorway. Beyond sat the Specialist, resting in a chair near an unused fireplace. There was a knife on the floor, covered in blood, and more blood ran through a second passage in the far wall.
"Specialist!" the Captain gasped, racing to her side. "Specialist? Are you injured?"
He looked back at his men. "Dios!" he ordered. "Take ten men, and follow that trail of blood. Take the Meddler alive if you can, but take him!"
"Yes, Captain!" he answered. Picking out ten Guards, they vanished into the darkness of the second passage.
"Eyomir! Call for a medical team!"
He knelt at the Specialist's side, eyes filled with fear and concern. "My Lady," he said. "You're safe, now. You're safe. Did he... have you been harmed?"
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Post by Seren Ash on Aug 29, 2011 4:54:26 GMT -5
The Specialist waited calmly for the men to enter. She sat calmly in her seat, staring into the fireplace. Her eyes closed as she rocked in the chair before the fire. When she heard them entering through the door in the wall. Her shoulders rolled back as she stared at the man that crouched before her. "Do you really think someone, anyone, could hurt me?" She asked calmly as she stood up.
She smiled down at him and then shook her head. She was chuckling now as she ruffled her hand through his hair. "Calm down, I'm fine. I wanted to try to fix him, but he is beyond fixing. His mind is broken due to something that happened to him in his initiation, something I wasn't able to catch." She said as she shrugged non-chalantly. "He pulled a knife on me, but I got him with it. It's alright." She said with a soft laugh and then arched a brow at them again.
She sighed when a medical team was called for and waved her hand dismissively. "No team is needed, I'm perfeclty fine." She said with a soft laugh.
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Post by The First Doctor on Aug 29, 2011 20:39:52 GMT -5
The Meddler made his way through the passage, ignoring the tearing pain in his leg. Ignoring the clammy feel of his blood-soaked jeans, and the sloshing in his boot. Ignoring the light-headed feeling that accompanied blood loss.
Studiously ignoring the strange emotions roiling inside him. He was a loner. Even before his ritualistic retrosuicide, there had always been a distance between him and everyone else, a gap that he had never attempted to cross. He had no frame of reference for what he was feeling. So he chalked it up to blood-loss, and refused to look deeper.
He pushed the door open, limped into the alley, leaving a sticky trail of bloody footprints as he did. His leg throbbed, and his tongue ached from where he'd bitten it in an effort to keep from crying out. A mild breeze blew, making the wounded leg feel cold.
Numbly, he manipulated the chameleon rod and limped into the Geometry Square. He could see the Pillars ahead, and to his vision the one that was his TARDIS stood out. Less than a hundred meters, now, then less than thirty more to the Infirmary, and he could collapse.
"You have been discovered, Meddler!" a voice shouted behind him. "Hold fast, and submit to Law!"
He refused to look. How did they find him? Then his foot squelched in his boot, and he realized. The blood. They followed the blood.
He concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Play it off, he told himself. Play it off. Maybe they're looking at the wrong-
He never heard the whine of the stazer, as the bolt slammed into him. Everything went black.
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Post by The First Doctor on Aug 29, 2011 21:00:14 GMT -5
"Do you really think someone, anyone, could hurt me?" She asked calmly as she stood up.
"My Lady," apologized Captain Ramachulainn. "Forgive me. We feared the worst, when we learned that the... the Meddler had entered the Halls. And then, when you vanished..."
His voice trailed off, and he looked terrified at the thought of what could have happened.
She smiled down at him and then shook her head. She was chuckling now as she ruffled her hand through his hair. "Calm down, I'm fine. I wanted to try to fix him, but he is beyond fixing. His mind is broken due to something that happened to him in his initiation, something I wasn't able to catch." She said as she shrugged non-chalantly. "He pulled a knife on me, but I got him with it. It's alright." She said with a soft laugh and then arched a brow at them again.
He gasped at the thought that someone - even one of the Deca - could be capable of threatening her life. "My Lady," he said, "your mercy knows no bounds. Would that you could have healed him. It is said that he had the makings of a fine temporal engineer, once."
She waved off the offer of a medical team with a soft laugh, and he relaxed a little. Then he stiffened again. Unpinning his badge of office, he knelt and offered it to her. "My Lady," he said solemnly, "I... we defiled the sanctity of the Halls. I offer no excuse, save our fears for your safety." He looked at his men. "All that we did, we did under my orders. The guilt is mine entirely. Let what judgement you decree, fall upon my head alone."
As he knelt, awaiting the Specialist's wrath, the com disk on his left hand chimed. "We have him, Captain," a voice announced. "We have the Meddler in custody."
Dios and his squad moved swiftly down the hall.
"I don't like this, sir," said Kastralava.
"What?"
"We've got a blood trail, but the biodatic reader isn't picking up any trace of him. It's like he's a, well, a ghost."
"No such thing as ghosts, Kastra."
"I know, but..."
"No," snapped Dios. "No buts. Ghosts don't bleed."
They emerged into an alley, near an entrance to Geometry Square. It wasn't crowded, but there were a number of people. "Fan out," Dios ordered. "You've seen the icon, you know what to look for."
Grimly, the Guard moved into the square in a loose line, eyes peeled. There were representatives of every House and Academy, moving in chaotic groups, on business of their own. It wasn't crowded, but he seemed to have vanished nonetheless...
Wait.
That figure there, in the robes of an Arcalian architect. She was limping.
Dios drew his stazer, setting it to stun, and moved closer. Consternation and mild panic began to fill the area, as they passers-by realized he was armed.
He paid them no notice. Was she limping due to an old injury, or was she...?
She lifted a foot. A bloody smear of a footprint was left in her wake. He took aim.
"You have been discovered, Meddler!" he shouted. "Hold fast, and submit to Law!"
The figure, the one he felt had to be the Meddler, kept limping. Hoping he was right, Dios fired.
The woman fell to the ground, transforming into an outlandishly-dressed man, his right leg soaked in blood. A small rod rolled from his outstretched hand.
"We've got him!" Dios exulted, carefully keeping the Meddler covered. "Call a medic, Kastra - I'll not have him die before he can stand trial." He triggered his com disk with his free hand. "We have him, Captain. We have the Meddler in custody."
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Post by Seren Ash on Aug 30, 2011 12:52:13 GMT -5
Her eyes closed as her blood boiled, but she pushed down the anger as she slowly rose. She calmly walked over to the cradle that sat on one corner and stroked her fingers over the stares. "You were merely doing your job, as I was mine." She stated softly as she felt her heart stop, both of them, in her chest. Her attention whipped around as she stared at the Captain.
"I want the Meddler freed." She stated, as her eyes darkened, the pain rising. "If he is given to the council, I'll never forgive any of you. EVER. I will dang you for what you did to my halls, till the end of Gallifrey itself." She snarled softly as she stalked over towards them. Her body held all her anger in her gate. Her hands unclenched as she took in a long breath.
"You let him go, we will come up with an excuse together. Do you trust me? When I say that he plays an important part? That if you take him now, you'll destroy all those plans?"
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Post by The First Doctor on Aug 30, 2011 21:42:23 GMT -5
"You were merely doing your job, as I was mine."
Captain Ramachulainn felt himself relax, just a little. He could feel the anger coming off of her, but...
"I want the Meddler freed."
He tensed again, and gaped. "My Lady..? But.. I... I don't understand."
"If he is given to the council, I'll never forgive any of you. EVER. I will Rassilon you for what you did to my halls, till the end of Gallifrey itself."
He looked up at her, face ashen, eyes pleading. "My Lady... I... I don't have the authority. My orders come directly from the Lord Castellan himself... I have to..."
There was fury in her stance and expression. The Captain had stood firm before two Shobogon rebellions, before the Sontarans when they had invaded the Homeworld, before the Master and the Rani. He shrank away from the Specialist, heart and eyes filled with dread.
"You let him go, we will come up with an excuse together. Do you trust me? When I say that he plays an important part? That if you take him now, you'll destroy all those plans?"
"I..." he looked at his men, then back at the Specialist. For an agonizing minute of time, duty warred with devotion. "I.. that is... yes. I trust you, my Lady." He raised the comm disk to his lips. "Dios. The Specialist has invoked privilege. She has chosen to show mercy to the Meddler. He is to be released, unharmed."
Dios stared at the comm disk in shocked fascination. "Released?" he echoed.
The rest of his squad were gathered around, guarding the Meddler. All around them, knots of Time Lords watched curiously.
"I... No, sir, I understand your words. I just don't understand why."
He listened.
"But why would she invoke privilege..?"
He listened further, scowling. Finally, "Yes, yes sir. I understand. I want to go on record as protesting this action."
Finally, he looked at his squad. "We're to release this.. thing."
"What?"
"You heard me. The Specialist has opted to show him mercy."
"But he's wanted for more than just that, sir."
"It doesn't matter," Dios scowled. "She is the Keeper. Tradition grants her the privilege." He glared at the prostrate Meddler. "Wake him up."
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Post by The First Doctor on Aug 30, 2011 21:55:27 GMT -5
"Get up," said a voice at a great distance.
The Meddler didn't want to get up. He ached all over. His leg throbbed, his whole body was on fire, and he felt sick and light-headed. And the cool surface beneath him was so comfortable...
"Get up," the voice repeated. Something nudged him in the ribs.
Slowly, feeling like he was lifting a great weight, he opened his eyes. It took time, and he was rewarded with a close view of jadeite flagstones and high-gloss boots. "Uhh," he managed, "Wha? Whazzat?"
"Get up," the voice ordered. "Get up, and get out of here."
He tried to push himself to his knees, only to have his hands slip. He flopped back to the ground. "Li'l... li'l help?" he asked.
"No. I have to let you go. I don't have to help you."
A figure squatted down and rolled him over. His vision was blurry, but he could make out a Guard uniform. "Get up," the figure said again. "Get up, and stop befouling the streets with your presence."
It took effort, but he levered himself to a sitting position. "Wha? Wha' happen'?"
"You don't deserve it, but the Specialist has chosen to show you mercy," the figure snarled. "Even after you tried to kill her. But, as far as I'm concerned, I'll gladly leave you to lie there and starve. Make me happy. Fall down."
Grunting, biting his tongue to avoid crying out, the Meddler forced himself to stand. "What... what's yehr name, boy?"
The Guard rose, and looked him in the eyes. "Dios."
"Right," the Meddler said. "Dios. Oi'll remember yeh, an' yehr kindness." He started to limp off. "An' Oi'll be certain to do yeh a kindness in return, one day."
With that, he staggered into one of the pillars and vanished from sight.
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Post by Seren Ash on Aug 31, 2011 17:06:17 GMT -5
She drew in a long breath, as she listened to the exchanges. She was exhausted, physically and mentally. She released a shuddering sigh as she collapsed back into her chair. Rubbing her temples as a headache rose through her. She knew her own end, and her re-beginning. She knew that she would die, in her Halls. She knew that a gun would take her out.
People would believe it to be Cybermen, but no, it would be one of the Council itself. A shuddering sigh left her as she pressed her fingers over her eyes. Sliding them back to rub her temples. Her head tilted back against the comfy chair, as she stared at the ceiling. "Thank you Captain, you have no idea what this means to me." She said as her head tilted down, as she stared at him.
She wondered how much she could trust this Captain, she had a faction she needed to start. Something she needed to set in motion, something that would save the future, when the time came. She needed to know if she could trust him. She waved her hand at the other guards. "Step into the Hall and close the door, I need to speak to your Captain privately." She said as she stared at them.
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Post by The First Doctor on Aug 31, 2011 22:05:56 GMT -5
A shuddering sigh left her as she pressed her fingers over her eyes. Sliding them back to rub her temples. Her head tilted back against the comfy chair, as she stared at the ceiling. "Thank you Captain, you have no idea what this means to me." She said as her head tilted down, as she stared at him.
The Captain shifted awkwardly. "You're right, my Lady. I don't. Nor do I pretend to understand." He shook his head in disbelief. "Your mercy knows no bounds."
She waved her hand at the other guards. "Step into the Hall and close the door, I need to speak to your Captain privately." She said as she stared at them.
Confused, the Guardsmen looked to their Captain. He felt as startled as they looked, but his training kicked in and he dismissed them with a gesture. The door swung shut.
"I await your pleasure, my Lady."
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Post by Seren Ash on Sept 2, 2011 0:43:06 GMT -5
The Specialist waited till the others had left the room. Then she pulled a device from her pocket to prevent eavesdropping. "I'm going to be frank with you Captain. There is going to be a war, and a bad one. Trust me when I say I have seen it." She said as she stared at him straight, her eyes seemed to be swirling again. Gently, not fast. A reminder of her ties, of the thing she could do. She blinked a few times till it cleared and then closed her eyes again.
"I have a favor to ask. When this happens, the children in the hall need to be saved. I will gather them in my room, they will leave in the passage in my office. From there I need you to be there with a TARDIS, equipped with Cryochambers. The duty I am charging you with, is insuring the continuation of our race. I will require complete secrecy on this, as it is only between us. You are the only one to know, Time told me so." She said as she folded her fingers in her lap.
"This TARDIS will be removed from the planet, and will have a powersource of it's own affixed to it. This will be attained from The Deviant and The Mist. They will only know about the TARDIS' needed abilities. You will not tell them it's purpose. When this time comes, you are to pilot this ship, with six soldiers that you have chosen. Specifically for their loyalty and that you have to have sworn to you by a strong oath, one that will be deadly if broken."
"You will take this TARDIS and put it in a place that none will look for it. None will even think to look for it. Once this is done, you will continue to live your life with the other Soldiers, and slowly awaken the children and teach them. We will need this in the future. Believe me on this." She said softly as she unfolded her hands and opened her eyes. They were swirling rapidly now. "This is the Duty that Time has charged you with. If you deny, another will have to be chosen, and you will forget anything that happened in this room."
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Post by The First Doctor on Sept 2, 2011 19:35:06 GMT -5
The Specialist waited till the others had left the room. Then she pulled a device from her pocket to prevent eavesdropping. "I'm going to be frank with you Captain. There is going to be a war, and a bad one. Trust me when I say I have seen it." She said as she stared at him straight, her eyes seemed to be swirling again. Gently, not fast. A reminder of her ties, of the thing she could do.
Captain Ramachulainn nodded. "Yes, my Lady, that seems to be inevitable. With the failure of the Archetryx Conference, the only questions remaining are 'when will the Daleks strike' and 'will we strike first'."
"I have a favor to ask. When this happens, the children in the hall need to be saved. I will gather them in my room, they will leave in the passage in my office. From there I need you to be there with a TARDIS, equipped with Cryochambers. The duty I am charging you with, is insuring the continuation of our race. I will require complete secrecy on this, as it is only between us. You are the only one to know, Time told me so." She said as she folded her fingers in her lap.
"But, my Lady..?" He sounded startled. "What danger could the Halls be in? They lie within the Citadel, and the Citadel is protected by the transduction barriers. There is no power in the Spiral Politic that can bring them down!" He sounded as much like he was trying to convince himself as anything else.
And then he took a deep breath. "But, since you ask this of me, then I will do it. If the time comes, and you summon me, I will do as you ask."
"This TARDIS will be removed from the planet, and will have a powersource of it's own affixed to it. This will be attained from The Deviant and The Mist. They will only know about the TARDIS' needed abilities. You will not tell them it's purpose. When this time comes, you are to pilot this ship, with six soldiers that you have chosen. Specifically for their loyalty and that you have to have sworn to you by a strong oath, one that will be deadly if broken."
He nodded to show he was listening.
"You will take this TARDIS and put it in a place that none will look for it. None will even think to look for it. Once this is done, you will continue to live your life with the other Soldiers, and slowly awaken the children and teach them. We will need this in the future. Believe me on this." She said softly as she unfolded her hands and opened her eyes. They were swirling rapidly now. "This is the Duty that Time has charged you with. If you deny, another will have to be chosen, and you will forget anything that happened in this room."
"A place where none will even think to look for it..." he said, musingly. "My lady, as I have sworn, so shall I do. You need but speak a word when it is time."
Dios glared daggers at the Meddler as he limped into what must be a TARDIS. "Privilege," he muttered. "Why would she grant Privilege? What terrifying hold has the Meddler acquired over the Specialist?"
He raised his hand, sighted the staser on the abomination's back. His finger slowly tightened...
The pillar closed.
Dios lowered the staser again. "Why?" he asked of nobody in particular. His face twisted in anger.
Then he raised his comm disk to his mouth. "My Lord Castellan," he said, "there has been a complication..."
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Post by Seren Ash on Sept 7, 2011 3:15:55 GMT -5
"What I see, comes from Time Itself. You are sworn now, by your blood and loom, to follow the mission I have given you. No one is to know this, no one. It will stay between us. This is the price I ask, for the safety I have brought to you and others of your loom." She said softly, in a rather traditional way as she leaned in towards him. "I would also have another favor of you."
She said this and leaned back, her eyes closing. "I want to try and have a child, if you would, I need to find a male of strong blood. One that is discreet. One that will be alright with the child being natural, not loomed." She said this and then opened her eyes, watching him. "I want a child, so badly." She said as her hand rubbed the arm of the rocking chair.
"Two hundred years ago, I sat in this very chair. Holding my stillborn. She was beautiful, and pale. Like me, but her eyes were so dark, like the swirling of the Schism. I held her, even though she was stillborn, cried for her. I am of this home, Captain. I am one of the few of the royals left." She murmured as she watched him. "If such a child would come, of me finding someone. I wish for you to keep it safe. No matter what."
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Post by The First Doctor on Sept 7, 2011 17:00:58 GMT -5
"What I see, comes from Time Itself. You are sworn now, by your blood and loom, to follow the mission I have given you. No one is to know this, no one. It will stay between us. This is the price I ask, for the safety I have brought to you and others of your loom."
"I understand, my Lady."
She leaned in towards him. "I would also have another favor of you."
The Captain inclined his head. "Name it, Specialist. If it is in my power, I will see it done."
She said this and leaned back, her eyes closing. "I want to try and have a child, if you would, I need to find a male of strong blood. One that is discreet. One that will be alright with the child being natural, not loomed."
Captain Ramachulainn was appalled, but too well-mannered to show it. The Keeper of the Halls,[/i] he wondered, would seek a freebirth? Why? All Gallifrey would consent to provide biodata for the Looms, to make her an heir.
She said this and then opened her eyes, watching him. "I want a child, so badly." She said as her hand rubbed the arm of the rocking chair.
"Two hundred years ago, I sat in this very chair. Holding my stillborn. She was beautiful, and pale. Like me, but her eyes were so dark, like the swirling of the Schism. I held her, even though she was stillborn, cried for her. I am of this home, Captain. I am one of the few of the royals left." She murmured as she watched him. "If such a child would come, of me finding someone. I wish for you to keep it safe. No matter what."
He swallowed, fighting to keep the shock and disbelief from his voice. "Of... of course. My life for the Specialist. My life for the heir of the Keeper."
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Post by Seren Ash on Sept 7, 2011 17:09:29 GMT -5
"You must wonder why I wish to have a freebirth, instead of looming? To put it simply, looming is against my bloodline. Though I have tried before, and looming has failed me." She said as she rose to stand up and played with the device in her palm. "As it was, we will never speak of what happened in this room. If for some reason I do come to have a child in the future, protect her or hum." She stated as she walked towards the secret passage.
"I dearly hope you did not damage my passageway too much." She said with a playful smile as she started to walk down the pathway. It was up to him if he followed her or not.
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